Funding Of the funds appropriated by this Act under the headings Development Assistance , Economic Support Fund , Democracy Fund , Assistance for Europe, Eurasia and Central Asia , and International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement , not less than $2,400,500,000 shall be made available for democracy programs. (b) Authorities (1) Availability Funds made available by this Act for democracy programs pursuant to subsection (a) and under the heading National Endowment for Democracy may be made available notwithstanding any other provision of law, and with regard to the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), any regulation. (2) Beneficiaries Funds made available by this Act for the NED are made available pursuant to the authority of the National Endowment for Democracy Act (title V of Public Law 98–164 ), including all decisions regarding the selection of beneficiaries. (c) Definition of democracy programs For purposes of funds appropriated by this Act, the term democracy programs means programs that support good governance, credible and competitive elections, freedom of expression, association, assembly, and religion, human rights, labor rights, independent media, and the rule of law, and that otherwise strengthen the capacity of democratic political parties, governments, nongovernmental organizations and institutions, and citizens to support the development of democratic states and institutions that are responsive and accountable to citizens. (d) Program prioritization Funds made available pursuant to this section that are made available for programs to strengthen government institutions shall be prioritized for those institutions that demonstrate a commitment to democracy and the rule of law. (e) Restriction on prior approval With respect to the provision of assistance for democracy programs in this Act, the organizations implementing such assistance, the specific nature of that assistance, and the participants in such programs shall not be subject to the prior approval by the government of any foreign