[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 29 (Thursday, February 15, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2039-S2042]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. LUGAR (for himself and Mr. Biden):
  S. 613. A bill to enhance the overseas stabilization and 
reconstruction capabilities of the United States Government, and for 
other purposes; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
  Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, this legislation authorizes the creation of 
a civilian readiness corps to address post-conflict situations and 
other emergencies overseas. The Senate already embraced the creation of 
such a corps when it unanimously passed S. 3322 last June. 
Unfortunately, that bill, introduced by Senator Biden and me and co-
sponsored by Senators Hagel, Alexander and Warner languished in the 
House of Representatives. We have hopes that the 110th Congress will 
now bring this idea to fruition.
  In his State of the Union address last month, the President endorsed 
the need for such a corps:
  ``A second task we can take on together is to design and establish a 
volunteer Civilian Reserve Corps. Such a corps would function much like 
our military reserve. It would ease the burden on the Armed Forces by 
allowing us to hire civilians with critical skills to serve on missions 
abroad when American needs them. It would give people across America 
who do not wear the uniform a chance to serve in the defining struggle 
of our time.'' President Bush, January 23, 2007, State of the Union 
speech, Washington, DC.
  The legislation I am introducing today is an updated version of S. 
3322. It is the result of a conversation begun in 2003 between Members 
of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the leadership of the 
State Department. The concept has gone through a number of evolutions 
and has passed the Committee unanimously both as a free-standing bill 
and as part of the State Department authorization bill. I am asking the 
Senate to pass it now again as a free-standing bill and send it to the 
House with our unanimous approval.
  International crises are inevitable, and in most cases, U.S. national 
security interests will be threatened by sustained instability. The war 
on terrorism necessitates that we not leave nations crumbling and 
ungoverned. We have already seen how terrorists can exploit nations 
afflicted by lawlessness and desperate circumstances. They seek out 
such places to establish training camps, recruit new members, and tap 
into a global black market in weapons.
  In this international atmosphere, the United States must have the 
right structures, personnel, and resources in place when an emergency 
occurs. A delay in our response of a few weeks, or even days, can mean 
the difference between success and failure. Clearly we need a full 
range of tools to prevail. Our Committee's focus has been on boosting 
the civilian side of our stabilization and reconstruction capabilities, 
while encouraging improved mechanisms for civilian and military 
agencies to work together on these missions.
  Those who were once unconvinced of the need for such a corps have 
only to look at our experience in Iraq and Afghanistan to understand 
its value.
  This legislation continues to build on the original legislation, S. 
2127, that Senators Biden and Hagel and I introduced in early 2004 to 
encourage and support a well-organized, sufficiently resourced and 
strongly led civilian counterpart to the military in post-conflict 
zones. It is our view that the civilian side needs both operational 
capability and a significant surge capacity. This legislation gives 
statutory status to the State Department's Office of the Coordinator of 
Reconstruction and Stabilization and makes the position of Coordinator 
subject to the advice and consent of the Senate. The legislation 
authorizes the establishment of a federal response capability with both 
active and standby components, as well as a civilian reserve that draws 
upon the talent and willingness to serve that resides among our people. 
It provides flexibility in personnel management, pay, and benefits to 
build the corps and create surge capacity in an emergency. Finally, it 
authorizes expenditures for a crisis response fund, for the civilian 
response corps, and for a substantial training, planning and 
operational capacity for the office.
  The State Department has made progress through the Office of the 
Coordinator of Reconstruction and Stabilization that was established in 
July of 2004. The Office has already done a great deal of the 
preliminary work needed to build an effective corps. But now it is time 
for the Office to recruit, train, and organize the corps so that we 
have deployable units.
  We need to have a 250-person active duty component made up of State 
Department and USAID employees. We need a 2,000 person standby 
component drawn from both State and USAID, but also from other Federal 
agencies that have employees who are willing to volunteer and have the 
necessary skill sets. And we need to begin building a civilian reserve, 
recruiting at least 500 highly skilled persons and eventually many 
more.
  The 250-person active duty personnel should include people with 
skills that are more technical than the broader diplomatic 
requirements--civil engineering, police expertise, agricultural 
knowledge, health, education, and political organization. They should 
have experience in difficult situations overseas and be trained and 
available for rapid deployment with the military for both initial 
assessments and programming purposes. They would be the first civilian 
team on the ground in post-conflict situations, probably well in 
advance of the establishment of an embassy.
  Such a 250-person corps would be no larger than a typical army 
company. But it would be a force multiplier. It would be equipped with 
the authority and training to take broad operational responsibility for 
stabilization missions. Establishment of such a corps is a modest 
investment when seen as part of the overall national security budget. 
Even in peace time, we maintain active duty military forces of almost 
1.4 million men and women who train and plan for the possibility of 
war. Given how critical post conflict situations have been to American 
national security in the last decade, I believe it is reasonable to 
have a mere 250 civilians who are training for these situations and are 
capable of being deployed anywhere in the world, at any time they may 
be needed.

[[Page S2040]]

  Congress must now be willing to provide the funding to make this 
corps a reality. This legislation authorizes a $75 million crisis 
response fund to be made available as a contingency for stabilization 
and reconstruction crises. Of this amount, the administration is 
authorized to spend $25 million for the organization, training, and 
emergency deployment of the response corps. This legislation authorizes 
the crisis response fund and $80 million for the operations of the new 
State Department office and the active duty component, including 
training, equipment, and travel.
  We have a long way to go in creating the kind of robust civilian 
capacity that we need. Both the State Department and the Defense 
Department are keenly aware of the importance of this legislation. If 
we cannot plan better as a government, the United States may come to 
depend even more on our military for tasks and functions far beyond its 
current role. But I remain optimistic that we can build on the progress 
already made to create a strong and reliable civilian component that 
boosts our stabilization and reconstruction capabilities. Passing this 
legislation once again will demonstrate that there is a keen 
understanding in the Senate that we need to move forward. It will 
support executive branch actions already taken and encourage further 
progress. We hope that our friends in the House of Representatives, 
several of whom are considering introducing their own legislation, will 
move forward with the Senate in this endeavor. I urge adoption of this 
legislation.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 613

       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 ``Reconstruction and 
     Stabilization Civilian Management Act of 2007''.

     SEC. 2. FINDING; PURPOSE.

       (a) Finding.--Congress finds that the resources of the 
     United States Armed Forces have been burdened by having to 
     undertake stabilization and reconstruction tasks in the 
     Balkans, Afghanistan, Iraq, and other countries of the world 
     that could have been performed by civilians, which has 
     resulted in lengthy deployments for Armed Forces personnel.
       (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to provide for the 
     continued development, as a core mission of the Department of 
     State and the United States Agency for International 
     Development, of an effective expert civilian response 
     capability to carry out reconstruction and stabilization 
     activities in a country or region that is at risk of, in, or 
     is in transition from, conflict or civil strife.

     SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
     Administrator of the United States Agency for International 
     Development.
       (2) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
     ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
       (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; and
       (B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
     Representatives.
       (3) Department.--Except as otherwise provided in this Act, 
     the term ``Department'' means the Department of State.
       (4) Executive agency.--The term ``executive agency'' has 
     the meaning given that term in section 105 of title 5, United 
     States Code.
       (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of State.

     SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

       It is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) the civilian element of United States joint civilian-
     military operations should be strengthened in order to 
     enhance the execution of current and future reconstruction 
     and stabilization activities in foreign countries or regions 
     that are at risk of, in, or are in transition from, conflict 
     or civil strife;
       (2) the capability of civilian agencies of the United 
     States Government to carry out reconstruction and 
     stabilization activities in such countries or regions should 
     also be enhanced through a new rapid response corps of 
     civilian experts supported by the establishment of a new 
     system of planning, organization, personnel policies, and 
     education and training, and the provision of adequate 
     resources;
       (3) the international community, including nongovernmental 
     organizations, and the United Nations and its specialized 
     agencies, should be further encouraged to participate in 
     planning and organizing reconstruction and stabilization 
     activities in such countries or regions;
       (4) the executive branch has taken a number of steps to 
     strengthen civilian capability, including the establishment 
     of an office headed by a Coordinator for Reconstruction and 
     Stabilization in the Department, the Presidential designation 
     of the Secretary as the interagency coordinator and leader of 
     reconstruction and stabilization efforts, and Department of 
     Defense directives to the military to support the Office of 
     Reconstruction and Stabilization and to work closely with 
     counterparts in the Department of State and other civilian 
     agencies to develop and enhance personnel, training, 
     planning, and analysis;
       (5) the Secretary and the Administrator should work with 
     the Secretary of Defense to augment existing personnel 
     exchange programs among the Department, the United States 
     Agency for International Development, and the Department of 
     Defense, including the regional commands and the Joint Staff, 
     to enhance the stabilization and reconstruction skills of 
     military and civilian personnel and their ability to 
     undertake joint operations; and
       (6) the heads of other executive agencies should establish 
     personnel exchange programs that are designed to enhance the 
     stabilization and reconstruction skills of military and 
     civilian personnel.

     SEC. 5. AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE FOR RECONSTRUCTION 
                   AND STABILIZATION CRISES.

       Chapter 1 of part III of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 
     (22 U.S.C. 2351 et seq.) is amended by inserting after 
     section 617 the following new section:

     ``SEC. 618. ASSISTANCE FOR A RECONSTRUCTION AND STABILIZATION 
                   CRISIS.

       ``(a) Assistance.--
       ``(1) In general.--If the President determines that it is 
     important to the national interests of the United States for 
     United States civilian agencies or non-Federal employees to 
     assist in stabilizing and reconstructing a country or region 
     that is at risk of, in, or is in transition from, conflict or 
     civil strife, the President may, in accordance with the 
     provisions set forth in section 614(a)(3), notwithstanding 
     any other provision of law, and on such terms and conditions 
     as the President may determine, furnish assistance to respond 
     to the crisis using funds referred to in paragraph (2).
       ``(2) Funds.--The funds referred to in this paragraph are 
     funds as follows:
       ``(A) Funds made available under this section, including 
     funds authorized to be appropriated by subsection (d).
       ``(B) Funds made available under other provisions of this 
     Act and transferred or reprogrammed for purposes of this 
     section.
       ``(b) Special Authorities.--In furtherance of a 
     determination made under subsection (a), the President may 
     exercise the authorities contained in sections 552(c)(2) and 
     610 without regard to the percentage and aggregate dollar 
     limitations contained in such sections.
       ``(c) Availability of Funds for Response Readiness Corps.--
     Of the funds made available for this section in any fiscal 
     year, including funds authorized to be appropriated by 
     subsection (d) and funds made available under other 
     provisions of this Act and transferred or reprogrammed for 
     purposes of this section, $25,000,000 may be made available 
     for expenses related to the development, training, and 
     operations of the Response Readiness Corps established under 
     section 61(c) of the State Department Basic Authorities Act 
     of 1956.
       ``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--
       ``(1) Authorization.--There is authorized to be 
     appropriated $75,000,000 to provide assistance authorized in 
     subsection (a) and, to the extent authorized in subsection 
     (c), for the purpose described in subsection (c). Such amount 
     is in addition to amounts otherwise made available for 
     purposes of this section, including funds made available 
     under other provisions of this Act and transferred or 
     reprogrammed for purposes of this section.
       ``(2) Replenishment.--There is authorized to be 
     appropriated each fiscal year such sums as may be necessary 
     to replenish funds expended under this section.
       ``(3) Availability.--Funds authorized to be appropriated 
     under this subsection shall be available without fiscal year 
     limitation.''.

     SEC. 6. OFFICE OF THE COORDINATOR FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND 
                   STABILIZATION.

       Title I of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 
     1956 (22 U.S.C. 2651 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
     the following new section:

     ``SEC. 61. RECONSTRUCTION AND STABILIZATION.

       ``(a) Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and 
     Stabilization.--
       ``(1) Establishment.--There is established within the 
     Department of State the Office of the Coordinator for 
     Reconstruction and Stabilization.
       ``(2) Coordinator for reconstruction and stabilization.--
     The head of the Office shall be the Coordinator for 
     Reconstruction and Stabilization, who shall be appointed by 
     the President, by and with the advice and consent of the 
     Senate. The Coordinator shall report directly to the 
     Secretary and shall have the rank and status of Ambassador at 
     Large.
       ``(3) Functions.--The functions of the Office of the 
     Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization include the 
     following:
       ``(A) Monitoring, in coordination with relevant bureaus 
     within the Department of State, political and economic 
     instability

[[Page S2041]]

     worldwide to anticipate the need for mobilizing United States 
     and international assistance for the stabilization and 
     reconstruction of countries or regions that are at risk of, 
     in, or are in transition from, conflict or civil strife.
       ``(B) Assessing the various types of stabilization and 
     reconstruction crises that could occur and cataloging and 
     monitoring the non-military resources and capabilities of 
     Executive agencies that are available to address such crises.
       ``(C) Planning to address requirements, such as 
     demobilization, policing, human rights monitoring, and public 
     information, that commonly arise in stabilization and 
     reconstruction crises.
       ``(D) Coordinating with relevant Executive agencies (as 
     that term is defined in section 105 of title 5, United States 
     Code) to develop interagency contingency plans to mobilize 
     and deploy civilian personnel to address the various types of 
     such crises.
       ``(E) Entering into appropriate arrangements with other 
     Executive agencies to carry out activities under this section 
     and the Reconstruction and Stabilization Civilian Management 
     Act of 2007.
       ``(F) Identifying personnel in State and local governments 
     and in the private sector who are available to participate in 
     the Response Readiness Corps established under subsection (c) 
     or to otherwise participate in or contribute to stabilization 
     and reconstruction activities.
       ``(G) Taking steps to ensure that training of civilian 
     personnel to perform such stabilization and reconstruction 
     activities is adequate and, as appropriate, includes security 
     training that involves exercises and simulations with the 
     Armed Forces, including the regional commands.
       ``(H) Sharing information and coordinating plans for 
     stabilization and reconstruction activities, as appropriate, 
     with the United Nations and its specialized agencies, the 
     North Atlantic Treaty Organization, nongovernmental 
     organizations, and other foreign national and international 
     organizations.
       ``(I) Coordinating plans and procedures for joint civilian-
     military operations with respect to stabilization and 
     reconstruction activities.
       ``(J) Maintaining the capacity to field on short notice an 
     evaluation team to undertake on-site needs assessment.
       ``(b) Response to Stabilization and Reconstruction 
     Crisis.--If the President makes a determination regarding a 
     stabilization and reconstruction crisis under section 618 of 
     the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, the President may 
     designate the Coordinator, or such other individual as the 
     President may determine appropriate, as the Coordinator of 
     the United States response. The individual so designated, or, 
     in the event the President does not make such a designation, 
     the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization, shall--
       ``(1) assess the immediate and long-term need for resources 
     and civilian personnel;
       ``(2) identify and mobilize non-military resources to 
     respond to the crisis; and
       ``(3) coordinate the activities of the other individuals or 
     management team, if any, designated by the President to 
     manage the United States response.''.

     SEC. 7. RESPONSE READINESS CORPS.

       (a) In General.--Section 61 of the State Department Basic 
     Authorities Act of 1956 (as added by section 6) is amended by 
     adding at the end the following new subsection:
       ``(c) Response Readiness Corps.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary, in consultation with the 
     Administrator of the United States Agency for International 
     Development and the heads of other appropriate departments 
     and agencies of the United States Government, is authorized 
     to establish and maintain a Response Readiness Corps 
     (hereafter referred to in this subsection as the `Corps') to 
     provide assistance in support of stabilization and 
     reconstruction activities in foreign countries or regions 
     that are at risk of, in, or are in transition from, conflict 
     or civil strife.
       ``(2) Federal components.--
       ``(A) Active and standby components.--The Corps shall have 
     active and standby components consisting of United States 
     Government personnel as follows:
       ``(i) An active component, consisting of not more than 250 
     personnel who are recruited, employed, and trained in 
     accordance with this paragraph.
       ``(ii) A standby component, consisting of not more than 
     2000 personnel who are recruited and trained in accordance 
     with this paragraph.
       ``(B) Authorized members of standby component.--Personnel 
     in the standby component of the Corps may include employees 
     of the Department of State (including Foreign Service 
     Nationals), employees of the United States Agency for 
     International Development, employees of any other executive 
     agency (as that term is defined in section 105 of title 5, 
     United States Code), and employees of the legislative branch 
     and judicial branch of Government--
       ``(i) who are assigned to the standby component by the 
     Secretary following nomination for such assignment by the 
     head of the department or agency of the United States 
     Government concerned or by an appropriate official of the 
     legislative or judicial branch of Government, as applicable; 
     and
       ``(ii) who--

       ``(I) have the training and skills necessary to contribute 
     to stabilization and reconstruction activities; and
       ``(II) have volunteered for deployment to carry out 
     stabilization and reconstruction activities.

       ``(C) Recruitment and employment.--The recruitment and 
     employment of personnel to the Corps shall be carried out by 
     the Secretary, the Administrator of the United States Agency 
     for International Development, and the heads of the other 
     departments and agencies of the United States Government 
     participating in the establishment and maintenance of the 
     Corps.
       ``(D) Training.--The Secretary is authorized to train the 
     members of the Corps under this paragraph to perform services 
     necessary to carry out the purpose of the Corps under 
     paragraph (1).
       ``(E) Compensation.--Members of the active component of the 
     Corps under subparagraph (A)(i) shall be compensated in 
     accordance with the appropriate salary class for the Foreign 
     Service, as set forth in sections 402 and 403 of the Foreign 
     Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 3962, 3963), or in accordance 
     with the relevant authority under sections 3101 and 3392 of 
     title 5, United States Code.
       ``(3) Civilian reserve.--
       ``(A) Civilian reserve.--The Corps shall have a reserve 
     (hereafter referred to in this subsection as the `Civilian 
     Reserve') of non-United States Government personnel who are 
     trained and available as needed to perform services necessary 
     to carry out the purpose of the Corps under paragraph (1). 
     The Civilian Reserve shall be established by the Secretary, 
     in consultation with the Administrator of the Unites States 
     Agency for International Development and the heads of other 
     appropriate departments and agencies of the United States 
     Government.
       ``(B) Composition.--Beginning not later than one year after 
     the date of the enactment of the Reconstruction and 
     Stabilization Civilian Management Act of 2007, the Civilian 
     Reserve shall include at least 500 personnel, who may include 
     retired employees of the United States Government, contractor 
     personnel, nongovernmental organization personnel, State and 
     local government employees, and individuals from the private 
     sector, who--
       ``(i) have the training and skills necessary to enable them 
     to contribute to stabilization and reconstruction activities;
       ``(ii) have volunteered to carry out stabilization and 
     reconstruction activities; and
       ``(iii) are available for training and deployment to carry 
     out the purpose of the Corps under paragraph (1).
       ``(4) Use of response readiness corps.--
       ``(A) Federal active component.--Members of the active 
     component of the Corps under paragraph (2)(A)(i) are 
     authorized to be available--
       ``(i) for activities in direct support of stabilization and 
     reconstruction activities; and
       ``(ii) if not engaged in activities described in clause 
     (i), for assignment in the United States, United States 
     diplomatic missions, and United States Agency for 
     International Development missions.
       ``(B) Federal standby component and civilian reserve.--The 
     Secretary may deploy members of the Federal standby component 
     of the Corps under paragraph (2)(A)(ii), and members of the 
     Civilian Reserve under paragraph (3), in support of 
     stabilization and reconstruction activities in a foreign 
     country or region if the President makes a determination 
     regarding a stabilization and reconstruction crisis under 
     section 618 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.''.
       (b) Employment Authority.--The full-time personnel in the 
     active component of the Response Readiness Corps under 
     section 61(c)(2)(A)(i) of the State Department Basic 
     Authorities Act of 1956 (as added by subsection (a)) are in 
     addition to any other full-time personnel of the Department 
     or the United States Agency for International Development 
     authorized to be employed under any other provision of law.
       (c) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the 
     appropriate congressional committees a report on the status 
     of efforts to establish the Response Readiness Corps under 
     this section. The report should include recommendations for 
     any legislation necessary to implement section 61(c) of the 
     State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (as so added).

     SEC. 8. STABILIZATION AND RECONSTRUCTION TRAINING AND 
                   EDUCATION.

       Section 701 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 
     4021) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (h); and
       (2) by inserting after subsection (f) the following new 
     subsection:
       ``(g) Stabilization and Reconstruction Curriculum.--
       ``(1) Establishment and mission.--The Secretary, in 
     cooperation with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary 
     of the Army, is authorized to establish a stabilization and 
     reconstruction curriculum for use in programs of the Foreign 
     Service Institute, the National Defense University, and the 
     United States Army War College.
       ``(2) Curriculum content.--The curriculum should include 
     the following:
       ``(A) An overview of the global security environment, 
     including an assessment of transnational threats and an 
     analysis of United States policy options to address such 
     threats.
       ``(B) A review of lessons learned from previous United 
     States and international experiences in stabilization and 
     reconstruction activities.

[[Page S2042]]

       ``(C) An overview of the relevant responsibilities, 
     capabilities, and limitations of various Executive agencies 
     (as that term is defined in section 105 of title 5, United 
     States Code) and the interactions among them.
       ``(D) A discussion of the international resources available 
     to address stabilization and reconstruction requirements, 
     including resources of the United Nations and its specialized 
     agencies, nongovernmental organizations, private and 
     voluntary organizations, and foreign governments, together 
     with an examination of the successes and failures experienced 
     by the United States in working with such entities.
       ``(E) A study of the United States interagency system.
       ``(F) Foreign language training.
       ``(G) Training and simulation exercises for joint civilian-
     military emergency response operations.''.

     SEC. 9. SERVICE RELATED TO STABILIZATION AND RECONSTRUCTION.

       (a) Promotion Purposes.--Service in stabilization and 
     reconstruction operations overseas, membership in the 
     Response Readiness Corps under section 61(c) of the State 
     Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (as added by section 
     7), and education and training in the stabilization and 
     reconstruction curriculum established under section 701(g) of 
     the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (as added by section 8) 
     should be considered among the favorable factors for the 
     promotion of employees of Executive agencies.
       (b) Personnel Training and Promotion.--The Secretary and 
     the Administrator should take steps to ensure that, not later 
     than 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, at 
     least 10 percent of the employees of the Department and the 
     United States Agency for International Development in the 
     United States are members of the Response Readiness Corps or 
     are trained in the activities of, or identified for potential 
     deployment in support of, the Response Readiness Corps. The 
     Secretary should provide such training as needed to 
     Ambassadors and Deputy Chiefs of Mission.
       (c) Other Incentives and Benefits.--The Secretary and the 
     Administrator may establish and administer a system of awards 
     and other incentives and benefits to confer appropriate 
     recognition on and reward any individual who is assigned, 
     detailed, or deployed to carry out stabilization or 
     reconstruction activities in accordance with this Act.

     SEC. 10. AUTHORITIES RELATED TO PERSONNEL.

       (a) Contracting Authority.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary, or the Administrator with 
     the concurrence of the Secretary, may enter into contracts to 
     procure the services of nationals of the United States (as 
     defined in section 101(a)(22) of the Immigration and 
     Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(22)) or aliens authorized 
     to be employed in the United States as personal services 
     contractors for the purpose of carrying out this Act, without 
     regard to Civil Service or classification laws, for service 
     in the Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and 
     Stabilization or for service in foreign countries to assist 
     in stabilizing and reconstructing a country or region that is 
     at risk of, in, or is in transition from, conflict or civil 
     strife.
       (2) Not employees.--Individuals performing services under 
     contracts described in paragraph (1) shall not by virtue of 
     performing such services be considered to be employees of the 
     United States Government for purposes of any law administered 
     by the Office of Personnel Management (except that the 
     Secretary or Administrator may determine the applicability to 
     such individuals of any law administered by the Secretary or 
     Administrator concerning the performance of such services by 
     such individuals).
       (b) Experts and Consultants.--The Secretary and the 
     Administrator may, to the extent necessary to obtain services 
     without delay, employ experts and consultants under section 
     3109 of title 5, United States Code, for the purpose of 
     carrying out this Act, without requiring compliance with any 
     otherwise applicable requirements for that employment as the 
     Secretary or Administrator may determine, except that such 
     employment shall be terminated after 60 days if by that time 
     the applicable requirements are not complied with.
       (c) Authority To Accept and Assign Details.--The Secretary 
     is authorized to accept details or assignments of employees 
     of Executive agencies, members of the uniformed services, and 
     employees of State or local governments on a reimbursable or 
     nonreimbursable basis for the purpose of carrying out this 
     Act. The assignment of an employee of a State or local 
     government under this subsection shall be consistent with 
     subchapter VI of chapter 33 of title 5, United States Code.
       (d) Dual Compensation Waiver.--
       (1) Annuitants under civil service retirement system or 
     federal employees retirement system.--Notwithstanding 
     sections 8344(i) and 8468(f) of title 5, United States Code, 
     the Secretary or the head of another executive agency, as 
     authorized by the Secretary, may waive the application of 
     subsections (a) through (h) of such section 8344 and 
     subsections (a) through (e) of such section 8468 with respect 
     to annuitants under the Civil Service Retirement System or 
     the Federal Employees Retirement System who are assigned, 
     detailed, or deployed to assist in stabilizing and 
     reconstructing a country or region that is at risk of, in, or 
     is in transition from, conflict or civil strife during the 
     period of their reemployment.
       (2) Annuitants under foreign service retirement and 
     disability system or foreign service pension system.--The 
     Secretary may waive the application of subsections (a) 
     through (d) of section 824 of the Foreign Service Act (22 
     U.S.C. 4064) for annuitants under the Foreign Service 
     Retirement and Disability System or the Foreign Service 
     Pension System who are reemployed on a temporary basis in 
     order to be assigned, detailed, or deployed to assist in 
     stabilization and reconstruction activities under this Act.
       (e) Increase in Premium Pay Cap.--The Secretary, or the 
     head of another executive agency as authorized by the 
     Secretary, may compensate an employee detailed, assigned, or 
     deployed to assist in stabilizing and reconstructing a 
     country or region that is at risk of, in, or is in transition 
     from, conflict or civil strife, without regard to the 
     limitations on premium pay set forth in section 5547 of title 
     5, United States Code, to the extent that the aggregate of 
     the basic pay and premium pay of such employee for a year 
     does not exceed the annual rate payable for level II of the 
     Executive Schedule.
       (f) Extension of Certain Foreign Service Benefits.--The 
     Secretary, or the head of another executive agency as 
     authorized by the Secretary, may extend to any individuals 
     assigned, detailed, or deployed to carry out stabilization 
     and reconstruction activities in accordance with this Act, 
     the benefits or privileges set forth in sections 412, 413, 
     704, and 901 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 
     972, 22 U.S.C. 3973, 22 U.S.C. 4024, and 22 U.S.C. 4081) to 
     the same extent and manner that such benefits and privileges 
     are extended to members of the Foreign Service.
       (g) Compensatory Time.--Notwithstanding any other provision 
     of law, the Secretary may, subject to the consent of an 
     individual who is assigned, detailed, or deployed to carry 
     out stabilization and reconstruction activities in accordance 
     with this Act, grant such individual compensatory time off 
     for an equal amount of time spent in regularly or irregularly 
     scheduled overtime work. Credit for compensatory time off 
     earned shall not form the basis for any additional 
     compensation. Any such compensatory time not used within 26 
     pay periods shall be forfeited.
       (h) Acceptance of Volunteer Services.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary may accept volunteer 
     services for the purpose of carrying out this Act without 
     regard to section 1342 of title 31, United States Code.
       (2) Types of volunteers.--Donors of voluntary services 
     accepted for purposes of this section may include--
       (A) advisors;
       (B) experts;
       (C) consultants; and
       (D) persons performing services in any other capacity 
     determined appropriate by the Secretary.
       (3) Supervision.--The Secretary shall--
       (A) ensure that each person performing voluntary services 
     accepted under this section is notified of the scope of the 
     voluntary services accepted;
       (B) supervise the volunteer to the same extent as employees 
     receiving compensation for similar services; and
       (C) ensure that the volunteer has appropriate credentials 
     or is otherwise qualified to perform in each capacity for 
     which the volunteer's services are accepted.
       (4) Applicability of law relating to federal government 
     employees.--A person providing volunteer services accepted 
     under this section shall not be considered an employee of the 
     Federal Government in the performance of those services, 
     except for the purposes of the following provisions of law:
       (A) Chapter 81 of title 5, United States Code, relating to 
     compensation for work-related injuries.
       (B) Chapter 11 of title 18, United States Code, relating to 
     conflicts of interest.
       (5) Applicability of law relating to volunteer liability 
     protection.--
       (A) In general.--A person providing volunteer services 
     accepted under this section shall be deemed to be a volunteer 
     of a nonprofit organization or governmental entity, with 
     respect to the accepted services, for purposes of the 
     Volunteer Protection Act of 1997 (42 U.S.C. 14501 et seq.).
       (B) Inapplicability of exceptions to volunteer liability 
     protection.--Section 4(d) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 14503(d)) 
     does not apply with respect to the liability of a person with 
     respect to services of such person that are accepted under 
     this section.
       (i) Authority for Outside Advisors.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary may establish temporary 
     advisory commissions composed of individuals with appropriate 
     expertise to facilitate the carrying out of this Act.
       (2) Inapplicability of faca.--The requirements of the 
     Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not 
     apply to the activities of a commission established under 
     this subsection.

     SEC. 11. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There is authorized to be appropriated for each fiscal 
     year, $80,000,000 for personnel, education and training, 
     equipment, and travel costs for purposes of carrying out this 
     Act and the amendments made by this Act (other than the 
     amendment made by section 5).
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