[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 502 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 502

To amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize assistance to 
      improve security and promote economic development in Mexico.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 17, 2007

Mr. Cuellar (for himself and Mr. Reyes) introduced the following bill; 
         which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize assistance to 
      improve security and promote economic development in Mexico.

    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 ``Prosperous and Secure Neighbor 
Alliance Act of 2007''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS; STATEMENT OF POLICY.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) An alarming increase in illicit drugs and drug-related 
        violence in Mexico and on the United States-Mexico border has 
        made life gradually more difficult for Americans living in 
        border communities.
            (2) The precarious security situation on the United States-
        Mexico border has also had a broader negative impact in the 
        United States with illicit drugs continuing to get into the 
        hands of our Nation's children.
            (3) United States Director of National Intelligence John 
        Negroponte named Mexico in the Annual Threat Assessment of the 
        Director of National Intelligence for the Senate Select 
        Committee on Intelligence (February 2, 2006) as a country of 
        concern regarding the capacity of drug trafficking 
        organizations to undermine already weak state authority.
            (4) As a neighbor and as the second largest trading partner 
        of the United States, Mexico deserves the support of the United 
        States in taking steps to improve security and promote economic 
        development in Mexico.
    (b) Statement of Policy.--It is, therefore, the policy of the 
United States to increase United States foreign assistance to improve 
security and promote economic development in Mexico, both of which are 
crucial to more effectively combat illicit drugs and drug-related 
violence and other criminal activities in Mexico and the United States.

SEC. 3. AMENDMENT TO THE FOREIGN ASSISTANCE ACT OF 1961.

    Part I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et 
seq) is amended by adding at the end the following:

   ``CHAPTER 13--ASSISTANCE TO IMPROVE SECURITY AND PROMOTE ECONOMIC 
                         DEVELOPMENT IN MEXICO

``SEC. 499H. AUTHORIZATION OF ASSISTANCE.

    ``(a) In General.--The President, acting through the Director of 
Foreign Assistance, shall provide assistance to improve security and 
promote economic development in Mexico by--
            ``(1) professionalizing Mexican law enforcement personnel 
        to prepare such law enforcement personnel to more effectively 
        combat illicit drugs and drug-related violence and other 
        criminal activities, including by providing funding to 
        coordinate United States and Mexican efforts to find missing 
        United States citizens and to carry out DNA testing and 
        forensic examinations;
            ``(2) providing technology to assist Mexican law 
        enforcement personnel to more effectively combat illicit drugs 
        and drug-related violence;
            ``(3) strengthening the Mexican judicial branch through the 
        training of judges and prosecutors;
            ``(4) supporting anti-corruption programs in Mexico, 
        including the vetting of Mexican law enforcement personnel who 
        are working with United States Government personnel; and
            ``(5) reducing poverty through targeted funding to enhance 
        social development in Mexico, including micro-lending and trade 
        capacity building.
    ``(b) Terms and Conditions.--Assistance under this chapter may be 
provided on such terms and conditions as the President may determine.

``SEC. 499I. EVALUATION.

    ``The President shall conduct an annual evaluation of the results 
of the specific programs, projects, and activities carried out under 
this chapter during the preceding year in order to ensure transparency 
and accountability, including transparency and accountability of 
recipients of assistance provided under this chapter.

``SEC. 499J. REPORT.

    ``The President shall prepare and transmit to the Committee on 
International Relations of the House of Representatives, the Committee 
on Foreign Relations of the Senate, and other appropriate congressional 
committees an annual report on the specific programs, projects, and 
activities carried out under this chapter during the preceding year, 
including the evaluation conducted under section 499I.

``SEC. 499K. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``(a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
President to carry out this chapter $170,000,000 for each of the fiscal 
years 2008 through 2012.
    ``(b) Additional Authorities.--Amounts appropriated pursuant to the 
authorization of appropriations under subsection (a)--
            ``(1) are authorized to remain available until expended; 
        and
            ``(2) are in addition to amounts otherwise available for 
        such purposes.
    ``(c) Funding Limitation.--Not more than 5 percent of the amounts 
appropriated pursuant to the authorization of appropriations under 
subsection (a) for a fiscal year may be used for administrative 
expenses.
    ``(d) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that, of the 
amounts appropriated pursuant to the authorization of appropriations 
under subsection (a) for a fiscal year--
            ``(1) $40,000,000 should be made available to carry out 
        section 499H(a)(1);
            ``(2) $50,000,000 should be made available to carry out 
        section 499H(a)(2);
            ``(3) $20,000,000 should be made available to carry out 
        section 499H(a)(3);
            ``(4) $10,000,000 should be made available to carry out 
        section 499H(a)(4); and
            ``(5) $50,000,000 should be made available to carry out 
        section 499H(a)(5).''.

SEC. 4. REPORT BY GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE.

    Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to 
Congress a report that contains a description and analysis of the most 
effective strategies to reduce the demand for illicit drugs in the 
United States, specifically (but not limited to) strategies that reduce 
the demand for illicit drugs produced in or transported through Mexico.
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