Cheney offers bipartisan bill to promote, fund democracy abroad

U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) last week introduced a bipartisan bill that would create new programs to promote democracy abroad, authorize the U.S. State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) democracy programs from fiscal year 2023 through FY 2027, and address other related issues.

“Since America’s founding, we have been a model for those who seek freedom around the world,” Rep. Cheney said. “Our country has been uniquely blessed and we have a particular duty to help ensure the defense and spread of freedom.” 

The congresswoman unveiled the Madeleine K. Albright Democracy in the 21st Century Act alongside U.S. Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-NJ) to establish new authorities and provide additional resources to address contemporary threats to democracy, including malign foreign interference, transnational corruption, the proliferation of surveillance technologies, and corrupt electoral practices, among others, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Cheney’s office.

The U.S. House of Representatives bill is companion legislation to the same-named S. 3317, introduced in December 2021 by U.S. Sens. Christopher Coons (D-DE) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC).

“I’m proud to cosponsor this bipartisan and bicameral legislation to provide critical funding and resources to support democracy and combat corruption and kleptocracy,” said Rep. Cheney in an Aug. 11 statement. 

If enacted, the measure would establish three funds to promote global democratic programming by the State Department, USAID, and the National Endowment for Democracy, and would authorize an increase in U.S. global democracy assistance to over $3 billion, the summary says.

Specifically, the Fund to Defend Democracy Globally would receive $20 million for the State Department and USAID to support democratic programs that bolster freedom of expression, election integrity and democratic technology use. The Fund to Combat Corruption and Kleptocracy also would provide $20 million for both entities to tackle threats to emerging democracies from corruption. The Democracy Research and Development Fund would provide USAID with another $15 million to support research, development, and innovation within democratic programming, with a focus on technology and inter-department coordination and information sharing, according to the summary.

Funds established under the bill would be flexible and contributions would be accepted from other donors, including the private sector, and could be made to multilateral organizations.

Spreading democracy, Rep. Cheney said, “is the right thing to do and our security depends upon it.”

Numerous organizations support the bill, including the National Democratic Institute, the Center for International Private Enterprise, the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law, Internews, and InterAction.