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Belarus Democracy Act of 2004

Public Law 108-347 · H.R. 854 · 108th Congress · began in the House

Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Oct 20, 2004 · International Affairs

Sponsor: Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ-4)

Cosponsors (14): Rep. Steny Hoyer,

Passage votes

  • HouseVoice vote
  • SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Belarus Democracy Act of 2004 - (Sec. 3) Authorizes the President to support primarily indigenous Belarusian groups that are committed to the support of democratic processes in various activities that may include: (1) observation of elections and the promotion of free and fair electoral processes, including the development of democratic political parties; (2) development of independent media supported by nonstate-controlled printing facilities; (3) support of human rights; and (4) establishment of international exchanges and advanced professional training programs for leaders and members of democratic forces that foster the growth of civil society. Authorizes FY 2005 and 2006 appropriations for such activities.

(Sec. 4) Authorizes FY 2005 and 2006 appropriations for indigenous-language radio broadcasting to Belarus.

(Sec. 5) Expresses the sense of Congress that specified U.S. and multilateral loan and financial sanctions (with humanitarian, agricultural, or medical exceptions) should apply to Belarus until the President certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that the Government of Belarus has made significant progress in meeting the following conditions: (1) release of individuals who have been jailed for political or religious beliefs; (2) withdrawal of politically motivated legal charges against all opposition figures and independent journalists; (3) accounting of the disappearances of opposition leaders and journalists, including Victor Gonchar, Anatoly Krasovsky, Yuri Zakharenka, and Dmitry Zavadsky, and the prosecution of responsible individuals; (4) cessation of harassment and repression against the independent media, independent trade unions, nongovernmental organizations, religious organizations, and the political opposition; and (5) implementation of free and fair presidential and parliamentary elections.

(Sec. 6) Expresses the sense of Congress that the President should seek a multilateral strategy, particularly with the countries of Europe, to further the purposes of this Act.

(Sec. 7) Directs the President to report with respect to: (1) weapons-related activities by Belarus; and (2) the personal wealth of Aleksander Lukashenka and other senior leadership.

(Sec. 8) Declares congressional policy: (1) respecting the persecution and disappearance of journalists and political opponents in Belarus; and (2) commending the democratic opposition in Belarus.

(Sec. 9) Defines specified terms.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

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Related bills

1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.

  • S. 700Related bill

    Belarus Democracy Act of 2003

Data notes

Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 22 actions.

  1. Oct 20, 2004Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 108-347.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Oct 12, 2004FloorFloor · Presented to President.
  4. Oct 6, 2004FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
  5. FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  6. Oct 5, 2004CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate, read twice.
  7. Oct 4, 2004FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  8. FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
  9. FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 854.
  10. FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
  11. FloorFloor · Mrs. Davis, Jo Ann moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  12. Feb 25, 2004CommitteeCommittee · Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
  13. Jun 24, 2003CommitteeCommittee · Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1338)
  14. May 9, 2003CommitteeCommittee · Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E920)
  15. Apr 3, 2003CommitteeCommittee · Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.
  16. CommitteeCommittee · Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
  17. CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Subcommittee on Europe.
  18. Mar 10, 2003CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Chairman.
  19. Mar 6, 2003CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims.
  20. Feb 13, 2003CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Committee on International Relations, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the c…
  21. CommitteeCommittee · Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E241-242)
  22. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in House
Data notes

Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.

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Amendments

No amendments to this bill are on record.

Data notes

Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.

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Official record

The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.