[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6433 Introduced in House (IH)]








109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6433

  To authorize assistance for the reconstruction and stabilization of 
                                Lebanon.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            December 8, 2006

   Mr. Farr introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                  Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To authorize assistance for the reconstruction and stabilization of 
                                Lebanon.

    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 ``Lebanon Reconstruction and 
Stabilization Act of 2006''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) On July 25, 2006, United States Ambassador to Lebanon 
        Jeffrey Feltman declared a humanitarian emergency in Lebanon 
        due to ongoing insecurity and humanitarian needs.
            (2) On August 11, 2006, the United Nations Security Council 
        adopted Security Council Resolution 1701, calling for an end to 
        hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, and stating that 
        ``the situation in Lebanon constitutes a threat to 
        international peace and security''.
            (3) United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, 
        ``Stresses the importance of, and the need to achieve, a 
        comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East.''.
            (4) On August 14, 2006, the United Nations brokered a 
        ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel.
            (5) United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, 
        ``Welcom[es] the efforts of the Lebanese Prime Minister and the 
        commitment of the Government of Lebanon, in its seven-point 
        plan, to extend its authority over its territory, through its 
        own legitimate armed forces, such that there will be no weapons 
        without the consent of the Government of Lebanon and no 
        authority other than that of the Government of Lebanon.''.
            (6) United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, 
        ``Calls on the international community to take immediate steps 
        to extend its financial and humanitarian assistance to the 
        Lebanese people, including through facilitating the safe return 
        of displaced persons and, under the authority of the Government 
        of Lebanon, reopening airports and harbors, consistent with 
        paragraphs 14 and 15, and calls on it also to consider further 
        assistance in the future to contribute to the reconstruction 
        and development of Lebanon.''.
            (7) It is estimated that there are approximately 8,500 
        unexploded ordnance in the region.
            (8) The Lebanese Government estimates that Lebanon suffered 
        approximately $3.6 billion in damages to physical 
        infrastructure.
            (9) Lebanon's economy has been severely impacted by the 
        violence, especially in the tourism sector, which compromises 
        15 percent of its GDP.
            (10) It is in the national security interests of the United 
        States, Israel and the region to have a functioning Lebanese 
        central government that is able to protect its borders and 
        provide municipal services to all its citizens and a strong 
        economy able to generate jobs and foster economic growth.

SEC. 3. DECLARATIONS OF POLICY.

    Congress makes the following declarations of policy:
            (1) Assisting failed states 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 
        five years.
            (2) The United States Government recognizes the threat to 
        United States national security posed by failed and failing 
        states by adopting Directive 3000.05 for the Department of 
        Defense that places stabilization and reconstruction operations 
        on par with traditional war fighting and National Security 
        Policy Directive 45 for the Department of State that makes the 
        State Office of Coordinator for Reconstruction and 
        Stabilization, S/CRS, the government-wide coordinating and 
        planning entity for stabilization and reconstruction 
        operations.
            (3) Therefore, it is in the best interests of the United 
        States Government to assist the Lebanese Government with long-
        term reconstruction and stabilization to further peace and 
        stability within Lebanon and the greater Middle East region.
            (4) United States assistance to Lebanon shall be 
        implemented in accordance with section 102(b) of the Foreign 
        Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151-1(b)) that makes 
        building the capacity of local communities and institutional 
        capabilities of the government and people a primary goal and 
        ``should focus on establishing and upgrading the institutional 
        capacities of developing countries in order to promote long-
        term development''.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF ASSISTANCE FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION AND 
              STABILIZATION OF LEBANON.

    (a) Authorization of Assistance.--The President is authorized to 
provide assistance for the reconstruction and stabilization of Lebanon. 
Assistance authorized under this subsection shall be planned, 
coordinated, and implemented through the Department of State's Office 
of Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization, S/CRS, and in 
strict compliance with all provisions of law that prevent United States 
assistance from being provided to foreign terrorists organizations.
    (b) Activities Supported.--Assistance provided under subsection (a) 
shall be used to carry out the following activities:
            (1) Rebuild the economic and social infrastructure of 
        Lebanon, including roads, bridges, telecommunication systems, 
        water treatment plants, schools, airports and hospitals.
            (2) Encourage the World Bank and International Monetary 
        Fund to provide housing and economic assistance in the form of 
        grants and micro-lending plans aimed at providing the Lebanese 
        people with the means to resuscitate small businesses in 
        Lebanon.
            (3) Establish peace, reconciliation and coexistence 
        programs and conflict resolution programs within Lebanon and 
        between Lebanon and Israel.
            (4) Encourage civic engagement, democratization, rule of 
        law, and political party strengthening activities.
            (5) Support efforts to address post-traumatic stress 
        disorders through funding counseling services to civilians. 
        Special efforts should be made to provide funding to Lebanese 
        nongovernmental organizations specializing in such efforts.
            (6) Improve education systems, with emphasis on improving 
        cross-sectarian educational experiences of Lebanese youth.
            (7) Increase assistance under chapter 5 of part II of the 
        Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2347 et seq.; 
        relating to International Military Education and Training) for 
        Lebanon.
            (8) Support demining and mine awareness campaigns in 
        Lebanon.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
        the President to carry out this section such sums as may be 
        necessary for each of the fiscal years 2007 through 2011.
            (2) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that at 
        least $15,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2007 through 
        2011 should be made available to carry out subsection (b)(4).
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