[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 178 (Thursday, December 20, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S13970-S13971]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. WELLSTONE:
  S. 1880. A bill to provide assistance for the relief and 
reconstruction of Afghanistan, and for other purposes; to the Committee 
on Foreign Relations.
  Mr. WELLSTONE. Mr. President, I am introducing the Afghanistan 
Freedom and Reconstruction Act of 2001. This legislation is a 
comprehensive framework for U.S. bilateral and multilateral assistance 
for the humanitarian relief and long-term reconstruction and 
rehabilitation of Afghanistan. It is a companion to H.R. 3427, 
introduced by Representatives Lantos and Ackerman in the House.
  The last pockets of Taliban resistance are being routed, and the new 
interim administration of Afghanistan is set to assume power in Kabul 
in 2 days. Freedom is returning to Afghanistan. Its men and women are 
listening to music again and women are leaving their homes unescorted, 
cautiously optimistic about their future after enduring years of 
repressive rule.
  Now is the time for decisive action by Congress and by the 
administration to demonstrate to the people of Afghanistan and 
throughout the Muslim world that the war against the al-Qaida and the 
Taliban was neither a war against Muslims, nor against ordinary 
Afghans. The United States has led the effort to eliminate the 
terrorist network in Afghanistan, and now it must lead the peace effort 
by helping the Afghan people reclaim their country and rebuild their 
lives.
  The United States did not live up to its commitment to the Afghan 
people after the Soviets were defeated in the 1980s. I regret to say we 
walked away. If we break or commitment again, Afghanistan is likely to 
remain an isolated incubator of terrorist activities, and regional 
instability will continue. We would not now be focused on Afghanistan 
had the events of September 11 not occurred. Those horrific events have 
driven home the truth that the indivisibility of human security is not 
just an empty slogan, but a fact, which we ignore at our peril.
  The causes of the Afghan tragedy include nearly all the horrors that 
stalk failed states: meddling and invasion by neighboring states, 
internecine warfare leading to a takeover by brutal fanatics, 
oppression of a majority of the population, especially women and, 
finally, the Taliban's fateful decision to host international 
terrorists.
  The cures for Afghanistan's agony are less obvious, but one is clear. 
The rival political and ethnic groups must take advantage of the 
historic opportunity that emerged in Bonn and make a genuine commitment 
to the peaceful sharing of power. They must establish a government 
broad and effective enough to meet the basic needs of the people. The 
same narrow-minded factionalism that originally left the country 
vulnerable to backward mullahs, greedy warlords and predatory neighbors 
continues to pose a threat to the country now.
  One other thing is clear: the United States must lead the 
international community in moving quickly and decisively in a long-term 
commitment to the reconstruction of Afghanistan. The people of 
Afghanistan have endured 23 years of war and misery. The conflict has 
threatened international stability and placed enormous burdens on the 
people's limited means. The Bush administration has said that it will 
not let Afghanistan descend into chaos. But, talk is not enough. We 
must act by committing significant resources. We must show Afghans that 
our commitments are not hollow. We must show genuine solidarity and 
real generosity now.
  It is time to reverse more than a decade of neglect. The United 
States, in partnership with the international community, must be 
willing to make a multi-year, multinational effort to rebuild 
Afghanistan. Current estimates of the cost of assisting Afghanistan 
range from $5 billion over 5 years to $40 billion over a decade. The 
United States should be the lead financial contributor to the 
rehabilitation and reconstruction effort in Afghanistan, and we believe 
should contribute as much as $5 billion to this effort over the next 5 
years.
  The reconstruction effort must focus on education, particularly for 
girls, which has proven to give the greatest return for each assistance 
dollar. Creation of secular schools will help break the stranglehold of 
extremism and allow both boys and girls to make positive contributions 
to the development of their society. The effort must also focus on 
rebuilding basic infrastructure, repairing shattered bridges and roads, 
removing land mines, reconstructing irrigation systems and drilling 
wells. We must also rebuild the health infrastructure by establishing 
basic hospitals and village clinics.
  Over the past few months, I have held a series of hearings in the 
Senate Foreign Relations Committee's Subcommittee on Near Eastern and 
South Asia Affairs regarding the humanitarian and reconstruction needs 
of Afghanistan. Based on these hearings, I am convinced we must help 
the Afghan people live in a society where they can feed their children, 
live in safety and participate fully in their country's development 
regardless of gender, religious belief or ethnicity.
  The Afghan Freedom and Reconstruction Act of 2001 does just that. 
That bill:
  Expresses a sense of Congress on the U.S. policy towards Afghanistan, 
including promoting its independence, supporting a broad-based, multi-
ethnic, gender-inclusive, fully representative government, and 
maintaining a significant U.S. commitment to the relief, rehabilitation 
and reconstruction of Afghanistan.
  Authorizes $400 million for humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan in 
fiscal year 03, including $75m for refugee assistance and $175m for 
food aid.
  Authorizes such sums as may be necessary for a multinational security 
force in Afghanistan, in fiscal year 02 and fiscal year 03.
  Authorizes $1.175 billion for rehabilitation and reconstruction 
assistance for fiscal years 2002-2006, to be distributed by USAID, with 
conditions for each year to ensure that benchmarks laid out in the 
December 5, 2001, Bonn Agreement between the various Afghan factions 
are being met; assistance for agriculture, health care, education, 
vocational training, disarmament and demobilization, and anticorruption 
and good governance programs; a special emphasis on assistance to women 
and girls; a report on assistance actually provided; and authority to 
provide some of this assistance through a multilateral fund and/or 
international foundation.

  Authorizes the President to furnish such sums as may be necessary to 
finance a multilateral fund or international foundation, to assist in 
security, rehabilitation, and reconstruction

[[Page S13971]]

efforts in Afghanistan, as described above.
  Authorizes $60 million for Democracy and human rights initiatives for 
FY02 through FY04.
  Authorizes $62.5 for a contribution to the U.N. Drug Control Program 
for FY02 through FY04 to reduce or eliminate the trafficking of illicit 
drugs in Afghanistan.
  Authorizes $65 million for a new secure diplomatic facility in 
Afghanistan.
  The legislation's message is simple: the United States is not only a 
great Nation, but a generous Nation. We keep our word, and stand ready 
to match our words with our actions. We must not turn our backs again 
on the people of Afghanistan.
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