[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2616 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2616

     To increase the capabilities of the United States to provide 
  reconstruction assistance to countries or regions impacted by armed 
                   conflict, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 26, 2003

   Mr. Farr (for himself, Mr. Wolf, Mr. Hoeffel, Mr. Leach, and Mr. 
   Wexler) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                  Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To increase the capabilities of the United States to provide 
  reconstruction assistance to countries or regions impacted by armed 
                   conflict, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Winning the Peace Act of 2003''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) President George W. Bush has stated that the United 
        States security strategy takes into account the fact that 
        ``America is now threatened less by conquering states than we 
        are by failing ones''.
            (2) Failed states can provide safe haven for a diverse 
        array of transnational threats, including terrorist networks, 
        militia and warlords, global organized crime, and narcotics 
        traffickers who threaten the security of the United States and 
        the allies of the United States.
            (3) The inability of the authorities in a failed state to 
        provide basic services can create or contribute to humanitarian 
        emergencies.
            (4) It is in the interest of the United States and the 
        international community to bring conflict and humanitarian 
        emergencies stemming from failed states to a lasting and 
        sustainable close.
            (5) Since the end of the cold war, United States military, 
        diplomatic, and humanitarian personnel have been engaged in 
        major post-conflict reconstruction efforts in such places as 
        Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo, Somalia, Haiti, Rwanda, and Afghanistan.
            (6) Assisting failed states in emerging from violent 
        conflict is a complex and long-term task, as demonstrated by 
        the experience that 50 percent of such states emerging from 
        conditions of violent conflict slip back into violence within 5 
        years.
            (7) In 2003, the bipartisan Commission on Post-Conflict 
        Reconstruction created by the Center for Strategic and 
        International Studies and the Association of the United States 
        Army, released a report explaining that ``United States 
        security and development agencies still reflect their Cold War 
        heritage. The kinds of complex crises and the challenge of 
        failed states encountered in recent years do not line up with 
        these outdated governmental mechanisms. If regional stability 
        is to be maintained, economic development advanced, lives 
        saved, and transnational threats reduced, the United States and 
        the international community must develop a strategy and enhance 
        capacity for pursuing post-conflict reconstruction.''.
            (8) Preventing failed states from slipping into violence 
        and chaos requires an intensive engagement by individuals with 
        sensitivity to the relevant historical, social, political, and 
        economic context of, and a thorough understanding of the 
        language of, the region. Any person involved in reconstruction 
        efforts if such a state must have extensive cross-cultural 
        training and the ability to communicate effectively in the 
        language of that state.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Administrator of the United States Agency for International 
        Development.
            (2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means a Director of 
        Reconstruction for a country or region designated by the 
        President under section 4.
            (3) Reconstruction services.--The term ``reconstruction 
        services'' means activities related to rebuilding, reforming, 
        or establishing the infrastructure processes or institutions of 
        a country that has been affected by an armed conflict, 
        including services related to--
                    (A) security and public safety, including--
                            (i) disarmament, demobilization, and 
                        reintegration of combatants;
                            (ii) training and equipping of national 
                        armed forces;
                            (iii) training and equipping civilian 
                        police forces; and
                            (iv) providing security as interim civilian 
                        police forces;
                    (B) justice, including--
                            (i) developing rule of law and legal, 
                        judicial, and correctional institutions;
                            (ii) preventing human rights violations;
                            (iii) bringing war criminals to justice;
                            (iv) supporting national reconciliation 
                        processes; and
                            (v) clarifying property rights;
                    (C) governance, including--
                            (i) reforming or developing civil 
                        administration and other government 
                        institutions;
                            (ii) restoring performance of basic civil 
                        functions, such as schools, health clinics, and 
                        hospitals; and
                            (iii) establishing processes of governance 
                        and participation; and
                    (D) economic and social well-being, including--
                            (i) providing humanitarian assistance;
                            (ii) constructing or repairing 
                        infrastructure;
                            (iii) developing national economic 
                        institutions and activities, such as a banking 
                        system; and
                            (iv) encouraging wise stewardship of 
                        natural resources for the benefit of the 
                        citizens of such country.

SEC. 4. DIRECTOR OF RECONSTRUCTION POSITIONS.

    (a) Authorization of Positions.--The President is authorized to 
designate a Director of Reconstruction for each country or region in 
which--
            (1) units of the United States Armed Forces have engaged in 
        armed conflict; or
            (2) as a result of armed conflict the country or region 
        will receive reconstruction services from the United States 
        Government.
    (b) Authority to Provide Assistance.--Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, the President is authorized to provide assistance for 
reconstruction services for any country or region for which a Director 
has been designated under subsection (a).
    (c) Duties.--A Director shall provide oversight and coordination 
of, and have decision making authority for, all activities of the 
United States Government, within the country or region for which 
designated, that are related to providing reconstruction services to 
such country or region, including implementing complex, 
multidisciplinary post-conflict reconstruction programs in such country 
or region.
    (d) Coordination.--A Director shall coordinate with the 
representatives of the country or region where the Director is 
overseeing and coordinating the provision of reconstruction services, 
and any foreign government, multilateral organization, or 
nongovernmental organization that is providing services to such country 
or region--
            (1) to avoid providing reconstruction services that 
        duplicate any such services that are being provided by a person 
        or government other than the United States Government;
            (2) to capitalize on civil administration systems and 
        capabilities available from such person or government; and
            (3) to utilize individuals or entities with expertise in 
        providing reconstruction services that are available through 
        such other person or government.
    (e) Support Services.--The Secretary of State is authorized to 
establish within the Department of State a permanent office to provide 
support, including administrative services, to each Director designated 
under subsection (a).

SEC. 5. INTERNATIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICE.

    (a) Authorization.--The Administrator is authorized to establish 
within the United States Agency for International Development an Office 
of International Emergency Management for the purposes described in 
subsection (b).
    (b) Purposes.--
            (1) In general.--The purposes of the Office authorized by 
        subsection (a) shall be--
                    (A) to develop and maintain a database of 
                individuals or entities that possess expertise in 
                providing reconstruction services, including 
                appropriate language, interpretation, and communication 
                capabilities; and
                    (B) to provide support for mobilizing such 
                individuals and entities to provide a country or region 
                with services applying such expertise when requested by 
                the Director for such country or region.
            (2) Experts.--The individuals or entities referred to in 
        paragraph (1) may include employees or agencies of the Federal 
        Government, any other government, or any other person, 
        including former Peace Corps volunteers or civilians located in 
        the affected country or region in critical response areas.

SEC. 6. INTEGRATED SECURITY SUPPORT COMPONENT.

    (a) Sense of Congress Regarding the Creation of an Integrated 
Security Support Component of NATO.--It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense 
        should present to the North Atlantic Council a proposal to 
        establish within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization an 
        Integrated Security Support Component to train and equip 
        selected units within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to 
        execute security tasks in countries or regions that require 
        reconstruction services; and
            (2) if such a Component is established, the President 
        should commit United States personnel to participate in such 
        Component, after appropriate consultation with Congress.
    (b) Authority to Participate in an Integrated Support Component.--
            (1) In general.--If the North Atlantic Council establishes 
        an Integrated Security Support Component, as described in 
        subsection (a), the President is authorized to commit United 
        States personnel to participate in such Component, after 
        appropriate consultation with Congress.
            (2) Capabilities.--The units composed of United States 
        personnel participating in such Component pursuant to the 
        authority in paragraph (1) should be capable of--
                    (A) providing for security of a civilian 
                population, including serving as a police force; and
                    (B) providing for the performance of public 
                functions and the execution of security tasks such as 
                control of belligerent groups and crowds, apprehending 
                targeted persons or groups, performing anti-corruption 
                tasks, and supporting police investigations.

SEC. 7. TRAINING CENTER FOR POST-CONFLICT RECONSTRUCTION OPERATIONS.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of State shall establish within 
the Department of State an interagency Training Center for Post-
Conflict Reconstruction Operations for the purposes described in 
subsection (b).
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of the Training Center authorized by 
subsection (a) shall be to--
            (1) train interagency personnel in assessment, strategy 
        development, planning, and coordination related to providing 
        reconstruction services;
            (2) develop and certify experts in fields related to 
        reconstruction services who could be called to participate in 
        operations in countries or regions that require such services;
            (3) provide training to individuals who will provide 
        reconstruction services in a country or region, including 
        language, interpretation, communication, and cross-cultural 
        training;
            (4) develop rapidly deployable training packages for use in 
        countries or regions in need of reconstruction services; and
            (5) conduct reviews of operations that provide 
        reconstruction services for the purpose of--
                    (A) improving subsequent operations to provide such 
                services; and
                    (B) developing appropriate training and education 
                programs for individuals who will provide such 
                services.

SEC. 8. CIVILIAN POLICE RESERVE.

    It is the sense of Congress that the President should establish a 
task force of Federal, State, and local law enforcement representatives 
to implement a reserve force of law enforcement officers willing to 
serve overseas to provide reconstruction services described in clauses 
(iii) and (iv) of section 3(3)(A).

SEC. 9. RETURN OF TALENT PROGRAMS.

    It is the sense of Congress that the President should direct the 
Secretary of Homeland Security to review immigration rules for aliens 
admitted for permanent residence to the United States who wish to 
return temporarily to their countries of origin to participate in 
``return of talent'' programs, to the extent those countries are 
receiving reconstruction services from the United States.

SEC. 10. SECURITY DEVELOPMENT FUND.

    There is established a United States Security Development Fund to 
carry out the purposes of this Act. There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the President from time to time such amounts as may be 
necessary for the fund to carry out the purposes of this Act, except 
that no amount of funds may be appropriated which, when added to 
amounts previously appropriated but not yet obligated, would cause such 
amounts to exceed $300,000,000. Amounts appropriated under this section 
shall remain available until expended.
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