BRIDGE Act

The BRIDGE Act establishes a "Russians in Exile Affairs Unit" to support Russian and Belarusian individuals who have fled persecution for pro-democracy activities. It authorizes $40 million annually from 2025-2028 to fund independent media and civil society organizations providing reliable information to Russian-speaking populations. The bill includes provisions to help these individuals with travel documents, banking access, and communication challenges, while also creating mechanisms to recognize expired Russian and Belarusian passports. It codifies certain sanctions against the Russian Federation and aims to facilitate engagement with pro-democracy activists outside Russia who face credible threats of persecution.