[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 583 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 583

   Expressing support for robust efforts by the United States to see 
  Joseph Kony, the leader of the Lord's Resistance Army, and his top 
 commanders brought to justice and the group's atrocities permanently 
                                 ended.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 13, 2012

   Mr. McGovern (for himself and Mr. Royce) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and 
  in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Expressing support for robust efforts by the United States to see 
  Joseph Kony, the leader of the Lord's Resistance Army, and his top 
 commanders brought to justice and the group's atrocities permanently 
                                 ended.

Whereas in February 2007, the World Bank estimated in its report, ``Development 
        and the Next Generation'', that the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) 
        forcibly recruited some 66,000 youth of all ages and sexes over the 
        prior two decades from northern Uganda;
Whereas since September 2008, Joseph Kony has directed the LRA in systematic, 
        large-scale attacks against innocent civilians in the Democratic 
        Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, and the newly 
        formed Republic of South Sudan that have destabilized the region and 
        resulted in the--

    (1) deliberate killing of at least 2,400 Congolese, Central African, 
and South Sudanese civilians, many of whom were targeted in schools and 
churches;

    (2) rape and brutal mutilation of an unknown number of men, women, and 
children;

    (3) abduction of over 3,400 civilians, including at least 1,500 
children, many of them forced to become child soldiers or sex slaves; and

    (4) displacement of more than 465,000 civilians from their homes, many 
of whom do not have access to essential humanitarian assistance;

Whereas insecurity caused by the LRA has undermined efforts by the governments 
        in the region, with the assistance of the United States and 
        international community, to consolidate peace and stability in each of 
        the countries affected, particularly the Democratic Republic of the 
        Congo and the newly formed Republic of South Sudan;
Whereas LRA leader Joseph Kony was designated a ``Specially Designated Global 
        Terrorist'' by President George W. Bush pursuant to Executive Order 
        13224, and found by the Secretary of State to pose ``a significant risk 
        of committing acts of terrorism that threaten the security of United 
        States nationals or the national security, foreign policy, or economy of 
        the United States'';
Whereas, on October 6, 2005, the International Criminal Court issued arrest 
        warrants against Joseph Kony and his top commanders for war crimes and 
        crimes against humanity, yet they remain at large;
Whereas hundreds of thousands of Americans from across the country, especially 
        youth activists, have expressed outrage at the atrocities of the LRA and 
        called for renewed efforts to bring an end to their violent activities;
Whereas in May 2010, Congress passed the Lord's Resistance Army Disarmament and 
        Northern Uganda Recovery Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-172) with 
        widespread bipartisan support;
Whereas Public Law 111-172 made it the policy of the United States to work with 
        regional governments toward a comprehensive and lasting resolution to 
        the conflict in northern Uganda and other affected areas by providing 
        political, economic, military, and intelligence support for viable 
        multilateral efforts to protect civilians from the LRA, to apprehend or 
        remove Joseph Kony and his top commanders from the battlefield in the 
        continued absence of a negotiated solution, and to disarm and demobilize 
        the remaining LRA fighters;
Whereas, on November 24, 2010, as mandated by Public Law 111-172, the White 
        House issued its Strategy to Support the Disarmament of the Lord's 
        Resistance Army, providing a comprehensive guide for United States 
        support across the affected region to mitigate and eliminate the threat 
        to civilians and regional stability posed by the LRA;
Whereas, on October 14, 2011, the President notified Congress that, consistent 
        with the United States strategy, he had authorized a small number of 
        United States military personnel to deploy to the region to serve as 
        advisors to national military forces pursuing the LRA and seeking to 
        protect local populations;
Whereas the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (Public Law 
        112-81) authorized the Secretary of Defense, with the concurrence of the 
        Secretary of State, to provide logistic support, supplies, and services 
        for foreign forces participating in operations to mitigate and eliminate 
        the threat of the LRA;
Whereas the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012 (Public Law 112-74) directed 
        the Administration to support increased peace and security efforts in 
        areas affected by the LRA, including programs to improve physical 
        access, telecommunications infrastructure, and early warning mechanisms 
        and to support the disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration of 
        former LRA combatants, especially child soldiers;
Whereas the United Nations and African Union, acting with encouragement from the 
        United States, have renewed their efforts to help governments in the 
        region address the LRA threat, and on November 22, 2011, the African 
        Union designated the LRA as a terrorist group and authorized a regional 
        cooperation initiative to end LRA atrocities;
Whereas despite these efforts, governments in the region have not yet been 
        successful in apprehending or removing Joseph Kony or his top commanders 
        from the battlefield or ending the group's threat to civilians and 
        regional security; and
Whereas targeted United States assistance and leadership can help prevent 
        further mass atrocities and curtail humanitarian suffering: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) condemns the LRA's continued senseless atrocities, and 
        calls for renewed, robust efforts by the United States, 
        governments in the affected region, and the international 
        community to bring an end to the LRA's terror once and for all;
            (2) commends American citizens for their concern and 
        creative efforts to help the communities affected by the LRA;
            (3) welcomes and encourages the Ugandan and other regional 
        governments, as well as the African Union, for their efforts to 
        end the LRA threat;
            (4) welcomes United States ongoing efforts to implement a 
        comprehensive strategy to counter the LRA, in line with Public 
        Law 111-172, and to assist governments in the region to bring 
        Joseph Kony to justice and end LRA atrocities;
            (5) calls on the Administration to keep Congress fully 
        informed of its efforts and to work closely with Congress in 
        2012 to address critical gaps and enhance United States support 
        for the regional effort to counter the LRA;
            (6) calls on the Secretary of State and heads of other 
        government agencies to undertake diplomatic efforts with 
        partner nations focused on--
                    (A) expanding the number of capable regional 
                military forces deployed to protect civilians and 
                pursue LRA commanders;
                    (B) enhancing cooperation and cross-border 
                coordination among regional governments; and
                    (C) promoting increased contributions from European 
                and other donor nations for regional security efforts;
            (7) calls on the Secretary of State, the Secretary of 
        Defense, the Administrator of the United States Agency for 
        International Development, and the heads of other government 
        agencies to utilize existing funds to address shortcomings in 
        current efforts, especially by--
                    (A) enhancing mobility, intelligence, and 
                logistical capabilities for partner forces engaged in 
                efforts to protect civilians and to apprehend or remove 
                Joseph Kony and his top commanders from the 
                battlefield;
                    (B) expanding physical access and 
                telecommunications infrastructure to facilitate the 
                timely flow of information and access for humanitarian 
                and protection actors; and
                    (C) providing increased opportunities for LRA 
                commanders, fighters, abductees, and associated 
                noncombatants to safely escape and defect from the 
                group, including through radio and community programs;
            (8) calls for the United States to place restrictions on 
        any individuals or governments, including the Republic of 
        Sudan, found to be providing training, supplies, financing, or 
        support of any kind to Joseph Kony or the LRA;
            (9) stresses the importance that civilian protection be 
        prioritized and that steps be taken to keep communities 
        vulnerable to LRA attacks informed about known LRA movements 
        and threats;
            (10) notes the increased number of people who have been 
        released or escaped from the LRA's ranks since October 2011 and 
        calls on governments in the region and the international 
        community to push for greater defections from the group; and
            (11) urges the governments of Uganda, Democratic Republic 
        of the Congo, Republic of South Sudan, Republic of Sudan, and 
        Central African Republic to work together and redouble their 
        efforts to address the LRA threat.
                                 <all>