Us Code § 8251 - Cooperation with democratic countries
Full text of Us Code United States Code § 8251 — Cooperation with democratic countries, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 8251. Cooperation with democratic countries
(a) Sense of Congress
It is the sense of Congress that the United States should cooperate with other democratic countries to—
(1) promote and protect democratic principles, practices, and values;
(2) promote and protect shared political, social, and economic freedoms, including the freedoms of association, of expression, of the press, of religion, and to own private property;
(3) promote and protect respect for the rule of law;
(4) develop, adopt, and pursue strategies to advance common interests in international organizations and multilateral institutions to which members of cooperating democratic countries belong; and
(5) provide political, economic, and other necessary support to countries that are undergoing a transition to democracy.
(b) Community of Democracies
(1) Sense of Congress
It is the sense of Congress that—
(A) the Community of Democracies should develop a more formal mechanism for carrying out work between ministerial meetings, such as through the creation of a permanent secretariat with appropriate staff to carry out such work, and should establish a headquarters; and
(B) nondemocratic countries should not participate in any association or group of democratic countries aimed at working together to promote democracy.
(2) Detail of personnel
The Secretary is authorized to detail on a nonreimbursable basis any employee of the Department to any permanent secretariat of the Community of Democracies or to the government of any country that is a member of the Convening Group of the Community of Democracies.
(c) Establishment of an office for multilateral democracy promotion
The Secretary should establish an office of multilateral democracy promotion with the mission to further develop and strengthen the institutional structure of the Community of Democracies, develop interministerial projects, enhance the United Nations Democracy Caucus, manage policy development of the United Nations Democracy Fund, and enhance coordination with other regional and multilateral bodies with jurisdiction over democracy issues.
(d) International Center for Democratic Transition
(1) Sense of Congress
It is the sense of Congress that the International Center for Democratic Transition, an initiative of the Government of Hungary, serves to promote practical projects and the sharing of best practices in the area of democracy promotion and should be supported by, in particular, the United States, other European countries with experiences in democratic transitions, and private individuals.
(2) Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008, 2009, and 2010 to the Secretary for a grant to the International Center for Democratic Transition. Amounts appropriated under this paragraph are authorized to remain available until expended.
(Pub. L. 110–53, title XXI, §2151, Aug. 3, 2007, 121 Stat. 535.)
SUBCHAPTER VI—FUNDING FOR PROMOTION OF DEMOCRACY
About This Section
22 U.S.C. § 8251 is part of Title 22 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.
This section may be cited in legal writing as 22 U.S.C. § 8251. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.
How to Read This Statute
Statutes are organized by title, chapter, section, and subsection. Pay attention to words like "shall," "may," "and," and "or," because they determine whether a requirement is mandatory or permissive and whether multiple conditions must all be met. Historical notes and amendments often appear at the end of a section.
Using This Page
This page is intended for research and educational use. Lawyers, students, journalists, and compliance professionals can use it as a starting point, but should always verify the current text through an official government source before relying on it for legal advice, filings, or compliance decisions.