S-2689 : Still Just a Bill

The bill S. 2689, also known as the "Special Envoy for Belarus Act", aims to address human rights and security concerns related to Belarus. Key provisions include:

• Special Envoy Appointment: Mandates the President to appoint a Special Envoy for Belarus within the Department of State.
• Qualifications: Specifies that the Special Envoy should have expertise in European security, geopolitics, democracy, and human rights.
• Objectives: Outlines the Special Envoy's central objective as improving respect for human rights in Belarus, focusing on the national security implications of Belarus's alignment, and addressing the regional impacts of events in Belarus.
• Duties and Responsibilities: Details the Special Envoy's duties, including engaging with Belarusian officials, supporting international efforts for human rights, consulting with NGOs, recommending funding for democracy and economic development, reviewing strategies for human rights protection, developing an action plan for holding human rights violators accountable, engaging with NATO, OSCE, and EU member countries and sustaining focus on the political situation in Belarus
• Role Specifics: States the position is full-time, not combined with other positions, exists only while US diplomatic operations in Belarus are suspended, and oversees the Belarus Affairs Unit.
• Reporting: Requires the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Special Envoy, to submit annual reports to Congress on the activities undertaken for the following 5 years.
• Termination: States the position and authorities terminate 5 years after the bill's enactment.