[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 85 (Wednesday, June 11, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7725-S7726]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. EDWARDS (for himself, Mr. Reed, and Mr. Roberts):
  S. 1235. A bill to increase the capabilities of the United States to 
provide reconstruction assistance to countries or regions impacted by 
armed conflict, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Foreign 
Relations.
  Mr. EDWARDS. Mr. President, today I am proud to join with two of my 
colleagues--Senator Reed and Senator Roberts--to introduce legislation 
that will help America meet a critical challenge that, during the past 
decade, it has faced over and over: helping countries that have 
suffered from conflict work to rebuild their societies.
  Over the past two years, America has proved again that we have the 
finest military force in the world. In Afghanistan and Iraq, the men 
and women of America's military performed with great bravery and skill. 
By defeating the Taliban and removing Saddam Hussein's regime from 
power, they showed that they are the world's best trained troops using 
the world's most sophisticated weapons. This is a powerful example of 
the leadership and commitment both here in the Congress and in 
successive Administrations--both Democrat and Republican--to ensure 
that our military remains the best equipped, best trained, most 
prepared fighting force in the world.
  But these decisive military victories have been followed by a peace 
where success has not been so clear. First in Afghanistan, and now in 
Iraq, our efforts to help these societies get back on their feet have 
produced mixed results. To be sure, the challenges in both countries 
are profound: Afghanistan suffered from nearly a quarter-century of 
civil war, and Iraq suffered for more than two decades under the thumb 
of Saddam Hussein and his brutal regime. Both countries have deep 
internal divisions and little experience with representative 
government. While it is reasonable to assume post-conflict 
reconstruction efforts in both nations will take considerable time, 
these realities cannot be an excuse for the overall shortcoming in our 
own efforts, especially because we have the resources and capabilities 
to do better.
  This is not the first time we have faced such challenges. Since the 
end of the Cold War, thousands of American military, diplomatic and 
humanitarian personnel have also been involved in major post-conflict 
reconstruction efforts in such places as Bosnia, Kosovo, Somalia, 
Rwanda, Haiti, and East Timor. Each of these efforts has had varying 
degrees of success, but on balance, I think we all can agree that we 
could have done better.
  Too often, our response to post-conflict situations has been 
haphazard and slow to start. And once underway, our efforts often 
suffer from a cumbersome chain-of-command, lack of resources, and 
inadequate accountability.
  The problem is that our government is still not well organized to 
deal with such situations. Each time we get involved in a post-conflict 
reconstruction effort we end up making it up as we go. We waste 
valuable time reinventing the bureaucratic wheel. And we get in 
unnecessary arguments about who should do what and who should be in 
charge.
  It is remarkable that even with all the commitments we have made 
during the past decade, next to nothing has been done to reform the way 
our government works to enhance our capacity to deal with these 
situations effectively. Governmental mechanisms developed during the 
Cold War are outdated and not suited to addressing the complex set of 
challenges created by failed states.
  We must do better. After more than ten years of improvising our 
responses to these challenges, it is time to change the way we do 
things. We need to improve our ability to plan, coordinate, and 
organize U.S. government resources to assist with post-conflict 
reconstruction. We need to train our people more effectively. We need a 
better sense of what works and what does not. We need greater 
accountability. And we need to promote the means for involving other 
countries in these efforts, including through institutions like NATO.
  I believe that the ``Winning the Peace Act'' is an important step 
toward accomplishing these goals. This legislation is based upon the 
work of the bipartisan ``Commission on Post-Conflict Reconstruction,'' 
convened by the Association of the U.S. Army and the Center for 
Strategic and International Studies, CSIS. This Commission was very 
ably led by Dr. John Hamre, the former Deputy Secretary of Defense, and 
General Gordon Sullivan, the former Army Chief of Staff. The Commission 
was composed of twenty-seven distinguished military, diplomatic and 
humanitarian experts, including myself and my two Senate cosponsors.
  The legislation includes five key proposals:
  First, it calls on the President to appoint a Director of 
Reconstruction for areas where the U.S. will assist with post-conflict 
reconstruction. These Directors will provide oversight, help 
coordinate, and have decision-making authority for all U.S. government 
reconstruction activities in a particular country. They will also 
coordinate with the representatives of the country in question, other 
foreign governments, multilateral organizations, and relevant NGOs.
  Second, it establishes a permanent office within the State Department 
to provide support to Directors of Reconstruction, ensuring that these 
Directors can hit the ground running and not waste valuable time hiring 
staff and getting office space.
  Third, it establishes within USAID an Office of International 
Emergency Management. This new office will develop and maintain a 
database of individuals with expertise in reconstruction, and provide 
support for mobilizing these experts.
  Fourth, it calls on NATO to develop an ``Integrated Security Support 
Component'' to assist with reconstruction. This NATO-led force will 
help provide security, including assistance with policing ensuring that 
America will not be forced to shoulder these burdens alone.
  Finally, this bill establishes an interagency training center for 
post-conflict reconstruction. This will be run by the State Department, 
and will help train personnel in assessment, strategy development, 
planning, and coordination related to providing reconstruction 
services. It will also develop and certify experts in the field, and 
conduct lesson-learned reviews of operations.
  Having these resources in place will enhance America's capacity to 
assist reconstruction in four critical areas: Security and public 
safety, such as assisting with disarmament and training of police 
forces; Justice, such as developing the rule of law, preventing human 
rights violations, and bringing war criminals to justice; Governance, 
such as reforming civil administration, restoring basic civil 
functions, and establishing processes of governance and participation; 
and Economic and Social Well-being, such as providing humanitarian 
assistance and developing national economic institutions.
  With these changes, we will not only make America's efforts to assist 
in post-conflict reconstruction more efficient and accountable. We will 
also make our efforts more effective contributing more to the safety 
and security of the people we are trying to help, and helping them run 
their countries on their own.
  By ensuring that we maintain the best military in the world, we have 
made a full commitment to winning wars. It is now time to ensure that 
we are capable of winning the peace.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the legislation be printed 
in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:
       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 ``Winning the Peace Act of 
     2003''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) President George W. Bush has stated that the United 
     States security strategy takes into account the fact that 
     ``America is now threatened less by conquering states than we 
     are by failing ones''.
       (2) Failed states can provide safe haven for a diverse 
     array of transnational threats, including terrorist networks, 
     militia and warlords, global organized crime, and narcotics 
     traffickers who threaten the security of the United States 
     and the allies of the United States.

[[Page S7726]]

       (3) The inability of the authorities in a failed state to 
     provide basic services can create or contribute to 
     humanitarian emergencies.
       (4) It is in the interest of the United States and the 
     international community to bring conflict and humanitarian 
     emergencies stemming from failed states to a lasting and 
     sustainable close.
       (5) Since the end of the Cold War, United States military, 
     diplomatic, and humanitarian personnel have been engaged in 
     major post-conflict reconstruction efforts in such places as 
     Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo, Somalia, Haiti, Rwanda, East Timor, and 
     Afghanistan.
       (6) Assisting failed states in 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 
     5 years.
       (7) In 2003, the bipartisan Commission on Post-Conflict 
     Reconstruction created by the Center for Strategic and 
     International Studies and the Association of the United 
     States Army, released a report explaining that ``United 
     States security and development agencies still reflect their 
     Cold War heritage. The kinds of complex crises and the 
     challenge of failed states encountered in recent years do not 
     line up with these outdated governmental mechanisms. If 
     regional stability is to be maintained, economic development 
     advanced, lives saved, and transnational threats reduced, the 
     United States and the international community must develop a 
     strategy and enhance capacity for pursuing post-conflict 
     reconstruction.''.

     SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
     Administrator of the United States Agency for International 
     Development.
       (2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means a Director of 
     Reconstruction for a country or region designated by the 
     President under section 4.
       (3) Reconstruction services.--The term ``reconstruction 
     services'' means activities related to rebuilding, reforming, 
     or establishing the infrastructure processes or institutions 
     of a country that has been affected by an armed conflict, 
     including services related to--
       (A) security and public safety, including--
       (i) disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration of 
     combatants;
       (ii) training and equipping civilian police force; and
       (iii) training and equipping of national armed forces;
       (B) justice, including--
       (i) developing rule of law and legal, judicial, and 
     correctional institutions;
       (ii) preventing human rights violations;
       (iii) bringing war criminals to justice;
       (iv) supporting national reconciliation processes; and
       (v) clarifying property rights;
       (C) governance, including--
       (i) reforming or developing civil administration and other 
     government institutions;
       (ii) restoring performance of basic civil functions, such 
     as schools, health clinics, and hospitals; and
       (iii) establishing processes of governance and 
     participation; and
       (D) economic and social well-being, including--
       (i) providing humanitarian assistance;
       (ii) constructing or repairing infrastructure;
       (iii) developing national economic institutions and 
     activities, such as a banking system; and
       (iv) encouraging wise stewardship of natural resources for 
     the benefit of the citizens of such country.

     SEC. 4. DIRECTOR OF RECONSTRUCTION POSITIONS.

       (a) Authorization of Positions.--The President is 
     authorized to designate an individual who is a civilian as 
     the Director of Reconstruction for each country or region in 
     which--
       (1) units of the United States Armed Forces have engaged in 
     armed conflict; or
       (2) as a result of armed conflict, the country or region 
     will receive reconstruction services from the United States 
     Government.
       (b) Authority To Provide Reconstruction Services.--
     Notwithstanding any provision of law, other than section 553 
     of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related 
     Programs Appropriations Act, 2003 (division E of Public Law 
     108-7; 117 Stat. 200), the President is authorized to provide 
     reconstruction services for any country or region for which a 
     Director has been designated under subsection (a).
       (c) Duties.--A Director who is designated for a country or 
     region under subsection (a) shall provide oversight and 
     coordination of, have decision making authority for, and 
     consult with Congress regarding, all activities of the United 
     States Government that are related to providing 
     reconstruction services in such country or region, including 
     implementing complex, multidisciplinary post-conflict 
     reconstruction programs in such country or region.
       (d) Coordination.--A Director shall coordinate with the 
     representatives of the country or region where the Director 
     is overseeing and coordinating the provision of 
     reconstruction services, and any foreign government, 
     multilateral organization, or nongovernmental organization 
     that is providing services to such country or region--
       (1) to avoid providing reconstruction services that 
     duplicate any such services that are being provided by a 
     person or government other than the United States Government;
       (2) to capitalize on civil administration systems and 
     capabilities available from such person or government; and
       (3) to utilize individuals or entities with expertise in 
     providing reconstruction services that are available through 
     such other person or government.
       (e) Support Services.--The Secretary of State is authorized 
     to establish within the Department of State a permanent 
     office to provide support, including administrative services, 
     to each Director designated under subsection (a).

     SEC. 5. INTERNATIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICE.

       (a) Authorization.--The Administrator is authorized to 
     establish within the United States Agency for International 
     Development an Office of International Emergency Management 
     for the purposes described in subsection (b).
       (b) Purposes.--
       (1) In general.--The purposes of the Office authorized by 
     subsection (a) shall be--
       (A) to develop and maintain a database of individuals or 
     entities that possess expertise in providing reconstruction 
     services; and
       (B) to provide support for mobilizing such individuals and 
     entities to provide a country or region with services 
     applying such expertise when requested by the Director for 
     such country or region.
       (2) Experts.--The individuals or entities referred to in 
     paragraph (1) may include employees or agencies of the 
     Federal Government, any other government, or any other 
     person, including former Peace Corps volunteers or civilians 
     located in the affected country or region.

     SEC. 6. INTEGRATED SECURITY SUPPORT COMPONENT.

       (a) Sense of Congress Regarding the Creation of an 
     Integrated Security Support Component of NATO.--It is the 
     sense of Congress that--
       (1) the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense 
     should present to the North Atlantic Council a proposal to 
     establish within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization an 
     Integrated Security Support Component to train and equip 
     selected units within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 
     to assist in providing security in countries or regions that 
     require reconstruction services; and
       (2) if such a Component is established, the President 
     should commit United States personnel to participate in such 
     Component, after appropriate consultation with Congress.
       (b) Authority To Participate in an Integrated Support 
     Component.--
       (1) In general.--If the North Atlantic Council establishes 
     an Integrated Security Support Component, as described in 
     subsection (a), the President is authorized to commit United 
     States personnel to participate in such Component, after 
     appropriate consultation with Congress.
       (2) Capabilities.--The units composed of United States 
     personnel participating in such Component pursuant to the 
     authority in paragraph (1) should be capable of--
       (A) providing for security of a civilian population, 
     including serving as a police force; and
       (B) providing for the performance of public functions and 
     the execution of security tasks such as control of 
     belligerent groups and crowds, apprehending targeted persons 
     or groups, performing anti-corruption tasks, and supporting 
     police investigations.

     SEC. 7. TRAINING CENTER FOR POST-CONFLICT RECONSTRUCTION 
                   OPERATIONS.

       (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of State shall establish 
     within the Department of State an interagency Training Center 
     for Post-Conflict Reconstruction Operations for the purposes 
     described in subsection (b).
       (b) Purposes.--The purposes of the Training Center 
     authorized by subsection (a) shall be to--
       (1) train interagency personnel in assessment, strategy 
     development, planning, and coordination related to providing 
     reconstruction services;
       (2) develop and certify experts in fields related to 
     reconstruction services who could be called to participate in 
     operations in countries or regions that require such 
     services;
       (3) provide training to individuals who will provide 
     reconstruction services in a country or region;
       (4) develop rapidly deployable training packages for use in 
     countries or regions in need of reconstruction services; and
       (5) conduct reviews of operations that provide 
     reconstruction services for the purpose of--
       (A) improving subsequent operations to provide such 
     services; and
       (B) developing appropriate training and education programs 
     for individuals who will provide such services.

     SEC. 8. REPORTS TO CONGRESS.

       Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act, the President shall submit to Congress a report on 
     the actions planned to be taken to carry out the provisions 
     of this Act.
                                 ______