[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1632 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1632

  To require a regional strategy to address the threat posed by Boko 
                                 Haram.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 18, 2015

Ms. Collins (for herself and Ms. Ayotte) introduced the following bill; 
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To require a regional strategy to address the threat posed by Boko 
                                 Haram.

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

SECTION 1. REGIONAL STRATEGY TO ADDRESS THE THREAT POSED BY BOKO HARAM.

    (a) Strategy Required.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State and the 
        Secretary of Defense shall jointly develop and submit to the 
        appropriate committees of Congress a five-year strategy to help 
        enable the Government of Nigeria, members of the Multinational 
        Joint Task Force to Combat Boko Haram (MNJTF) authorized by the 
        African Union, and relevant partners to counter the regional 
        threat of Boko Haram and assist the Government of Nigeria and 
        its neighbors to accept and address legitimate grievances of 
        vulnerable populations in areas affected by Boko Haram.
            (2) Elements.--At a minimum, the strategy must address the 
        following elements:
                    (A) Enhance, pursuant to existing authorities and 
                restrictions, the institutional capacity, including 
                military capabilities, of the Government of Nigeria and 
                partner nations in the region, as appropriate, to 
                counter the threat posed by Boko Haram.
                    (B) Provide humanitarian support to civilian 
                populations impacted by Boko Haram's activity.
                    (C) Specific activities through which the United 
                States Government intends to improve and enhance the 
                capacity of Multinational Joint Task Force to Combat 
                Boko Haram partner nations to investigate and prosecute 
                human rights abuses by security forces and promote 
                respect for the rule of law within the military.
                    (D) A means for assisting Nigeria, and as 
                appropriate, Multinational Joint Task Force to Combat 
                Boko Haram nations, to counter violent extremism, 
                including efforts to address underlying societal 
                factors that contribute to the ability of Boko Haram to 
                radicalize and recruit individuals (including poverty, 
                the lack of economic opportunity and access to 
                education, public health, and other social services).
                    (E) A plan to strengthen and promote the rule of 
                law, including by improving the capacity of the 
                civilian police and judicial system in Nigeria, 
                enhancing public safety, and responding to crime 
                (including gender-based violence), while respecting 
                human rights and strengthening accountability measures, 
                including measures to prevent corruption and abuses.
                    (F) Strengthen the long-term capacity of the 
                Government of Nigeria to enhance security for schools 
                such that children are safer and girls seeking an 
                education are better protected, and to combat gender-
                based violence and gender inequality.
                    (G) Support the adoption of a United Nations 
                Security Council Resolution authorizing a regional 
                Multinational Joint Task Force to counter Boko Haram.
                    (H) Identify and develop mechanisms for 
                coordinating the implementation of the strategy across 
                the inter-agency and with the Government of Nigeria, 
                regional partners, and other relevant foreign partners.
                    (I) Identify the resources required, in an amount 
                not less than $25,000,000, to achieve the strategy's 
                objectives.
    (b) Assessment.--The Director of National Intelligence shall submit 
to the appropriate committees of Congress an assessment (in classified 
form) regarding the willingness and capability of the Government of 
Nigeria to implement the strategy required by subsection (a), including 
the capability gaps, if any, of the government and military forces of 
Nigeria that would need to be addressed in order to enable the 
Government of Nigeria and the governments of its partner countries in 
the region to counter the threat of Boko Haram and to address 
grievances of vulnerable populations in areas affected by Boko Haram.
    (c) Appropriate Committees of Congress Defined.--In this section, 
the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
            (1) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on 
        Foreign Relations, the Committee on Appropriations, and the 
        Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate; and
            (2) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on 
        Foreign Affairs, the Committee on Appropriations, and the 
        Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of 
        Representatives.
                                 <all>