[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 96 (Thursday, June 26, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1364-E1365]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         INTRODUCTION OF THE ``WINNING THE PEACE ACT OF 2003''

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. SAM FARR

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 26, 2003

  Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a new piece of 
legislation--the ``Winning the Peace Act of 2003''. I am pleased to be 
joined by colleagues from both sides of the aisle--Representative Wolf 
of Virginia, Representative Hoeffel of Pennsylvania, Representative 
Leach of Iowa, and Representative Wexler of Florida--as original 
cosponsors of the bill.
  The ``Winning the Peace Act of 2003'' creates a much-needed 
institutional framework to deal with post-conflict situations, such as 
those the U.S. currently faces in Afghanistan and Iraq. The principle 
components of the bill are as follows:
  Creation of Director of Reconstruction Positions to provide a point 
person in the U.S. government to coordinate operations in post-conflict 
scenarios.

[[Page E1365]]

  Creation of a FEMA-like office within USAID to manage a database and 
serve as a clearinghouse for post-conflict reconstruction experts, and 
to provide support for post-conflict operations.
  Creation of a NATO unit to respond to post-conflict scenarios, and 
authorization of the President to make a U.S. contribution of personnel 
to the unit.
  Establishment of a U.S. post-conflict training center, building on 
existing training programs in the country. `
  Creation of a Civilian Police Reserve to train and deploy American 
police officers interested in serving overseas in post-conflict 
environments.
  Creation of a ``Security Development Fund''--$300 million in a 
drawdown account to provide resources to cover immediate and unforeseen 
costs in declared post-conflict situations, and potential U.S. 
contributions to multilateral operations.
  The ``Winning the Peace Act of 2003'' is designed to fill a vacuum in 
U.S. foreign policy. It creates institutional mechanisms where only 
adhoc arrangements exist. It establishes a permanent source of funding 
instead of relying on the Congressional appropriations calendar, or 
emergency supplemental bills. Equally important, the bill lays the 
groundwork, through training and education, for a new cadre of post-
conflict experts, both civilians and military, in the governmental and 
non-governmental sectors.
  The United States has faced post-conflict situations in the past--in 
the 1940s in Germany and Japan, and more recently in Somalia, Haiti, 
Bosnia and Kosovo, to name a few. We, along with our allies--countries 
and multilateral institutions--have observed and learned much in recent 
history. While it is true that no two situations are identical, it can 
be said there are always common challenges. The ``Winning the Peace Act 
of 2003'' addresses those challenges and will strengthen the capacity 
of the United States to pursue its foreign policy objectives in the 
future.

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