[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 90 (Wednesday, June 6, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H6048-H6073]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
AFGHANISTAN FREEDOM AND SECURITY SUPPORT ACT OF 2007
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 453 and rule
XVIII, the Chair declares the House in the Committee of the Whole House
on the State of the Union for the consideration of the bill, H.R. 2446.
{time} 1436
In the Committee of the Whole
Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the
Whole House on the State of the Union for the consideration of the bill
(H.R. 2446) to reauthorize the Afghanistan Freedom Support Act of 2002,
and for other purposes, with Mr. Ross in the chair.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to the rule, the bill is considered read the
first time.
The gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) and the gentlewoman from
Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) each will control 30 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2446 and
yield myself as much time as I may consume.
Mr. Chairman, the Taliban is back, posing not only an insidious
threat to the people of Afghanistan but to our Nation as well. We
simply cannot allow a resurgence of the Taliban. If we do, al Qaeda
will once again be able to use Afghanistan as a state-sponsored
launching pad for terror.
And so every schoolhouse door in Afghanistan is a threshold to
stopping terrorism. Every new power line in Afghanistan is a frontline
in the war on terror. Every farm in Afghanistan used for legitimate
crops, instead of opium poppies, is fertile ground for peace.
So we ought to look at funding Afghanistan as both good foreign
policy and good domestic policy. Every dollar we invest now translates
into lives and dollars we save in the future, both in Afghanistan and
in the United States.
Our initial efforts, Mr. Chairman, in Afghanistan must be redoubled.
For that reason, it was my pleasure to join with the ranking Republican
member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, my good friend, Ileana Ros-
Lehtinen of Florida, in introducing this crucial reauthorization bill,
which clearly demonstrates our long-term, bipartisan commitment to
Afghanistan.
Our job in Afghanistan is not finished, not by a long shot. Yes, the
Taliban was seemingly purged from that Nation in 2001 and a democratic
government was established in its place, but we must not have a false
sense of security.
The effectiveness and very existence of the Karzai government is
threatened as we meet here today. As we speak, the volatile southern
part of Afghanistan is aflame with clashes between NATO coalition
troops and the reorganized forces of the Taliban. Make no mistake:
Afghanistan is a brush fire that could ignite easily into an all-out
conflagration.
Recently, Mr. Chairman, there has been an alarming return to the
reign of terror against women in Afghanistan. Just today we learned of
the slaying of a pioneering advocate of free speech, a courageous woman
who owned a radio station near Kabul, shot to death in her home. This
brutal attack shows how difficult the working environment has become
for journalists, especially for journalists who are women.
So the Afghans need our help as much as ever. The teetering situation
there is an echo of the instability just after the United States and
our allies invaded that country. Security for the people and stability
of the government are paramount.
Let me sketch, Mr. Chairman, the basic outline of our bipartisan
legislation. The first title of the Lantos/Ros-Lehtinen bill provides
much-needed financial aid for health care, energy development, programs
for women and girls, assistance to combat corruption, and a crop
substitution program to curtail the growing of poppy. Under this
section of our bill, the administration will be required to certify
whether any senior official in Afghanistan's provincial or local
government is involved in the illegal narcotics trade and to take
appropriate action.
Our bill also requires the President to appoint a coordinator for our
Afghanistan assistance programs, including counter-narcotics. We
mandate accountability in the effort to eliminate narcotics corruption.
Title II of our bill bolsters security and policing in Afghanistan,
supporting the international security
[[Page H6049]]
force beyond October, 2007, and further training the Afghans. It
encourages greater participation from countries in the region, and it
mandates the creation of special drug interdiction teams.
We must recognize, Mr. Chairman, that security in Afghanistan is
inextricably intertwined with the fight against the narcotics trade.
Title III of our bill ensures greater planning and accountability for
the future of the country, and it fosters regional coordination. A
structured blueprint for 2008 will be required, with updates as
necessary. Reporting and evaluation measures will be expanded and
extended. These are all crucial provisions for meeting benchmarks and
assessing progress so that Congress can perform the oversight that is
important to our successful effort in a war-torn country.
I want to repeat, Mr. Chairman, we will not let Afghanistan fail. The
world is watching, and it wants to know whether we have the resolve to
fight the terrorist forces threatening Afghanistan, whether we are
ready to maintain the country's security and stability.
Mr. Chairman, the Committee on Foreign Affairs approved our
bipartisan legislation unanimously. I want to repeat this because it
indicates the unanimous conviction of the Foreign Affairs Committee,
reflecting the view of this body and the American people, that
Afghanistan will be a successful endeavor.
I want to express my appreciation for the support of not only the
ranking member, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, but also the chairman and ranking
member of the Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia, Mr.
Ackerman and Mr. Pence.
I urge all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join us in
strongly supporting this most important piece of legislation.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1445
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I thank the chairman of our committee, Chairman
Lantos, for his leadership for so long on this issue.
Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I would like to voice my strong support for the chairman's bill, H.R.
2446, the Afghanistan Freedom and Security Support Act, and that's the
key part of what we're talking about today, security support. This
legislation is the product of the bipartisan cooperation that our
committee has shown on an issue of critical importance to the United
States and our allies in the war against Islamic militant extremists.
Five years ago, our Nation experienced a terrible tragedy, and it led
our Nation to destroy the al Qaeda safe haven in Afghanistan that the
brutal Taliban regime had created there. Our focus was to provide a
safe, stable and secure Afghanistan that would deny global jihadists a
base of operations to conduct their campaign of terror and destruction
against our Nation and our critical security interests around the
world.
Since then, Afghanistan has taken notable steps to emerge from
decades of war, of violence, of oppression, toward a prosperous,
secure, free, democratic nation. Today, over 5 million Afghan children
are in school, including 2 million girls. This was prohibited under the
Taliban rule. Hundreds of clinics and new schools are now open to serve
the population as a result of international efforts. Media, cultural,
business and political leaders are free to meet to discuss, to
demonstrate and to guide policies that are transforming their nation
across all sectors.
The Afghan economy is growing at an incredible rate, and
institutional assistance for Afghan economic reconstruction has been
forthcoming. Most importantly, the Afghanistan people, through their
active direct participation in the political process, have demonstrated
their desire to accelerate and ensure the movement of Afghanistan
toward modern society.
However, challenges to these and other efforts remain, as Mr. Lantos
has pointed out. A dramatic increase in illicit opium cultivation is
financing and strengthening the Taliban and anticoalition activity.
It's increasing crime and corruption, and it is eroding the authority
of the central government institutions.
Afghanistan's ballooning drug trade has succeeded in expanding the
ranks of the Taliban. It is no coincidence that opium and heroin
production dramatically increased at the same time that the Taliban-
staged massive counteroffensive, particularly in the south of the
country.
The issue of Taliban and al Qaeda resurgence cannot be considered in
a vacuum. In response, this critical legislation seeks to address the
current situation in an integrated fashion, to include the confluence
of the short-term goals to reduce opium activity and related
corruption, while addressing longer-term developmental goals which have
an impact on our counterterrorism and our counternarcotics policies and
objectives.
In particular, within this critical legislation, we have worked to
establish the means for developing a long overdue and coherent
interdepartmental and counternarcotics strategy that addresses the
deadly and the neglected illicit drug trade and its links to radical
Islamic terrorism that imperil the future of Afghanistan.
In February of this year, I, along with some of my other colleagues
on the Foreign Affairs Committee, wrote to the administration on the
need for an across-the-board policy change on the illicit drug threat
fueling the resurgence of the Taliban, the attacks on our coalition
troops, and official corruption in Afghanistan.
The bill before us incorporates many of the recommendations that we
proposed in this letter, and I thank Chairman Lantos for working so
closely with us. I believe that his bill will prompt much-needed
changes by mandating the appointment of a high level, interdepartmental
Afghan coordinator with emphasis on a development of a coherent
government-wide counter drug policy. This includes bringing the U.S.
military into the fight, providing meaningful support for the drug
enforcement administration with an emphasis on interdiction and on the
extradition of major drug kingpins.
This legislation also contains limitations on assistance to senior
Afghan local and provincial government officials who, based on
evidence, are found to be supporting Islamic terrorist activities or
narco-traffickers or drug producers or are involved in other criminal
activities. This important oversight provision will be instrumental in
assuring that vital U.S. reconstruction assistance is properly
allocated and utilized.
I am also pleased that we were able to come to an agreement with
Chairman Lantos on the extension of draw-down authority for military
equipment, which promotes greater ability to operate with the
international security assistance force and other allies in the country
of Afghanistan.
In addition, the bill ensures that there will be prevetting of the
recruits of the Afghan police to help adequately assess the candidates'
aptitude, professionals skills, integrity and other qualifications for
law enforcement work before they enter the service. Our efforts in
Afghanistan, in particular, and our campaign against militant Islamic
extremists in general must be pursued in a comprehensive manner.
As illustrated by this critical legislation, it requires an effective
and unified reconstruction strategy with a unified counternarcotics
strategy, counterterrorism strategy, and an Afghan government committed
to fighting and eliminating corruption.
Only with this comprehensive approach will we accelerate economic
development and reconstruction, improve the quality of life for
Afghanistan and address the underlying conditions that fuel extremist
acts and decisively defeat the jihadist elements that want to once
again control Afghanistan.
My daughter-in-law, Lindsay, after serving her military tour in Iraq
as a marine pilot, is now serving in Afghanistan. We hope that she will
be back home with us by Thanksgiving. But we thank every brave man and
woman who is wearing our Nation's uniform in Afghanistan, and we thank
them for freeing an entire population, and we hope that their
contributions will always be celebrated in this House.
This bill before us brings us closer to making sure that Afghanistan
remains a free country and be without the extremist Islamic elements
that seek to destroy it.
[[Page H6050]]
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of our time.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I am very pleased to yield 3 minutes to the
distinguished chairman of the Armed Services Committee, my good friend
from Missouri, Ike Skelton.
Mr. SKELTON. I thank the chairman for allowing me to speak on this
very important subject.
Mr. Chairman, for too long, Afghanistan has been the forgotten war.
Opportunities there have been lost, and progress has been limited.
Recently, there has been movement in a more positive direction.
Secretary Gates has been focusing more on Afghanistan and NATO-led
and U.S. forces achieved some notable successes against the ongoing
Taliban insurgency this spring. This, of course, is encouraging. I
commend Secretary Gates for his efforts, and, of course, I commend our
troops for their tremendous contributions.
However, over the same time, violence is on the rise in Afghanistan.
Roadside bombs, suicide attacks are increasing, and the number of
civilian casualties is, of course, troubling. Opium production is at
high levels. The authority of the central government remains, of
course, limited. Corruption and poverty still plague the country. These
are significant challenges that will not be overcome either easily or
quickly.
Lasting security in Afghanistan depends on long-term comprehensive
efforts that, of course, are well coordinated. It is critical that our
NATO partners who are there play a central role in this effort in terms
of both troop contributions, as well as aid.
Earlier this year, I traveled to Afghanistan with a delegation led by
Speaker Pelosi. I came away from that trip convinced that the effort in
Afghanistan is winnable, and I am still optimistic.
But together with NATO, we must ensure that the Taliban and al Qaeda
are destroyed and destroyed for good. Afghanistan will never again
become a terrorist harbor as it once was.
The House Armed Services Committee, which I am pleased to chair, is
committed to doing whatever it can to achieve this goal. Our committee
has held comprehensive hearings on Afghanistan this year.
Just recently, in the defense bill that we passed, we had provisions
regarding Afghanistan. This bill not only provides funds for Afghan
national security forces, but it includes a range of provisions that
will promote long-term security, as well as robust oversight of
American activities in that country.
I am pleased to see that the Afghanistan Freedom Support Act builds
upon our committee's efforts. This legislation includes many important
bipartisan provisions that will further advance long-term security in
Afghanistan.
I strongly encourage my colleagues to support this. We must build on
recent gains in that country and seize the moment to establish real
security there.
I do support this legislation.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume
to Judge Poe of Texas, a great member of our Foreign Affairs Committee.
Mr. POE. I thank the gentlelady from Florida for yielding time.
Mr. Chairman, I was a prosecutor and a judge in Texas for 30 years
total, and I can tell you that I saw the results of poppy and opium
fields in my courtroom. Opiates make victims out of capable,
independent citizens, and they turn decent people into monsters, and I
have seen it with my own eyes. Case after case after case.
Illicit drugs take complete control of people's lives, and they are
now strangling the democracy in Afghanistan. Opiates not only poison
Americans, the poppy trade funds our enemies. The Taliban, or more
appropriately, those demons in the desert, are getting rich off of the
poppy fields, and they are using that money against American troops and
NATO troops.
They are using their wealth to become more numerous, more organized,
and more deadly to the military of NATO and the United States. They are
promoting intolerance and propping up evil and propelling Afghanistan
really back toward the dark ages to a fundamentalist rule.
In the 2005 and 2006 growing season, poppy production in Afghanistan
actually grew to almost 60 percent. That resulted in a net growth of
almost 50 percent in the production of illicit opium, and all the
profit from this drug trade lined the pockets of our enemies, the
Taliban. Those poppy fields are growing like weeds, and they are
choking Afghanistan's freedom. Also, those narcotics are eventually
choking the lives out of many Americans addicted to opiates.
The administration, I know, recognized the importance of
counternarcotics operations. However, judging from the rapid spread of
the poppy production in Afghanistan, it's evident that whatever we are
doing is not working. The time has come for a clear and comprehensive
and truly wide-reaching counternarcotics strategy in Afghanistan.
That is why I rise in support of this bill, the Afghanistan Freedom
and Security Support Act. This bill does numerous things, but it
specifically provides a comprehensive strategy and a priority to deal
with the narcotics. It allows the military to give greater logistics
support to the Drug Enforcement Administration, and, more importantly,
though, this bill creates a coordinator role that will reach across
government departments to develop a comprehensive strategy in how to
deal with this problem.
Our military is unmatched in its ability to get the job done. Any
time, anywhere. But including enhanced civilian interdiction teams, the
fight against the drug trade will help our troops get the bad guys, the
kingpins in Afghanistan, these people that are making money off of the
drug trade.
{time} 1500
Also, the team will receive support from our military, international
resources and Afghanistan law enforcement officers. I believe that
allowing law enforcement to participate in taking down these desert
kingpins will give the Afghanistan police a sense of ownership over
their own security and help further train them in counternarcotics
operation. That could only be a good thing for the citizens of
Afghanistan.
Again, Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the administration's commitment to
taking care of the poppy fields in Afghanistan that fund our enemies,
but I think we're missing a link somewhere in our strategy. Provisions
in this bill focus on funding that link, and that's a good start. All
of our sacrifice and that of our NATO allies and the future of
Afghanistan depend on establishing a stable and viable democracy in
that region of the world. That democracy can only thrive amidst a
legitimate economy. Our troops, our allies, and, most importantly, the
Afghanistan people deserve a chance to live unfettered and free of the
rule of kingpins of the drugs and the Taliban.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to
Congressman Adam Smith, the chairman of the Armed Services Terrorism,
Unconventional Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee and a valued
member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the leadership
in both the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Armed
Services Committee for their efforts to make Afghanistan a top priority
and to focus on our challenges there. They've done a fabulous job.
I recently returned, during the last break, from a visit to
Afghanistan. I am very optimistic about what's going on there but at
the same time mindful of the effort that it's going to require in the
years ahead to continue to succeed, and I believe this bill reflects an
understanding of that required effort.
The Afghan people are on our side. They support the presence of the
NATO troops to support the Karzai government. They do not want the
Taliban to return, and they will fight them and appreciate our help in
doing this.
I'm also very impressed with the job our military and the military of
the NATO alliance is doing there. We have some of the most talented
folks in our military there doing a fabulous job of fighting the
Taliban. But as we go forward, there are remaining challenges,
significant challenges.
Number one, we have to maintain the military presence. In fact, I
believe we need more troops and further support to train the Afghan
army and to fight off the Taliban as they try to resurge
[[Page H6051]]
in the south and throughout the country.
But overarching all of this is the economic challenge. That is the
enormous challenge in Afghanistan. It is a country that has never had
the best economy, and it has also faced 30 years of civil war. Their
infrastructure is destroyed and needs to be rebuilt. Their ability to
govern has also been significantly reduced and needs to be rebuilt.
The Karzai government has the support of the people, but the people
also want infrastructure. They want electricity, and they want jobs.
They want alternatives to the poppies, alternatives to that as a way of
making their living, and we have to give them a long-term commitment to
show them that we will help. We need that long-term financial
commitment that is contained in this bill to get them to believe that
their economy will be strong again. We need to reward their faith in
the Karzai government, their faith in our ability to defeat the Taliban
and to build a better future for Afghanistan; and this bill does that.
So, again, I thank the chairman. I want to thank the ranking member
as well for putting together this piece of legislation and ask all
Members of Congress to understand this is a long-term commitment in
Afghanistan.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I'd like to yield such time as he may
consume to Mr. Pence of Indiana, the ranking member of the Middle East
and South Asia Subcommittee who has traveled to Afghanistan and closely
follows the developments there.
MR. PENCE. Mr. Chairman, I especially want to thank our ranking
member from Florida for yielding and the distinguished chairman of the
full committee for their work on this important legislation.
Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Afghanistan Freedom and
Security Support Act, and I call for its passage. It was reported
unanimously out of the Foreign Affairs Committee last month. Our action
today would reauthorize the Afghanistan Freedom Support Act of 2002
passed 5 years ago this month, just a few short months after our
invasion of the country that harbored the September 11 attackers.
Mr. Chairman, there is nearly unanimous agreement in this body that
the battle currently under way in Afghanistan is in our vital national
interests, and it is crucial and central to the war on terror. It is
critical that we adequately resource and support our mission and the
government and the people of Afghanistan.
As with any conflict, there are both positive and troubling signs
today in Afghanistan. Challenges facing us include a resurgent Taliban,
growing opium trade and slow progress on reconstruction.
On the positive side, our forces, in conjunction with NATO, are
waging war on the Taliban, pursuing terrorist nests and providing
support to the Karzai government. I was able to witness some of the
early fruits of these efforts firsthand, along with some of my
colleagues in December of 2004 when I visited. As in Iraq, our troops
and civilian efforts there are inspiring in difficult and dangerous
conditions.
Opium production remains a plague that will haunt this country until
it is curbed. Tragically, Afghanistan is the world's largest opium
producer. As Antonio Maria Costa of the United Nations Office on Drugs
and Crime said last year, and I quote, ``Afghanistan's drug situation
remains vulnerable to reversal because of mass poverty, lack of
security, and the fact that the authorities have inadequate control
over its territory.''
And that's why this bill is so important. In this legislation, $1.6
billion per year over the next 3 years are authorized for
reconstruction and security assistance, specifically a pilot program of
crop substitution to encourage legitimate alternatives to poppy
cultivation, as well as an anti-corruption effort.
This bill also addresses, as has been alluded to by my colleagues,
the continuing humanitarian needs and offers programs for women and
children.
One of the most inspiring experiences of my life, Mr. Chairman, was
during a visit to an American installation in the mountains of
Jalalabad where we walked outside of the military base and visited a
school which, for the first time, had running water, which, for the
first time, more poignantly, had little girls in the classrooms. It was
an extraordinary experience as I approached the gates of that school
surrounded, as I was, by heavily armed American military personnel,
only to see the children run forward out of the gates, embrace those
soldiers and greet them, not as the glowering menaces that they might
appear to a stranger but as friends. And I stood and marveled as the
soldiers taught me words in their native Afghan tongue to greet the
children and to be able to speak to them. It was extraordinary.
This legislation providing for the humanitarian needs and for
programs for women and girls like those which I saw is truly treasure
in heaven.
This legislation also encourages greater cooperation from friendly
countries in the region, and it requires the President to keep Congress
informed on the progress of these various issues.
Mr. Chairman, our success in Afghanistan will require a multi-tracked
effort on numerous fronts in order for the United States to stay on the
offensive in the war on terror and to stabilize this key ally in our
shared struggle. The Afghanistan Freedom and Security Support Act is an
important and central component in that fight, and I urge its strong
support from my colleagues on both sides of the aisle.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I'm pleased to yield 2 minutes to my
neighbor in California, a valued member of the Foreign Affairs
Committee, Ms. Lynn Woolsey.
Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Afghanistan
Freedom Support Act and to thank the chairman and the ranking member of
the Foreign Affairs Committee for this bipartisan bill.
H.R. 2446 provides for reconstruction and reconciliation. It provides
for the future of Afghan people by supporting women's rights,
supporting education, agricultural initiatives and civil society
reform.
Actually, this bill is doing what we could and what we should do in
Iraq. It builds a path, a true path to peace. With H.R. 2446, through
economic political and reconstruction support, we can help rebuild a
nation. We can provide hope for a safe and prosperous future for
another nation. And we can also learn from this bill, learn that
democracy and stability come from international partnerships, not from
guns, not from bombs.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I'm pleased to yield such time as he
may consume to Mr. Doolittle, of California, a member of the
Appropriations Committee.
Mr. DOOLITTLE. Thank you to Ranking Member Ros-Lehtinen and Chairman
Lantos. I'm very happy to see the strong support for Afghanistan
manifested here by the statements on the floor and, obviously, by a
bill like this with unanimous approval out of the committee.
Mr. Chairman, we had some great initial successes in Afghanistan, and
those are now threatened by subsequent developments that would be
absolutely tragic and really intolerable for us to allow any reversals
to occur. We need to build upon a solid foundation that has been laid,
and I'd just like to briefly cite what I think the need for this
legislation is.
Others have alluded to it as well, but the fact is that remnants of
the Taliban regime have regrouped and are using increasingly deadly
tactics, including the introduction of suicide bombings against both
U.S. and NATO troops, Afghan officials and civilians and international
and Afghan assistance workers.
Also, the poppy cultivation and opium production which directly
support local warlords and sustain and finance insurgents, militias and
terrorist organizations is increasing at a staggering rate. Indeed, the
narcotics problem in Afghanistan threatens to overwhelm the entire
country. More than 500,000 laborers and an unknown number of
traffickers, warlords, insurgents and officials also participate in and
benefit from the drug trade.
The risk for Afghanistan to again devolve into a failed state is
increasing. The ability of the Taliban and other insurgents to enjoy
safe haven in Pakistan-controlled areas destabilizes the region and
adds to the political tension between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
I'm very encouraged to see that this legislation establishes the
means for developing a long-overdue and coherent
[[Page H6052]]
interdepartmental counternarcotics strategy that addresses a deadly and
neglected illicit drug trade and its links to radical Islamist
terrorism.
Mr. Chairman, for all of these reasons, I endorse this bill and
encourage our Members to support it and pray that it may further
strengthen our efforts to bring stability and peace to that vital
region of the world.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I'm very pleased to yield 3 minutes to my
good friend and distinguished colleague from New York, Mrs. Carolyn
Maloney, chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions.
Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Chairman, I thank Chairman Lantos for
his leadership on this important bill and in so many other areas; and I
rise in strong support of the Afghan Freedom and Security Support Act.
The bill includes provisions from legislation that I introduced
earlier this year, H.R. 937, the Afghan Women Empowerment Act, which
targets critical assistance to Afghan women and girls. The bill
authorizes $45 million each year from fiscal year 2008 through fiscal
year 2010 for programs in Afghanistan that benefit women and girls, as
well as the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission and the Afghan
Ministry of Women's Affairs.
The funding would be directed toward important needs, including
medical care, education, vocational training, protection from violence
and civil participation.
In 2003, I successfully attached, with the leadership and help of
Chairman Lantos, an amendment to the fiscal year 2004 emergency
supplemental bill that provided $60 million in funding for Afghan women
and girls NGOs, including $5 million for the creation of the Afghan
Independent Human Rights Commission.
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During the past several years, the U.S. has invested in the
reconstruction and development of Afghanistan, both because it is the
right thing to do and because it is also critical to our national
security. However, like many of my colleagues, I am troubled by the
challenges facing Afghani women. In March, I had the pleasure and on
other occasions of meeting with Dr. Sima Samar, head of the Afghan
Independent Human Rights Commission. She says Afghan women are losing
ground. Many women continue to endure hardships including targeted
violence, limited mobility, and a high rate of maternal mortality. I am
also deeply concerned about reports that girls schools continue to be
targeted for violence, including dozens in this past year.
Clearly, we have a great deal of more work to do. And by giving women
access to the skills and opportunities that they need, they will become
partners in creating Afghanistan's future and we will ensure that women
will no longer be second class citizens.
I deeply thank Chairman Lantos and Ranking Member Ros-Lehtinen for
their leadership in getting this important bill to the floor, and I
also want to acknowledge Congress Member Abercrombie for his strong
support for this legislation and his efforts on its behalf, along with
the Feminist Majority, led by Ellie Smeal.
This legislation is another critical step in helping Afghan women,
and I commend the House for passing this legislation today.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield such time as he
may consume to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. McCotter), the House
Republican policy chairman.
Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Chairman, first, I wish to begin by commending the
work of the chairman and the ranking member for bringing this bill to
the floor.
Upon my first visit to Iraq in 2003, I was struck by the centralized
reconstruction process. I believed it was a mistake, and I came back in
November of that year and gave a speech on the floor of the House and I
said that I thought that one of the things that we needed to do was to
provide the Iraqi people a transactional benefit to undergird the
transformational change to democracy. This lesson is equally applicable
in Afghanistan, which is why this bill today is so welcomed, because it
recognizes that the people of Afghanistan in the provinces, in the
local levels are where the reconstruction money must really be
targeted.
If you think about how the United States evolved into a democracy, we
began with the family unit and went to the town halls and went to our
county government level and eventually became States and eventually
became a strong union. We can expect no more nor no less from the
people of other nations who are yearning to breathe free and have been
given the chance to seize the opportunity.
On a more personal note, having been on my first trip to Afghanistan
with my colleagues, we had the opportunity to meet with some female
parliamentarians, and I was struck by two things: The first, and I said
this to them, was that I admired their courage and that there was a
part of me that envied them. I envy them because here in the United
States capital we see portraits and we see monuments and we continue to
this day to hear testaments to the courage and perseverance of our
Nation's founders.
And I said that I was so honored to be in the presence of these
female parliamentarians for in Afghanistan, as they move towards
democracy, one day there will be testaments and monuments and portraits
of them hanging on the walls of their own chambers and in the homes of
their fellow countrymen.
We promised that day not to forget or forsake them. And today, thanks
to the leadership of the ranking member and the chairman, we can tell
those female parliamentarians that we have not forgotten them and that
we stand with them.
And, finally, let us not forget when we think about the role of the
United States, which was conceived in liberty, those female
parliamentarians were once considered property until they were
emancipated by the United States of America and the coalition allies.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I am very pleased to yield 4 minutes to my
good friend from Texas, a distinguished colleague, Sheila Jackson-Lee,
chairwoman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation
Security and Infrastructure Protection.
(Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise
and extend her remarks.)
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, allow me to thank my good
friend the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House for
his energy and the focused way in which this committee is pursuing its
business of engaging and improving the relations of the United States
with those around the world. Let me thank the ranking member as well,
whom I have worked with on many issues dealing with women and children,
and I appreciate their collective leadership.
This bill is an important restatement of what many of us have argued
for and continue to make the point that the building pieces that we can
offer to Afghanistan will build a building of peace for decades and
centuries to come. Frankly, many of us believe that the war on terror
is seeded in Afghanistan and would like us to find or to be able to
invest not only as it relates militarily to the concerns of the borders
between Afghanistan and Pakistan and the rise of the Taliban but to
seed out, if you will, the bad seeds of terrorism, to make Afghanistan
the shining star, people desiring and hungering for the water of
democracy.
So this legislation, the Afghanistan Freedom and Security Support Act
of 2007, needs to be reauthorized and has in it a valuable statement
about the United States' commitment, longevity in its commitment, to
helping Afghanistan put forward the building blocks of peace. The fact
that it authorizes $1.7 billion in each of the fiscal years 2008 to
2010 emphasizes economic and development assistance and as well
capacity building programs and, as has been mentioned, women and girls
programs.
Let me cite, Mr. Chairman, an individual who has really been a sole
champion on the issue of educating Afghan children. And, of course, I
am very grateful for your accepting my amendment regarding the refugee
resettlement in the manager's amendment and look forward to discussing
my amendment regarding the emphasis on training girls to encourage them
to finish secondary school, and as well, my amendment regarding the
safety of women legislators. But I do want to pay tribute to Josanna
Smith. She is a name that you may not have heard, but she has devised a
little chalkboard that is able to travel in places where many of us
couldn't in the high hills of Afghanistan to give to the children that
[[Page H6053]]
many of us see in pictures or have actually visited them, as I have
done, and giving books to these children, sitting in little circles
trying to learn.
This little simple, if you will, chalkboard that ties to it a piece
of chalk allows children to learn. Josanna has put together a
foundation where it is almost self-funded. She has been to Afghanistan
and many places around the world.
I cite Josanna Smith as an example of the kind of good heartedness of
Americans who really desire the best for Afghanistan and see it as the
place where we can, in essence, make the fruits of democracy thrive.
This legislation acknowledges that the war on terror started first in
the bowels of this country. It acknowledges the need to address the
controversy and conflict on the Afghan and Pakistan border. It
recognizes the rise of the Taliban. And, hopefully, it will
characterize the foreign policy of this Nation, that is, that we must
solve the terror in Afghanistan before we begin to completely finish
the war on terror or at least make the forward step that we need to
make.
I look forward to discussing the amendments that will hopefully
further help women and women legislators take their rightful place in a
free and open democracy that is safe and secure, and that is the
country of Afghanistan.
Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 2446, ``the Afghanistan
Freedom and Security Support Act of 2007.'' This is an extremely
important and timely piece of legislation, and I commend the Chairman
of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Mr. Lantos, for introducing it. In
the nearly 5 years since the 9/11 attacks, and the subsequent ouster of
the Taliban and al-Qaeda from Afghanistan, we have made significant
efforts to secure that nation from the Taliban.
However, the Taliban continues to pose a very real threat to
Afghanistan's stability. After enduring decades of violence and
hardship, the people of Afghanistan continue to live in a climate of
ongoing turmoil, particularly in the southern regions of the country,
where there are ongoing and dangerous clashes between coalition-led
forces and insurgents. Despite our positive efforts, the Taliban has
been able to reorganize, and continues destabilize the country.
These unfortunate realities remind us of the need to continue U.S.
programs in Afghanistan, as well as the necessity of continually
studying and revising our involvement to ensure that taxpayer dollars
are being put to the best possible use. If the United States is to
ensure that Afghanistan is secure and stable in the long run, we must
address the underlying causes of persistent violence, including the
still-flourishing opium trade and the nation's lack of infrastructure.
Education, so long neglected under the Taliban regime, will be a
vital component of Afghanistan's development. I commend the many
individuals and groups who have been tirelessly furthering the cause of
Afghanistan; individuals like Josanna Smith and her organization
Worldwide Wisdom United, Inc. Ms. Smith's organization has distributed
thousands of Learning Boards TM, which are sturdy, hand-held
chalkboards containing eraser and a supply of chalk. This simple but
ingenious device can mean the world of difference to a child in
Afghanistan, opening up a future of economic success and self-
sustainability. I commend Ms. Smith, and other Americans like her, for
bravely recognizing and addressing this ongoing problem.
I am proud to have offered two important amendments to this
legislation, both of which I believe will strengthen this bill and help
it to achieve its intended purpose. My first amendment states that
technical assistance should be provided to train national, provincial,
and local governmental personnel for capacity-building purposes as it
relates to education, health care, human rights (particularly women's
rights), and political participation. This amendment also seeks to
ensure girls complete secondary education so they are prepared and have
the ability to pursue post-secondary education.
My second amendment seeks to bolster women's political participation
by protecting women legislators when they return to the provinces they
represent. It states that it is the sense of Congress that assistance
provided to foreign countries and international organizations under
this provision should be used, in part, to protect these female
legislators.
This bill has many other important provisions. Key among these are
programs to combat narcotics trafficking and rampant corruption.
Additionally, this bill encourages greater regional cooperation. I
believe this to be a vital aspect to any effort toward peace in
Afghanistan, and I strongly encourage regional dialogue and the
involvement of Afghanistan's neighbors.
Mr. Chairman, we have a responsibility to Afghanistan. We have
pledged a commitment to Afghanistan's long-term stability. I believe
that this bill is essential and urgent, and I strongly urge my
colleagues to join me in support of it.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I am very pleased to yield 2 minutes to my
good friend from Connecticut, Congressman Joe Courtney, distinguished
member of the Committee on Education and Labor.
Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Chairman, it is an honor to stand in support of the
Afghan Freedom and Security Support Act.
Exactly 1 week ago, I was in Afghanistan with a congressional
delegation from the Armed Services Committee and had the opportunity to
see firsthand both the progress and challenges that face the people of
Afghanistan. It is a land of contrasts. On the upside there is a
healthy political life. President Karzai, who met with our delegation,
is clearly a dynamic, moderate, engaged leader who has a national
government which is clearly focused on trying to move the country
forward. There are clear signs of economic life. The shops were open.
There was traffic. Schools were being built. Roads are being
constructed, 16 percent growth of GDP over the last couple of years and
a clear commitment to strengthening and building the Afghan army and
police. In fact, our delegation was present at a graduation ceremony
for the Afghan national police and handed out the diplomas to the young
cadets who were taking on these important critical duties to
Afghanistan's future.
There clearly are challenges, however. The reappearance of the
narcotics trade; the resurgence of the Taliban; and the challenges in
the border areas of Pakistan, which our military are fighting very
bravely every day. Seven soldiers lost their lives the day that we were
there because of the struggle that is still going on with the Taliban.
What is clearly needed, and this bill addresses it, is a strong,
long-term commitment by this country to continue the efforts that have
been made with our international allies, NATO allies, who were present
also during our trip. French Marines, Scandinavian troops, Germans who
are taking responsibility for control of some of the PRTs in the
different provinces. And, clearly, lastly, most importantly, is the
economic aid that is so critical to defeating the rise of the narcotics
trade and defeating the Taliban. As one of the generals stated to us,
where the roads end, the Taliban begins in Afghanistan.
Flying from Kabul to Jalalabad, we actually tracked a new road which
was constructed by Chinese contractors that had heavy truck traffic and
again showed that there were real opportunities in growth in that area
which this bill will continue to build upon, and I applaud the chairman
for his efforts and urge its unanimous passage.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I encourage all of my colleagues to
support this far-reaching bill.
Mr. Chairman, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, before yielding back, I would like to make
just a couple of observations.
It is such a rare pleasure to manage a major bill of international
significance on a bipartisan basis. Our Nation wins when Congress is
united. This Congress is united on our policy with respect to
Afghanistan. Just as importantly, Mr. Chairman, was my privilege some
years back to point out that Afghanistan is not an American problem; it
is a problem for the civilized the world. And I called for NATO to take
over the responsibility in Afghanistan.
NATO is now the principal operating entity on behalf of freedom and
democracy in the country of Afghanistan. NATO should be performing this
function. It is the greatest military alliance in the history of the
world, and it is my earnest hope that, just as NATO has accepted its
responsibility in the struggle in Afghanistan, it will do so in other
troubled parts of the world.
Mr. HOLT. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of this very
important legislation.
During the first 6 months of 2007, this Congress has rightly spent a
great deal of time debating and trying to reorient our policy in Iraq.
It's important to remember that one of the chief reasons we need to
leave Iraq is so that we can win the other war we've been fighting
since 2001: the war against Al Qaeda and their Taliban allies in
Afghanistan.
[[Page H6054]]
This bipartisan bill provides additional support for programs as
diverse as assistance to women and girls, energy development and
counter-narcotics. It authorizes $6.435 billion for fiscal years 2008
through 2010, of which $2.145 billion is authorized to be spent in
fiscal year 2008. Let me comment on a couple of specific provisions
that I think are particularly important.
This bill seeks to set standards, create performance metrics, and
mandate a tightly coordinated interagency strategy for Afghanistan--the
very kinds of measures that were absent in our effort in Iraq from the
very beginning. Starting in December 2007 and every 6 months afterwards
through September 30, 2010, this bill would require the President to
submit detailed reports to Congress on the political, military, and
economic progress being made--or not being made--in Afghanistan. It is
long past time that Congress mandated such benchmarks so that we can
know what is working in Afghanistan and make adjustments where things
are not working.
This bill also mandates the creation of a special envoy to help more
closely coordinate activities between those governments and the
International Security Assistance Force in their joint efforts to
interdict Al Qaeda and Taliban fighters who attempt to use Pakistani
territory to launch attacks against civilian and military targets in
Afghanistan. Pakistan's record in this area is at best mixed, and I am
glad that the committee has recognized the need for our government to
increase its effort to get both governments to make the borders no-go
zones for insurgents.
Finally, this bill recognizes that the Taliban and Al Qaeda are not
the only enemies of Afghanistan's fledgling democracy. The narcotics
trade in Afghanistan is producing violence and corruption that
threatens the people and government of Afghanistan just as much as the
actions of the terrorists. Indeed, we know that in many cases the
terrorists are using narco-trafficking to help fund their violent
campaign to overthrow the Afghan government.
Weeding out potentially corrupt police who assist the drug lords and
the terrorists is essential, and this bill would require that future
assistance to the Afghan National Police include ``vetting procedures
to adequately assess each Afghan National Police candidate's aptitude,
professional skills, integrity, and other qualifications that are
essential to law enforcement work.'' This is exactly the type of
framework that we have lacked in Iraq to deal with police corruption in
that country, and so I'm pleased that the committee is including such a
vetting requirement for Afghan police in this bill.
Mr. Chairman, I look forward to the day when the people of
Afghanistan are free of the fear and uncertainty that decades of war
and civil strife have produced in that ancient country. Let us hasten
the arrival of that day by reaffirming our partnership with them by
passing this bill.
Mr. BARTON of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R.
2446, the Afghanistan Freedom and Security Support Act of 2007.
This bill reauthorizes the Afghanistan Freedom Support Act of 2002,
which has made a huge impact in the stability and security of a new
democracy in that country.
Since 2002, we've seen major reconstruction of schools and
infrastructure in that country, as well as the birth of a democratic
nation.
Reauthorization of this bill is crucial ensuring that Afghanistan
continues to strengthen its government and that its people start to
feel safe and secure in a nation that has been riddled with so much
violence and terrorism.
H.R. 2446 also makes some important enhancements to the original Act
by dealing with a rising narcotics problem related to heroine and poppy
production that is threatening to endanger Afghanistan's security.
H.R. 2446 also takes a strong step towards building international
diplomacy and shared responsibility in the region with our allies.
The Act expresses the sense of Congress that greater humanitarian
assistance is needed in the country for civilians, that the United
Nations should play a larger role in assisting the people of
Afghanistan and also provides means to train military from foreign
countries to share responsibility in Afghanistan.
We also set strong benchmarks for accountability in the region by
requiring more reporting, a better overall strategy for Afghanistan,
and by pursuing policies that foster regional cooperation.
This bill will make Afghanistan stronger and more secure while
securing our own homeland in the fight against global terrorism.
I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
{time} 1530
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
The CHAIRMAN. All time for general debate has expired.
Pursuant to the rule, the bill is considered read for amendment under
the 5-minute rule.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 2446
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the
``Afghanistan Freedom and Security Support Act of 2007''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act
is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings.
Sec. 3. Definition.
TITLE I--ECONOMIC AND DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE FOR AFGHANISTAN
Sec. 101. Declaration of policy.
Sec. 102. Purposes of assistance.
Sec. 103. Authorization of assistance.
Sec. 104. Certification and phased-in limitation on economic and
democratic development assistance.
Sec. 105. Monitoring and evaluation of assistance.
Sec. 106. Coordination of assistance.
Sec. 107. Pilot program to provide scholarships to Afghan students for
public policy internships in the United States.
Sec. 108. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 109. Clerical amendment.
TITLE II--ASSISTANCE FOR A NEW SECURITY FRAMEWORK FOR AFGHANISTAN
Subtitle A--Amendments to the Afghanistan Freedom Support Act of 2002
Sec. 201. Authorization of assistance.
Sec. 202. Congressional notification requirements.
Sec. 203. Matters relating to the International Security Assistance
Force.
Sec. 204. Sunset.
Subtitle B--Other Matters
Sec. 211. Counter-narcotics activities in Afghanistan.
Sec. 212. Expansion of international contributions to the security of
Afghanistan.
Sec. 213. Training for military personnel of foreign countries that are
to be deployed for security operations in Afghanistan.
Sec. 214. Humanitarian assistance for war victims.
Sec. 215. Sense of Congress concerning United Nations mandate in
Afghanistan.
TITLE III--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
Sec. 301. Donor contributions to Afghanistan and reports.
Sec. 302. Report on progress toward security and stability in
Afghanistan.
Sec. 303. Comprehensive interagency strategy for long-term security and
stability in Afghanistan.
Sec. 304. Special envoy for Afghanistan-Pakistan cooperation.
Sec. 305. Transit through Pakistan of shipments by India in support of
reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan.
Sec. 306. Reauthorization of Radio Free Afghanistan.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Nearly six years after the liberation of Afghanistan
from the Taliban, who provided Osama Bin-Laden and Al-Qaeda
with a safe haven for planning the attacks of September 11,
2001, Afghanistan remains highly unstable and the Government
of President Hamid Karzai remains subject to attacks from
remnants of the Taliban who have regrouped along with other
insurgent groups, including some foreign fighters associated
with Al-Qaeda.
(2) The Government of Afghanistan supports the continued
deployment of international forces to supplement its own
nascent national security forces, and the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization (NATO), which took over international
stability operations for the entire country on October 5,
2006, must show continued commitment to these operations in
order to assist Afghanistan in defeating the growing
insurgency in rural areas of Afghanistan.
(3) The current United States counter-narcotics strategy
for Afghanistan has not produced significant results, in part
due to a failure to seek out and capture high-level warlords
and kingpins who control the flow of illicit narcotics and
because sufficient sustainable alternatives have not been
provided to Afghan farmers who suffer from a lack of access
to microfinance facilities, financial services, and land
rights and whose crops are subject to eradication.
(4) In some cases, the misaligned eradication policy
endorsed by the United States Government has led adversely-
affected Afghan farmers and villagers to support insurgent
groups, including the Taliban.
(5) The violence and instability in Afghanistan is further
exacerbated by the flourishing trade in opium and opium-
related crops, which has reached record levels and which fuel
local militias, corrupts the national and local governments,
and provides funding for insurgent and terrorist groups.
(6) The United States and the international community must
continue to support Afghanistan both through increased
support for its national and local police forces, the Afghan
National Army, and Afghan counter-narcotics operations.
(7) The United States and the international community must
also continue to support the growth of the Afghan economy
through
[[Page H6055]]
foreign assistance and other means because Afghanistan
remains one of the poorest countries in the world and
economic growth is impeded by the lingering remnants of 25
years of civil war and occupation and the ongoing instability
since December 2001, including the growing illicit drug
economy.
(8) The United States and the international community must
also continue to show a long-term commitment to support the
promotion of democracy and the protection of human rights in
Afghanistan, including increased assistance for the rule of
law, freedom of the press, freedom of association, freedom of
religion, and other measures of good governance.
(9) From January 31 to February 1, 2006, the Government of
Afghanistan and the international community issued the
Afghanistan Compact, which sets forth both the international
community's commitment to Afghanistan and Afghanistan's
commitment to state-building and reform over the next five
years.
(10) The Afghanistan Compact, which supports the Afghan
National Development Strategy, provides a strategy for
building an effective, accountable state in Afghanistan, with
goals and standards set forth in the Afghanistan Compact for
improvements in security, governance, and development,
including measures for reducing the narcotics economy,
promoting regional cooperation, and making aid more
effective. The Afghanistan Compact also established a
mechanism to monitor Afghanistan and the international
community's adherence to the timelines, goals, and objectives
set forth in the document.
(11) The security of Afghanistan is closely intertwined
with those of its regional neighbors and success in
Afghanistan, both economic and political, will be dependent
on security and stability in the region.
(12) The recent closure of four refugee camps in Pakistan
and the deportation of Afghans from Iran have resulted in
over 200,000 Afghan refugees repatriating to Afghanistan who
will require urgent humanitarian services.
SEC. 3. DEFINITION.
(a) In General.--In this Act, except as otherwise provided,
the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means the
Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives
and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.
(b) Amendment.--Subsection (c) of section 1 of the
Afghanistan Freedom Support Act of 2002 (22 U.S.C. 7501 note)
is amended to read as follows:
``(c) Definitions.--In this Act:
``(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--Except as
otherwise provided, the term `appropriate congressional
committees' means--
``(A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on
Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and
``(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee
on Appropriations of the Senate.
``(2) Government of afghanistan.--The term `Government of
Afghanistan' includes--
``(A) the government of any political subdivision of
Afghanistan; and
``(B) any agency or instrumentality of the Government of
Afghanistan.
``(3) International security assistance force or isaf.--The
term `International Security Assistance Force' or `ISAF'
means the international security assistance force established
to assist in the maintenance of security in Afghanistan
pursuant to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1386
(2001), as amended by United Nations Security Council
Resolutions 1413 (2002), 1444 (2002), 1510 (2003), 1563
(2004), 1623 (2005), and 1707 (2006).''.
TITLE I--ECONOMIC AND DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE FOR AFGHANISTAN
SEC. 101. DECLARATION OF POLICY.
Section 101 of the Afghanistan Freedom Support Act of 2002
(22 U.S.C. 7511) is amended by striking paragraphs (4), (5),
and (6) and inserting the following new paragraphs:
``(4) While the election of a President and the
establishment of a National Parliament for Afghanistan
concluded the process begun in December 5, 2001, in Bonn,
Germany, the United States needs to continue to work with the
Government of Afghanistan and other friendly countries to
ensure that Afghanistan's neighboring countries and other
countries in the region do not threaten or interfere in one
another's sovereignty, territorial integrity, or political
independence, including supporting diplomatic initiatives to
support this goal for the establishment of an independent and
neutral Afghanistan.
``(5) The United States must continue to demonstrate a
long-term commitment to the people of Afghanistan by
sustained assistance and the continued deployment of United
States troops in Afghanistan with the support of the
Government of Afghanistan as Afghanistan continues on its
path toward a broad-based, multi-ethnic, gender-sensitive,
and fully representative government in Afghanistan.
``(6) To foster stability and democratization and to
effectively eliminate the causes of terrorism, the United
States and the international community should also support
efforts that advance the development of democratic civil
authorities and institutions in Afghanistan's neighboring
countries and throughout the Central Asia and South Asia
regions.
``(7) While rampant corruption has impeded development and
economic growth in Afghanistan and contributed to insecurity
in the country, the United States should support all efforts
to fight corruption in all levels of government in
Afghanistan and assist in promoting an efficient and
effective Government of Afghanistan.''.
SEC. 102. PURPOSES OF ASSISTANCE.
Section 102 of the Afghanistan Freedom Support Act of 2002
(22 U.S.C. 7512) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (2), by striking ``the humanitarian
crisis'' and inserting ``the continuing humanitarian needs'';
(2) in paragraph (3)--
(A) by striking ``heroin, and to'' and inserting ``heroin,
to''; and
(B) by adding at the end before the semicolon the
following: ``, and to establish a pilot program to test the
effectiveness of a crop substitution combined with an
appropriate offset policy and to provide practical
information on the measures needed to implement such a policy
with the potential of scaling up the pilot program for large-
scale deployment''; and
(3) in paragraph (7), by inserting ``, the energy sector''
after ``the agriculture sector''.
SEC. 103. AUTHORIZATION OF ASSISTANCE.
(a) Continuing Humanitarian Needs.--Subsection (a)(1) of
section 103 of the Afghanistan Freedom Support Act of 2002
(22 U.S.C. 7513) is amended--
(1) in the heading, by striking ``Urgent'' and inserting
``Continuing''; and
(2) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking
``urgent'' and inserting ``continuing''.
(b) Counter-Narcotics Efforts.--Subsection (a)(3) of such
section is amended--
(1) in the matter preceding clause (i) of subparagraph
(A)--
(A) by striking ``To assist in'' and inserting ``To assist
in the apprehension of individuals who organize, facilitate,
and profit from the drug trade,''; and
(B) by inserting ``, including the destruction of drug
laboratories'' after ``heroin production'';
(2) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C);
(3) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following new
subparagraph:
``(B) To establish a pilot program to test the
effectiveness of a crop substitution combined with an
appropriate offset to encourage legitimate alternatives to
poppy production for Afghan poppy farmers within an area in
which poppy production is prevalent, such as in the Helmand
or Nangarhar provinces, by providing--
``(i) seeds for alternative crops for which there is
internal market demand and in an areas in which there is
adequate infrastructure for access to market;
``(ii) technical assistance to such Afghan poppy farmers on
how to best plant, grow, and harvest the alternative crops
utilized; and
``(iii) an appropriate offset that would significantly
address the difference in income that such Afghan poppy
farmers would otherwise earn had they continued to grow and
sell poppy.'';
(4) in subparagraph (C) (as redesignated)--
(A) by striking ``(B)'' and inserting ``(B)(i)'';
(B) by striking ``2003 through 2006'' and inserting ``2008
through 2010'';
(C) by striking the last sentence; and
(D) by adding at the end the following new clauses:
``(ii) For each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2010,
$10,000,000 is authorized to be appropriated to the President
to carry out activities described in subparagraph (B).
``(iii) Amounts made available under clauses (i) and (ii)
are in addition to amounts otherwise available for such
purposes.''; and
(5) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
``(D) Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of the Afghanistan Freedom and Security Support Act
of 2007, and every 180 days thereafter through the end of
fiscal year 2010, the President shall transmit to the
appropriate congressional committees a report on the status
of the implementation of the activities described in
subparagraph (B). The report required by this subparagraph
may be included in the report required by section 304 of this
Act.''.
(c) Reestablishment of Food Security, Rehabilitation of the
Agriculture Sector, Improvement in Health Conditions, and the
Reconstruction of Basic Infrastructure.--Subsection (a)(4) of
such section is amended--
(1) by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the
following new subparagraph:
``(B) increased access to credit, savings, and other
financial services and to farm management and business
advisory services;'';
(2) by redesignating subparagraphs (K), (L), and (M) as
subparagraphs (M), (N), and (O), respectively;
(3) by inserting after subparagraph (J) the following new
subparagraphs:
``(K) programs to train medical personnel, including
doctors, nurses, physicians' assistants, and midwives;
``(L) programs to provide equipment to primary and
secondary clinics and hospitals;'';
(4) in subparagraph (N) (as redesignated), by striking
``and'' at the end;
(5) in subparagraph (O) (as redesignated), by striking the
period at the end and inserting ``; and''; and
(6) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
[[Page H6056]]
``(P) rebuilding and constructing rural and urban roads and
highways, including secondary and tertiary road systems.''.
(d) Education, the Rule of Law, Anti-Corruption, and
Related Issues.--Subsection (a)(5) of such section is
amended--
(1) in the heading, by inserting ``, anti-corruption''
after ``the rule of law'';
(2) in subparagraph (B)--
(A) by striking clause (v);
(B) by redesignating clauses (vi) through (viii) as clauses
(v) through (vii), respectively;
(C) in clause (vi) (as redesignated), by striking ``and''
at the end;
(D) in clause (vii) (as redesignated), by striking the
period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and
(E) by adding at the end the following new clauses:
``(viii) support for the implementation of the Afghan
Action Plan on Transitional Justice, including examination of
abuses by all parties as specified by the document with a
view to establishing truth, reconciliation, and justice; and
``(ix) support for land titling programs and reconciliation
of land rights.'';
(3) by redesignating subparagraphs (C) and (D) as
subparagraphs (D) and (E), respectively; and
(4) by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following new
subparagraph:
``(C) Anti-corruption assistance.--To combat corruption,
improve transparency and accountability, increase the
participatory nature of governmental institutions, and
promote other forms of good governance and management in all
levels of government in Afghanistan, including assistance
such as--
``(i) providing technical assistance to the Government of
Afghanistan to assist in the efforts to ratify the United
Nations Convention against Corruption and assistance in
creating implementation legislation and a monitoring
mechanism to oversee implementation of the United Nations
Convention against Corruption;
``(ii) supporting the establishment of audit offices,
inspectors general offices, third party monitoring of
government procurement processes, and anti-corruption
agencies;
``(iii) promoting legal and judicial reforms that
criminalize corruption and law enforcement reforms and
development that encourage prosecutions of corruption;
``(iv) providing technical assistance to develop a legal
framework for commercial transactions that fosters business
practices that promote transparent, ethical, and competitive
behavior in the economic sector, such as commercial codes
that incorporate international standards and protection of
core labor standards;
``(v) providing training and technical assistance relating
to drafting of anti-corruption, privatization, and
competitive statutory and administrative codes, and providing
technical assistance to Afghan governmental ministries
implementing anti-corruption laws and regulations;
``(vi) promoting the development of regulations relating to
financial disclosure for public officials, political parties,
and candidates for public offices;
``(vii) supporting transparent budgeting processes and
financial management systems; and
``(viii) promoting civil society's role in combating
corruption.''.
(e) Assistance to Women and Girls.--Subsection (a)(7) of
such section is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking clauses (i) through
(xii) and inserting the following new clauses:
``(i) to provide equipment, medical supplies, and other
assistance to health care facilities for the purpose of
reducing maternal and infant mortality and morbidity;
``(ii) to expand immunization programs for women and
children;
``(iii) to establish and expand programs to provide
services to women and girls suffering from mental illness
problems, such as depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic
stress disorder;
``(iv) to protect and provide services to vulnerable
populations, including widows, orphans, and women head of
households;
``(v) to develop and implement programs to protect women
and girls against sexual and physical abuse, abduction,
trafficking, exploitation, and sex discrimination, including
emergency shelters for women and girls who face danger from
violence;
``(vi) to establish primary and secondary schools for girls
that include mathematics, science, and languages in their
primary curriculum;
``(vii) to expand technical and vocational training
programs to enable women to support themselves and their
families;
``(viii) to maintain and expand adult literacy programs,
including economic literacy programs that promote the well-
being of women and their families;
``(ix) to provide special educational opportunities for
girls whose schooling was ended by the Taliban and who now
face obstacles to participating in the normal education
system, such as girls who are now married and girls who are
older than the normal age for their classes;
``(x) to disseminate information throughout Afghanistan on
international standards for human rights, particularly as
pertaining to women;
``(xi) to provide information and assistance to enable
women to exercise property, inheritance, and voting rights,
and to ensure equal access to the judicial system;
``(xii) to support the work of women-led and local
nongovernmental organizations with demonstrated experience in
delivering services to women and children in Afghanistan;
``(xiii) to monitor and investigate violations against
women and to provide legal assistance to women who have
suffered violations of their rights;
``(xiv) to increase political and civic participation of
women in all levels of society, including the criminal
justice system;
``(xv) to provide information and training related to human
rights, particularly as pertaining to women, to military,
police, and legal personnel; and
``(xvi) to provide assistance to the Ministry of Women's
Affairs and the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission
for programs to advance the status of women.''; and
(2) in subparagraph (B), to read as follows:
``(B) Availability of funds.--For each of the fiscal years
2008 through 2010--
``(i) $5,000,000 is authorized to be appropriated to the
President to be made available to the Afghan Ministry of
Women's Affairs for the administration and conduct of its
programs;
``(ii) $10,000,000 is authorized to be appropriated to the
President to be made available to the Afghan Independent
Human Rights Commission for the administration and conduct of
its programs; and
``(iii) $30,000,000 is authorized to be appropriated to the
President for grants to Afghan-led nongovernmental
organizations, including Afghan women-led nongovernmental
organizations, to support activities including the
construction, establishment, and operation of schools for
married girls and girls' orphanages, vocational training for
women and girls, primary health care clinics for women and
children, programs to strengthen Afghan women-led
organizations and women's leadership, and to provide monthly
financial assistance to widows, orphans, and women head of
households.''.
(f) Assistance for Energy Development and Short-Term Energy
Supply.--
(1) Amendment.--Subsection (a) of such section is amended
by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
``(8) Assistance for energy development.--To support the
development of local energy sources, new power generation,
and energy transportation, including further development of
existing hydrological power sources, studies of the utility
of geothermal energy, expansion of local natural gas fields
for internal consumption and export, and transport of natural
gas or other appropriate energy sources to Afghanistan's
neighboring countries.
``(9) Assistance for short-term energy supply.--
``(A) Assistance objectives.--To provide assistance for the
supply of short-term energy resources such as diesel to
secure the delivery of electricity to major Afghan cities.
``(B) Availability of funds.--For each of the fiscal years
2008 through 2010, $75,000,000 is authorized to be
appropriated to the President to carry out this paragraph.
``(C) Relation to other available funds.--Amounts made
available under subparagraph (B) are in addition to amounts
otherwise available for such purposes.''.
(2) Sense of congress on opic activities.--It is the sense
of Congress that the Overseas Private Investment Corporation
should, in accordance with its mandate to foster private
investment and enhance the ability of private enterprise to
make its full contribution to international development,
exercise its authorities under title IV of chapter 2 of part
I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2191 et
seq.) to further increase efforts to promote and support
United States-sponsored private investment in the energy
sector in Afghanistan, including--
(A) issuing loans, guaranties, and insurance, to support
energy infrastructure reconstruction and development; and
(B) undertaking a special initiative that includes--
(i) sending a needs assessment team to Afghanistan to
determine ways in which the Corporation can best support the
essential investment required to restore the energy
infrastructure in Afghanistan;
(ii) engaging in an exhaustive outreach program to involve
United States business in energy development in Afghanistan
and exploring potential new public-private partnerships,
supported by the Corporation, which will assist Afghanistan
in developing its energy sector; and
(iii) consulting and coordinating with the Government of
Afghanistan and regional governments and international
financial institutions to promote private investment in the
energy sector.
(g) Assistance for Capacity-Building.--Subsection (a) of
such section, as amended by subsection (f)(1) of this
section, is further amended by adding at the end the
following new paragraph:
``(10) Assistance for capacity-building.--To increase the
capacity and improve the sustainability of national,
provincial, and local governmental institutions, including
assistance such as--
``(A) providing technical assistance to all ministries
through funding to the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund
to improve transparency and ability to respond to the needs
of the Afghan people;
[[Page H6057]]
``(B) promoting the implementation of fiscal and personnel
management, including revenue tracking and expenditure
systems;
``(C) assisting in developing ministry-wide recruitment
systems;
``(D) creating or improving databases and other human
resource information systems;
``(E) supporting the expansion of the Afghan National
Solidarity Project and other provincial and local-led
development projects;
``(F) providing training and technical assistance to the
Ministry of Finance to better account for funding to the
Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund and other funds
implemented by the Government of Afghanistan;
``(G) supporting the Afghanistan Independent Administrative
Reform and Civil Service Commission; and
``(H) providing financial and technical assistance to
support the Transition Support Strategy for Afghanistan,
including the Public Administration Reform project.''.
(h) Limitation.--Subsection (b)(1) of such section is
amended by striking ``adopting a constitution and''.
(i) Monitoring of Assistance for Afghanistan; Report.--
Subsection (d)(1)(A) of such section is amended--
(1) by striking ``Committee on International Relations''
and inserting ``Committee on Foreign Affairs''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new sentence: ``The
report required by this paragraph may be included in the
report required by section 304 of this Act.''.
SEC. 104. CERTIFICATION AND PHASED-IN LIMITATION ON ECONOMIC
AND DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE.
Title I of the Afghanistan Freedom Support Act of 2002 (22
U.S.C. 7511 et seq.) is amended--
(1) by redesignating sections 104 through 108 as sections
105 through 109, respectively; and
(2) by inserting after section 103 the following new
section:
``SEC. 104. CERTIFICATION AND PHASED-IN LIMITATION ON UNITED
STATES ECONOMIC AND DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT
ASSISTANCE FOR AFGHANISTAN.
``(a) Certification.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than October 1, 2008 and each
October 1 thereafter, the President shall transmit to the
appropriate congressional committees a certification that
contains a determination of whether or not, based upon
substantiated and credible evidence, any senior official of
the Government of Afghanistan, at the provincial or local
levels, is engaged in or benefits from the illicit narcotics
trade or is engaged in terrorist or criminal activities,
including the names of any such senior officials and the
provincial or local governments over which such senior
officials exercise authority.
``(2) Form.--The certification required by paragraph (1)
shall be transmitted in unclassified form, but may contain a
classified annex.
``(b) Limitation on Assistance.--For fiscal year 2009 and
each subsequent fiscal year, assistance authorized under this
title or under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C.
2151 et seq.) may not be provided to a provincial or local
government of Afghanistan if the President determines and
certifies to the appropriate congressional committees
pursuant to subsection (a) for such fiscal year that, based
upon substantiated and credible evidence, one or more senior
officials from such provincial or local government is engaged
in or benefits from the narcotics trade or is engaged in
terrorist or criminal activities.''.
SEC. 105. MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF ASSISTANCE.
Title I of the Afghanistan Freedom Support Act of 2002 (22
U.S.C. 7511 et seq.), as amended by section 104 of this Act,
is further amended--
(1) by redesignating sections 105 through 109 (as
redesignated) as sections 106 through 110, respectively; and
(2) by inserting after section 104 the following new
section:
``SEC. 105. MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF ASSISTANCE.
``(a) In General.--The President shall establish and
implement a system to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness
and efficiency of assistance provided under this title on a
program-by-program basis in order to maximize the long-term
sustainable development impact of such assistance.
``(b) Requirements.--In carrying out subsection (a), the
President shall--
``(1) establish performance goals for assistance authorized
under this title and expresses such goals in an objective and
quantifiable form, to the extent practicable;
``(2) establish performance indicators to be used in
measuring or assessing the achievement of the performance
goals described in paragraph (1); and
``(3) provide a basis for recommendations for adjustments
to assistance authorized under this title to enhance the
impact of such assistance.
``(c) Assistance To Enhance the Capacity of Afghanistan.--
In carrying out subsection (a), the President shall provide
assistance to enhance the capacity of the Government of
Afghanistan to monitor and evaluate programs carried out by
the national, provincial, and local governments in
Afghanistan in order to maximize the long-term sustainable
development impact of such programs.
``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--Of the amounts
authorized to be appropriated under section 110 for a fiscal
year, not less than 5 percent of such amounts are authorized
to be made available to carry out this section for such
fiscal year.''.
SEC. 106. COORDINATION OF ASSISTANCE.
(a) Congressional Finding.--Congress finds that the
coordinator of assistance provided for in section 106 of the
Afghanistan Freedom Support Act of 2002 (as redesignated) has
not achieved the objectives of an integrated approach to
United States assistance programs for Afghanistan.
(b) Appointment of Coordinator.--Not later than 90 days
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President
shall appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the
Senate, a coordinator who shall report directly to the
President. The coordinator shall not hold any other position
within the United States Government and shall have the rank
and status of Ambassador.
(c) Duties of Coordinator.--The coordinator shall be
responsible for--
(1) designing an overall non-military strategy, in
coordination with the heads of relevant United States
Government departments and agencies, to advance United States
interests in Afghanistan, including policy coordination
relating to counter-narcotics efforts, reconstruction and
development, and activities to equip and train the Afghan
National Security Forces;
(2) ensuring policy coordination among relevant United
States Government departments and agencies in carrying out
the strategy described in paragraph (1);
(3) pursuing coordination with other countries and
international organizations with respect to assistance for
Afghanistan;
(4) coordinating the implementation and oversight by
relevant United States Government departments and agencies
for assistance for Afghanistan described in paragraph (1);
(5) resolving policy disputes among relevant United States
Government departments and agencies with respect to United
States assistance for Afghanistan described in paragraph (1);
(6) ensuring policy coordination among relevant United
States Government departments and agencies for counter-
narcotics efforts and coordinating the implementation of such
policies, including by facilitating the access of certain
departments and agencies to sensitive sites in Afghanistan,
where practicable, for the purpose of conducting critical
counter-narcotics operations; and
(7) ensuring coordination among the United States, the
Government of Afghanistan, the United Kingdom, and other
international partners that are supporting counter-narcotics
efforts, reconstruction and development, and activities to
equip and train the Afghan National Security Forces in
Afghanistan.
(d) Deputy Coordinators.--The coordinator may appoint up to
two deputy coordinators to assist the coordinator with the
duties of the coordinator described in subsection (c),
including duties relating to counter-narcotics,
reconstruction and development, or equipping and training of
Afghan National Security Forces. A deputy coordinator shall
not hold any other position within the United States
Government.
(e) Repeal.--Section 106 of the Afghanistan Freedom Support
Act of 2002 (as redesignated by sections 104 and 105 of this
Act), is hereby repealed.
SEC. 107. PILOT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE SCHOLARSHIPS TO AFGHAN
STUDENTS FOR PUBLIC POLICY INTERNSHIPS IN THE
UNITED STATES.
Title I of the Afghanistan Freedom Support Act of 2002 (22
U.S.C. 7511 et seq.), as amended by sections 104 and 105 of
this Act, is further amended by inserting after section 105
(as redesignated) the following new section:
``SEC. 106. PILOT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE SCHOLARSHIPS TO AFGHAN
STUDENTS FOR PUBLIC POLICY INTERNSHIPS IN THE
UNITED STATES.
``(a) Pilot Program Required.--The Secretary of State shall
establish a pilot program to provide scholarships to
undergraduate and graduate students in Afghanistan for public
policy internships in the United States to improve the
ability of such students to increase the capacity of the
Government of Afghanistan. The pilot program required by this
subsection shall be carried out as part of the educational
and cultural exchange programs of the Department of State
under the authorities of the Mutual Educational and Cultural
Exchange Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2451 et seq.).
``(b) Scope of Pilot Program.--It is the sense of Congress
that 20 students should participate in the pilot program
required by subsection (a) for each fiscal year during which
the pilot program is in effect.
``(c) Period of Pilot Program.--The pilot program required
by subsection (a) shall be in effect during each of the
fiscal years 2008, 2009, and 2010.''.
SEC. 108. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) Amendments.--Subsection (a) of section 110 of the
Afghanistan Freedom Support Act of 2002 (as redesignated) is
amended--
(1) by striking ``such sums as may be necessary'' and
inserting ``$1,600,000,000''; and
(2) by striking ``2005 and 2006'' and inserting ``2008
through 2010''.
(b) Rule of Construction.--The amendments made by
subsection (a) shall not be construed to affect the
availability of funds appropriated pursuant to the
authorization of appropriations under section 108 of the
Afghanistan Freedom Support Act of 2002 (22
[[Page H6058]]
U.S.C. 7518) before the date of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 109. CLERICAL AMENDMENT.
The table of contents in section 1(b) of the Afghanistan
Freedom Support Act of 2002 (22 U.S.C. 7501 note) is amended
by striking the items relating to sections 104 through 108
and inserting the following new items:
``Sec. 104. Certification and phased-in limitation on United States
economic and democratic development assistance for
Afghanistan
``Sec. 105. Monitoring and evaluation of assistance
``Sec. 106. Pilot program to provide scholarships to Afghan students
for public policy internships in the United States.
``Sec. 107. Sense of Congress regarding promoting cooperation in opium
producing areas.
``Sec. 108. Administrative provisions.
``Sec. 109. Relationship to other authority.
``Sec. 110. Authorization of appropriations.''.
TITLE II--ASSISTANCE FOR A NEW SECURITY FRAMEWORK FOR AFGHANISTAN
Subtitle A--Amendments to the Afghanistan Freedom Support Act of 2002
SEC. 201. AUTHORIZATION OF ASSISTANCE.
(a) Extension of Drawdown Authority.--Subsection (b) of
section 202 of the Afghanistan Freedom Support Act of 2002
(22 U.S.C. 7532) is amended by striking ``$550,000,000'' and
inserting ``300,000,000 in any fiscal year''.
(b) Sense of Congress.--Such section is further amended by
adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(c) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that
assistance provided to eligible foreign countries and
international organizations under subsection (a) should
promote greater interoperability with and among the military
forces of the International Security Assistance Force, the
United States, and the Government of Afghanistan.''.
SEC. 202. CONGRESSIONAL NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS.
Subsection (a) of section 205 of the Afghanistan Freedom
Support Act of 2002 (22 U.S.C. 7535) is amended by striking
``the Committee on International Relations and the Committee
on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on
Appropriations of the Senate'' and inserting ``the
appropriate congressional committees''.
SEC. 203. MATTERS RELATING TO THE INTERNATIONAL SECURITY
ASSISTANCE FORCE.
(a) Implementation of Strategy.--Section 206 of the
Afghanistan Freedom Support Act of 2002 (22 U.S.C. 7536) is
amended--
(1) by striking subsection (c); and
(2) by redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as subsections
(c) and (d), respectively.
(b) Reports on Efforts To Expand International Peacekeeping
and Security Operations in Afghanistan.--Subsection (c)(1)(B)
of such section (as redesignated) is amended in the first
sentence, by striking ``Committee on International
Relations'' and inserting ``Committee on Foreign Affairs''.
(c) Arms Sales Incentive for Cooperating Nations in
Afghanistan.--Such section is further amended by adding at
the end the following new subsection:
``(e) Arms Sales Incentive for Cooperating Nations in
Afghanistan.--
``(1) In general.--The President is authorized to provide a
subsidy of up to five percent of the total acquisition cost
of defense articles and defense services sold pursuant to the
Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.) to a country
if--
``(A) the country will use such defense articles and
defense services in Afghanistan, or
``(B) the country will use defense articles and defense
services of comparable quality and quantity in Afghanistan,
in support of operations in Afghanistan for an extended
period of time.
``(2) Definitions.--In this subsection--
``(A) the term `defense article' has the meaning given the
term in paragraph (3) of section 47 of the Arms Export
Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2794 note); and
``(B) the term `defense service' has the meaning given the
term in paragraph (4) of such section.
``(3) Authorization of appropriations.--To carry out this
subsection, there are authorized to be appropriated to the
President $10,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008
through 2010.''.
SEC. 204. SUNSET.
Section 209 of the Afghanistan Freedom Support Act of 2002
(22 U.S.C. 7538) is amended by striking ``2006'' and
inserting ``2010''.
Subtitle B--Other Matters
SEC. 211. COUNTER-NARCOTICS ACTIVITIES IN AFGHANISTAN.
(a) Support for Counter-Narcotics Interdiction
Operations.--
(1) In general.--The President, acting through the
Secretary of Defense, shall direct the United States Armed
Forces to continue to support counter-narcotics interdiction
operations in Afghanistan, consistent with ongoing
operational activities and the Department of Defense's
counter-narcotics strategy for Afghanistan.
(2) Coordination.--Such operations shall be conducted in
coordination with the Government of Afghanistan and in
coordination with any support for counter-narcotics
interdiction operations provided by the United Kingdom and
other appropriate countries.
(3) Types of activities.--Such operations shall include--
(A) intelligence, surveillance, and information sharing;
(B) logistical support, to the extent practicable in light
of ongoing operational activities, for interdiction efforts;
and
(C) training and equipping the Afghan National Police,
consistent with existing law.
(b) Special Counter-Narcotics Interdiction Teams.--The
President shall enhance existing civilian special counter-
narcotics interdiction teams and, in addition, such counter-
narcotics interdiction teams shall, to the extent practicable
in light of ongoing operational activities, receive the
support described in subsection (a).
(c) Participation of Foreign Counter-Narcotics Law
Enforcement Personnel.--Counter-narcotics law enforcement
personnel of NATO and other friendly countries may
participate in the formation and operation of the counter-
narcotics interdiction teams described in subsection (b) or
other counter-narcotics operations in Afghanistan that are
supported by the United States.
(d) Vetting of Candidates for the Afghan National Police.--
The President shall ensure that assistance for the Afghan
National Police include vetting procedures to adequately
assess each Afghan National Police candidate's aptitude,
professional skills, integrity, and other qualifications that
are essential to law enforcement work.
SEC. 212. EXPANSION OF INTERNATIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE
SECURITY OF AFGHANISTAN.
(a) Statement of Policy.--It is the policy of the United
States that the President shall encourage the Governments of
Pakistan and friendly Arab countries to increase
reconstruction assistance to, and diplomatic support for, the
Government of Afghanistan.
(b) Pakistan and Afghanistan Military Cooperation.--The
President shall encourage the Governments of Pakistan and
Afghanistan to engage in greater military cooperation to
promote greater trust and transparency between them,
including greater communication and coordination between
their respective military, border security, and counter-
narcotic units operating on both sides of the border between
Pakistan and Afghanistan.
(c) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, and every six months thereafter until
September 30, 2008, the President shall transmit to the
appropriate congressional committees a report on the
implementation of subsections (a) and (b). The report
required by this subsection may be included in the report
required by section 304 of the Afghanistan Freedom Support
Act of 2002 (as amended by section 302 of this Act).
(d) Definition.--In this section, the term ``appropriate
congressional committees'' means--
(1) the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on
Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives; and
(2) the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on
Foreign Relations of the Senate.
SEC. 213. TRAINING FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL OF FOREIGN
COUNTRIES THAT ARE TO BE DEPLOYED FOR SECURITY
OPERATIONS IN AFGHANISTAN.
Chapter 5 of part II of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961
(22 U.S.C. 2347 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following new section:
``SEC. 550. TRAINING FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL OF FOREIGN
COUNTRIES THAT ARE TO BE DEPLOYED FOR SECURITY
OPERATIONS IN AFGHANISTAN.
``(a) Training Authorized.--The President is authorized to
furnish training under this chapter for military personnel of
foreign countries that are to be deployed for security
operations in Afghanistan, particularly in the areas of
special operations, counter-insurgency, border security,
counter-terrorism, and counter-narcotics.
``(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--To carry out this
section, there are authorized to be appropriated to the
President $10,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008
through 2010. Amounts authorized to be appropriated under
this subsection are in addition to amounts otherwise
available for such purposes.''.
SEC. 214. HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE FOR WAR VICTIMS.
(a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that
the President should be commended for and should continue
ongoing programs regarding assistance to innocent Afghan
individuals or families of Afghan civilians who have suffered
a serious loss during military operations conducted by United
States forces.
(b) Report Required.--Not later than 180 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall
transmit to the appropriate congressional committees a report
on the feasibility of expanding programs of assistance
described in subsection (a) to include--
(1) the provision of special additional assistance to
families of Afghan civilians who were injured or killed
during such operations and who were the primary source of
income for such families;
(2) the provision of assistance in excess of $2,500 to
families of Afghan civilians described in subsection (a); and
(3) the provision of other payments that might be required
as a result of ongoing military operations in Afghanistan.
SEC. 215. SENSE OF CONGRESS CONCERNING UNITED NATIONS MANDATE
IN AFGHANISTAN.
It is the sense of Congress that the United Nations
Security Council should expand the United Nations mandate in
Afghanistan to--
[[Page H6059]]
(1) authorize international civilian law enforcement
missions in Afghanistan as a part of peace operations of the
United Nations in Afghanistan;
(2) authorize the International Security Assistance Force
to conduct counter-drug interdiction operations, consistent
with ongoing operational activities and as opportunities
arise, against the top narcotic traffickers, their
operations, and their infrastructure in Afghanistan, with the
concurrence of the Government of Afghanistan;
(3) install effective centralized authority within the
United Nations Special Representative for Afghanistan such
that the international community's political objectives can
be prioritized and communicated directly with the Government
of Afghanistan; and
(4) extend the authorization of the International Security
Assistance Force beyond October 13, 2007.
TITLE III--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
SEC. 301. DONOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO AFGHANISTAN AND REPORTS.
Subsection (c)(1) of section 303 of the Afghanistan Freedom
Support Act of 2002 (22 U.S.C. 7553) is amended--
(1) in the first sentence, by striking ``the Committee on
Foreign Relations and the Committee on Appropriations of the
Senate and the Committee on International Relations and the
Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives''
and inserting ``the appropriate congressional committees'';
and
(2) in the second sentence, by striking ``December 31,
2004'' and inserting ``December 31, 2010''.
SEC. 302. REPORT ON PROGRESS TOWARD SECURITY AND STABILITY IN
AFGHANISTAN.
(a) In General.--Title III of the Afghanistan Freedom
Support Act of 2002 (22 U.S.C. 7551 et seq.) is amended by
striking section 304 and inserting the following new section:
``SEC. 304. REPORT ON PROGRESS TOWARD SECURITY AND STABILITY
IN AFGHANISTAN.
``(a) Report Required.--Not later than December 1, 2007,
and every six months thereafter until September 30, 2010, the
President shall transmit to the appropriate congressional
committees a report on a comprehensive set of performance
indicators and measures for progress toward security and
stability in Afghanistan.
``(b) Matters To Be Included.--The report required by
subsection (a) shall include the following:
``(1) With respect to stability and security in
Afghanistan, the following:
``(A) Key measures of political stability, including the
important political objectives that must be achieved over the
next year to ensure that all segments of Afghan society
become committed to the elected government in Kabul.
``(B) The primary indicators of a stable security
environment in Afghanistan, such as the following:
``(i) The number of engagements per day by each of the
following:
``(I) The Afghan forces, United States forces, and other
Coalition forces.
``(II) ISAF.
``(ii) The numbers of trained Afghan security forces,
including the Afghan National Army and the Afghan National
Police.
``(iii) The trends relating to numbers and types of ethnic
and religious-based hostile encounters.
``(C) An assessment of the estimated strength of the
insurgency in Afghanistan and the extent to which it is
composed of non-Afghan fighters, including whether insurgents
are obtaining weapons and other military material from
outside of Afghanistan and whether the insurgents are based
in or use the territory of countries other than Afghanistan.
``(D) A description of the extent to which warlords in
Afghanistan exercise effective control over personnel,
natural resources, infrastructure, villages and towns, and
material that should be under the direct sovereign control of
the Government of Afghanistan, including--
``(i) an identification of each warlord and the extent and
means of control that the warlord exercises over personnel,
natural resources, infrastructure, villages and towns, and
material that should be under the direct sovereign control of
the Government of Afghanistan; and
``(ii) a description of actions undertaken by the
Governments of the United States, Afghanistan, and countries
participating in ISAF, individually or collectively, in the
previous year to diminish and ultimately eliminate control by
each warlord identified under clause (i) over the Afghan
resources described in clause (i), and a description of
actions that will be undertaken in the coming year.
``(E) A description of all militias, tribal forces, and
terrorist and insurgent groups operating in Afghanistan,
including the number, size, equipment strength, military
effectiveness, sources of support, legal status, and efforts
to disarm or reintegrate such militias, tribal forces, and
terrorist and insurgent groups.
``(F) Efforts by ISAF to establish a unified command,
unified rules of engagement, information detailing the
specific restrictions placed by each country participating in
ISAF, or any successor coalition force, on the military
activities of its national military personnel within
Afghanistan, an assessment of the impact of such restrictions
on ISAF's effectiveness, and an assessment of the
capabilities of ISAF forces, including any equipment and
logistics shortages.
``(2) With respect to the training and performance of
security forces in Afghanistan, the following:
``(A) The training provided to Afghan military and other
Ministry of Defense forces and the equipment used by such
forces.
``(B) Key criteria for assessing the capabilities and
readiness of the Afghan National Army and other Ministry of
Defense forces, including capability and readiness levels,
including recruiting, training, and equipping such forces.
``(C) The operational readiness status of the Afghan
National Army, including the type, number, size, and
organizational structure of Afghan battalions that are--
``(i) capable of conducting operations independently;
``(ii) capable of conducting operations with the support of
United States or Coalition forces or ISAF; or
``(iii) not ready to conduct operations.
``(D) The rates of recruitment, retention, and absenteeism
in the Afghan National Army and the extent to which
insurgents have infiltrated such forces.
``(E) The training provided to Afghan National Police and
other Ministry of Interior forces and the equipment used by
such forces.
``(F) Key criteria for assessing the capabilities and
readiness of the Afghan National Police and other Ministry of
Interior forces, including capability and readiness levels,
including recruiting, training, and equipping such forces,
including--
``(i) the number of police recruits that have received
classroom or field instruction and the duration of such
instruction;
``(ii) the number of experienced veteran police officers
who have received classroom and field instruction and the
duration of such instruction;
``(iii) a description of any vetting that police candidates
receive, the number of candidates vetted, the number of
candidates derived from other entry procedures, and the
success rates of those groups of candidates;
``(iv) the number of Afghan National Police forces that
have received field training by international police trainers
and the duration of such training; and
``(v) attrition rates and measures of absenteeism and
infiltration by insurgents.
``(G) The estimated total number of Afghan National Army
battalions needed for the Army to perform duties now being
undertaken by United States, NATO, or Coalition forces,
including securing the borders of Afghanistan and providing
adequate levels of law and order throughout Afghanistan.
``(H) The effectiveness of the Afghan military and police
officer cadres and the chain of command.
``(I) The number of United States and Coalition trainers,
advisors, and mentors needed to support the Afghan security
and associated ministries.
``(J) An assessment, in a classified annex if necessary, of
United States military requirements, including planned force
rotations, through the end of calendar year 2008.
``(3) With respect to the economic and political stability
of Afghanistan, the following:
``(A) An estimate of the annual budget for the Government
of Afghanistan for the Afghan fiscal year, including the
costs of operating and maintaining the Afghan security
forces.
``(B) An estimate of the amount of Afghan Government
revenue and the amount of international assistance for budget
support for the Afghan Government.
``(C) An estimate of the amount of funds pledged by all
major donors for the calendar year and the amounts committed,
obligated, and expended during the reporting period.
``(D) An assessment of United States reconstruction
assistance programs in Afghanistan, including--
``(i) a description of existing efforts to improve the
monitoring and evaluation of the reconstruction assistance
programs, including from the design of such programs through
implementation and eventual transfer to the Government of
Afghanistan;
``(ii) a description, by project, of ongoing and future
reconstruction assistance programs and the amount of funding
obligated and expended to carry out such programs, including
programs in the security, rule of law, counter-narcotics,
power, rural development, education, health, and governance
and anti-corruption sectors;
``(iii) an analysis of completed reconstruction assistance
programs, on a project basis, and a determination of the
impact of and the benefits yielded from such programs on
Afghanistan and its people;
``(iv) a description of ongoing efforts that have improved
the employment situation in Afghanistan, including efforts
that have created job opportunities and increased private
sector development; and
``(v) a description of the progress made in implementing
all of the elements of the Interim Afghanistan National
Development Strategy, including--
``(I) the Afghanistan National Solidarity Program; and
``(II) the Afghanistan Compact, including a description of
the goals and objectives in the Afghanistan Compact that have
been achieved.
``(E) Key indicators of economic and political development
activity that should be
[[Page H6060]]
considered the most important for determining the prospects
of stability in Afghanistan, including--
``(i) unemployment levels;
``(ii) agricultural production;
``(iii) construction of roads, irrigation, and other basic
infrastructure;
``(iv) education rates, particularly of girls;
``(v) electricity rates;
``(vi) hunger and poverty levels;
``(vii) illiteracy rates;
``(viii) maternal and infant mortality rates;
``(ix) appropriate measures for the protection of human
rights;
``(x) appropriate measures for the protection of political
and religious freedom and freedom of association;
``(xi) access of women to political and civil society
participation; and
``(xii) appropriate measure for the protection of freedom
of the press.
``(4) With respect to opium production and counter-
narcotics activities in Afghanistan, the following:
``(A) An estimate of the number of hectares and amount of
poppy production for the current year, including by province.
``(B) The number of hectares and the amount of poppy
destroyed by eradication.
``(C) The number of counter-narcotics raids against drug
labs, storage facilities, and caches, including the number of
narcotics confiscated.
``(D) The number of raids against narcotics traffickers and
the number of traffickers arrested, prosecuted, convicted,
sentenced, and extradited, including high-value targets.
``(E) The number of Afghan counter-narcotics forces,
including the Afghan National Counter-Narcotics Police,
trained and equipped, the attrition rate of such forces, and
the number of such forces available for counter-narcotics
operations, including an assessment of the number of
operations such forces conducted, the outcomes of such
operations, and any additional resource needs of such forces.
``(F) The number and type of alternative livelihood
programs, a description of where such programs have been
conducted, and an assessment of the number of hectares
planted with poppy in the year following such programs.
``(G) The amount and type of NATO and United States
assistance provided to Afghan counter-narcotic teams in
conducting raids and investigations, including close-air
support and helicopter lift, and the number and type of
requests for assistance by United States or Afghan counter-
narcotics teams.
``(H) An assessment of Afghan efforts to extradite suspects
to the United States and other countries, including--
``(i) a list of the persons whose extradition has been
requested from Afghanistan, indicating--
``(I) those individuals who have been surrendered to the
custody of United States authorities;
``(II) those individuals who have been detained by the
authorities and who are being processed for extradition;
``(III) those individuals who have been detained by the
authorities and who are not yet being processed for
extradition; and
``(IV) those individuals who are at large;
``(ii) a determination of whether Afghan Government
officials and entities receiving assistance from the United
States are making good-faith efforts to ensure the prompt
extradition of each of the persons sought by United States
authorities; and
``(iii) an analysis of any legal obstacles in the laws of
Afghanistan regarding prompt extradition of persons sought by
United States authorities and the steps taken by authorities
of the United States and the authorities of Afghanistan to
overcome such obstacles.
``(c) Update of Report.--Not later than 90 days after the
date of the transmission of each report required by
subsection (a), the President shall transmit to the
appropriate congressional committees an update of the report,
to the extent necessary.
``(d) Form.--The report required by subsection (a) shall be
transmitted in unclassified form, but may include a
classified annex, if necessary.
``(e) Definition.--In this section, the term `appropriate
congressional committees' means--
``(1) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on
Appropriations, and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the
House of Representatives; and
``(2) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on
Appropriations, and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the
Senate.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section
1(b) of the Afghanistan Freedom Support Act of 2002 (22
U.S.C. 7501 note) is amended by striking the item relating to
section 304 and inserting the following new item:
``Sec. 304. Report on progress toward security and stability in
Afghanistan.''.
SEC. 303. COMPREHENSIVE INTERAGENCY STRATEGY FOR LONG-TERM
SECURITY AND STABILITY IN AFGHANISTAN.
(a) In General.--Section 305 of the Afghanistan Freedom
Support Act of 2002 (22 U.S.C. 7555) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ``submit such
strategy'' and all that follows and inserting ``submit such
strategy to the appropriate congressional committees.'';
(2) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c); and
(3) by inserting after subsection (a) the following new
subsection:
``(b) Comprehensive Interagency Strategy.--
``(1) In general.--The President shall formulate a
comprehensive interagency strategy for long-term security and
stability in Afghanistan which, in addition to the specific
and measurable goals specified in subsection (a)(2), shall be
composed of the elements specified in paragraph (2).
``(2) Elements.--The comprehensive interagency strategy
required by paragraph (1) shall contain the following
elements:
``(A) Reinvigorated reconstruction activities and
provincial reconstruction teams.--A comprehensive interagency
reconstruction strategy for Afghanistan, including objectives
for the strategy, a plan to implement the objectives of the
strategy, and a long-term budget to carry out the strategy.
The strategy shall--
``(i) include a plan to implement all of the elements of
the Interim Afghanistan National Development Strategy,
including the Afghanistan National Solidarity Program, and
the Afghanistan Compact, including a description of the goals
and objectives that have yet to be achieved, and the
impediments in achieving such goals and objectives;
``(ii) include a mechanism for tracking and oversight of
the reconstruction funding provided by countries
participating in ISAF and other donor countries,
international organizations, and international financial
entities, including a description of the progress by such
parties in fulfilling their pledges of financial, technical,
and other assistance;
``(iii) include a mechanism for tracking and increasing
oversight of the reconstruction programs implemented by the
provincial reconstruction teams, including the amount of
reconstruction funding spent by such teams, the purpose of
such funding, and the evaluation of the success of such
programs;
``(iv) provide for a mechanism to enhance coordination
between the Department of State and the United States Agency
for International Development and other relevant departments
and agencies of the United States Government in carrying out
reconstruction programs, by--
``(I) coordinating existing and future efforts in the
reconstruction programs carried out by the Department of
State and the United States Agency for International
Development with the reconstruction programs carried out by
other relevant departments and agencies of the United States
Government; and
``(II) coordinating existing and future efforts needed to
achieve enhanced coordination between the Department of State
and the United States Agency for International Development
and other relevant departments and agencies of the United
States Government in the design and implementation of
reconstruction programs;
``(v) include a plan to enhance monitoring, evaluation, and
oversight of reconstruction programs to ensure the effective
impact of such programs on Afghanistan and its people;
``(vi) provide a plan to identify and implement critical
reconstruction programs, by project, including in the areas
of security, rule of law, counter-narcotics, power, rural
development, education, health, and governance and anti-
corruption, that will improve the security and economic
stability of Afghanistan, and the amount of funding needed to
implement such programs;
``(vii) include actions to significantly increase
contributions from countries participating in ISAF and from
other international partners for reconstruction programs,
including in the areas of security, rule of law,
counternarcotics, power, rural development, education,
health, and governance and anti-corruption sectors;
``(viii) provide a plan to improve the employment situation
in Afghanistan, including a plan to increase job creation
opportunities and enhance private sector development in
Afghanistan;
``(ix) include actions to ensure enhancement of the
capacity of the Government of Afghanistan, on all levels, to
respond to the needs of its people;
``(x) include actions to enhance the design and
implementation of programs carried out by the Government of
Afghanistan, on all levels, including efforts to increase
funding and implementation of reconstruction programs carried
out by the National Solidarity Program;
``(xi) include a plan to increase significantly the number
of Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs), particularly in
the southern and eastern regions of Afghanistan by December
31, 2009, including a review of the operation of and lessons
learned from existing PRTs prior to the preparation of the
strategy;
``(xii) clarify a single chain of command and operations
plans for PRTs, including their relationship with ISAF;
``(xiii) increase staffing, particularly staffing of
civilian specialists, and increase staff training for PRTs;
``(xiv) incorporate measures to improve the effectiveness
of PRTs in providing reconstruction and development
assistance and in promoting security and stability in their
areas of operations, including coordination between PRT
civilian elements and ISAF reconstruction goals; and
``(xv) include efforts to ensure that a significant amount
of the material, financial, and personnel support for the
increase in the
[[Page H6061]]
number of PRTs is provided by foreign sources.
``(B) Counter-narcotics strategy.--A comprehensive
interagency counter-narcotics strategy for Afghanistan,
including objectives for the strategy, a plan to implement
the objectives of the strategy, and a long-term budget to
carry out the strategy. The strategy shall--
``(i) address the five pillars that comprise Afghanistan's
counter-narcotics strategy and implementation plan: public
information, rural development (alternative livelihoods),
elimination and eradication activities, interdiction, and law
enforcement and justice reform;
``(ii) identify the roles and responsibilities of relevant
departments and agencies of the United States Government with
respect to the activities described in clause (i);
``(iii) include the strategic direction of current and
planned activities of the United States relating to counter-
narcotics efforts in Afghanistan, and shall specifically
include a description of steps that have been conducted and
planned to--
``(I) improve coordination with all relevant departments
and agencies of the United States Government;
``(II) strengthen significantly the Afghanistan National
Counter-Narcotics Police;
``(III) build the capacity of the Afghan Government to
assume greater responsibility for counter-narcotics related-
activities;
``(IV) strengthen anti-corruption measures that target
narcotics producers and traffickers and the individuals
influenced by them;
``(V) improve counter-narcotics intelligence capabilities;
``(VI) strengthen narcotics-related interdiction
activities;
``(VII) strengthen the capacity of the judicial sector to
investigate, prosecute, and penalize narcotics producers and
traffickers and government officials benefitting from
narcotics-related activities;
``(VIII) effectively address any problems with eradication
strategies; and
``(IX) significantly increase the focus on creating
alternative livelihoods for the Afghan people;
``(iv) include current and planned actions to involve and
coordinate with the United Kingdom and other appropriate
international partners in supporting counter-narcotics
efforts in Afghanistan.
``(C) Sustainability of the afghanistan national security
forces.--A comprehensive interagency strategy for building
and sustaining the Afghanistan National Security Forces
(ANSF), including objectives for the strategy, a plan to
implement the objectives of the strategy, and a long-term
budget to carry out the strategy. The strategy shall--
``(i) include a mechanism for tracking funding, including
obligations and expenditures, as well as equipment, training,
and services provided for the ANSF by the United States,
countries participating in the International Security
Assistance Force, and other international partners;
``(ii) include actions to build and sustain effective
Afghan security institutions with fully-capable leadership
and staff, including--
``(I) a reformed Ministry of Interior, a fully-established
Ministry of Defense, and logistics, intelligence, medical,
and recruiting units (ANSF-sustaining institutions);
``(II) fully-trained, equipped, and capable ANSF in
sufficient numbers;
``(III) strong ANSF-readiness assessment tools and metrics;
``(IV) a strong core of senior-level ANSF officers;
``(V) strong ANSF command, control, and communication
between central ANSF headquarters and regions, provinces, and
districts;
``(VI) a robust mentoring and advising program for the
ANSF;
``(VII) a strong professional military training and
education program for all junior, mid-level, and senior ANSF
personnel;
``(VIII) effective merit-based salary, rank, promotion, and
incentive structures for the ANSF;
``(IX) an established code of professional standards for
the ANSF;
``(X) a mechanism for incorporating lessons learned and
best practices into ANSF operations;
``(XI) An ANSF personnel accountability system with
effective internal discipline procedures and mechanisms;
``(XII) a system for addressing ANSF personnel complaints;
and
``(XIII) a strong record-keeping and accountability system
to track ANSF equipment and personnel issues, and other ANSF
oversight mechanisms; and
``(iii) provide for coordination between all relevant
departments and agencies of the United States Government, as
well as ISAF countries and other international partners,
including on--
``(I) funding;
``(II) reform and establishment of ANSF-sustaining
institutions; and
``(III) efforts to ensure that progress on sustaining the
ANSF is reinforced with progress in other pillars of the
Afghan security sector, particularly progress on building an
effective judiciary, curbing production and trafficking of
illicit narcotics, and demobilizing, disarming, and
reintegrating militia fighters.
``(3) Report.--
``(A) In general.--Not later than December 1, 2007, the
President shall transmit to the appropriate congressional
committees an update of the report required by subsection (c)
for 2007 that contains the comprehensive interagency strategy
required by paragraph (1).
``(B) Form.--The report required by subparagraph (A) shall
be transmitted in unclassified form, but may include a
classified annex, if necessary.''.
(b) Monitoring.--Subsection (c) of such section (as
redesignated) is amended to read as follows:
``(c) Updates of Strategy.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the
submission of the strategy required by subsection (b)(3), and
every 90 days thereafter through September 30, 2010, the
President shall submit to the appropriate congressional
committees an update of the strategy required by subsection
(a) and the strategy required by subsection (b), as
necessary.
``(2) Definition.--In this subsection, the term
`appropriate congressional committees' includes the Committee
on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Armed Services of the Senate.''.
SEC. 304. SPECIAL ENVOY FOR AFGHANISTAN-PAKISTAN COOPERATION.
(a) Statement of Policy.--Congress declares that it is
strongly in the national interest of the United States that
Afghanistan and Pakistan work together to address common
challenges hampering the stability, security, and development
of their region and to enhance their cooperation.
(b) Establishment.--The President is authorized to appoint
a special envoy to promote closer cooperation between
Afghanistan and Pakistan.
(c) Appointment.--The special envoy--
(1) shall be appointed with the advice and consent of the
Senate and shall have the rank of Ambassador-at-Large; and
(2) may be appointed from among individuals who are
officials of the Department of State.
(d) Duties.--
(1) In general.--The primary responsibility of the special
envoy shall be to coordinate United States policy on issues
relating to bilateral relations between Afghanistan and
Pakistan.
(2) Advisory role.--The special envoy shall advise the
President and the Secretary of State, as appropriate, and, in
coordination with the Assistant Secretary of State for South
and Central Affairs, shall make recommendations regarding
effective strategies and tactics to achieve United States
policy objectives to--
(A) stem cross-border terror activities;
(B) provide assistance to Afghan refugees who repatriate
from Pakistan;
(C) bolster people-to-people ties and economic cooperation
between Afghanistan and Pakistan, including bilateral trade
relations; and
(D) offer comprehensive efforts to support effective
counter-narcotics strategies in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
SEC. 305. TRANSIT THROUGH PAKISTAN OF SHIPMENTS BY INDIA IN
SUPPORT OF RECONSTRUCTION EFFORTS IN
AFGHANISTAN.
(a) Statement of Policy.--It shall be the policy of the
United States to use all appropriate means to encourage
Pakistan to permit shipments by India of equipment and
material to Afghanistan in support of Indian reconstruction
and development projects in Afghanistan to be transported
across the territory of Pakistan and to remove any obstacles
to such transportation.
(b) Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter until
January 1, 2010, the President shall transmit to the
appropriate congressional committees a report on actions by
Pakistan to permit or impede transit of shipments described
in subsection (a). The report required by this subsection may
be included in the report required by section 304 of the
Afghanistan Freedom Support Act of 2002 (as amended by
section 302 of this Act).
(2) Sunset.--The requirement to transmit the report under
paragraph (1) shall cease to apply if the President
determines and transmits to the appropriate congressional
committees a determination that India no longer needs to make
shipments to Afghanistan for the purposes described in
subsection (a).
SEC. 306. REAUTHORIZATION OF RADIO FREE AFGHANISTAN.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) Since January 30, 2002, RFE/RL, Incorporated (formerly
known as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) has provided 12
hours of daily surrogate broadcasting services through Radio
Free Afghanistan in Dari and Pashto languages to the people
of Afghanistan.
(2) Radio Free Afghanistan is the leading broadcaster in
Afghanistan with an audience of nearly 60 percent of the
adult population.
(3) It is in the national interest to continue Radio Free
Afghanistan's surrogate broadcasts to Afghanistan in order to
provide accurate news and information, help give voice to
ordinary Afghans, and provide programs on the fundamentals of
democracy.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--For each of the
fiscal years 2008 through 2010, such sums as may be necessary
are authorized to be appropriated to the Broadcasting Board
of Governors for grants to support 12
[[Page H6062]]
hours of daily surrogate broadcasting services through Radio
Free Afghanistan in Dari and Pashto languages to the people
of Afghanistan.
The CHAIRMAN. No amendment to the bill shall be in order except those
printed in House Report 110-174. Each amendment may be offered only in
the order printed in the report except amendment No. 11 which may be
offered at any time, by a Member designated in the report, shall be
considered read, shall be debatable for the time specified in the
report, equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an
opponent, shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be subject
to a demand for division of the question.
Amendment No. 1 Offered by Mr. Lantos
The CHAIRMAN. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 1 printed
in House Report 110-174.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Amendment No. 1 offered by Mr. Lantos:
Page 5, line 23, strike ``supports'' and insert ``is
supported by''.
Page 5, line 25, strike ``a strategy'' and insert ``the
core framework''.
Page 6, line 6, insert before the period the following: ``,
particularly at the local and provincial levels''.
Page 12, line 12, strike ``(B)'' and insert ``(C)''.
Page 12, line 13, strike ``(B)'' and insert ``(C)''.
Page 12, lines 19 through 25, move the margins of clauses
(ii) and (iii) two ems to the left.
Page 18, line 3, insert ``helping women deliver healthier
babies and'' after ``for the purpose of''.
Page 35, line 11, strike ``300,000,000'' and insert
``$300,000,000''.
Page 37, line 1, strike ``The President'' and insert
``Pursuant to the authorities of the Foreign Assistance Act
of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.) or section 23 of the Arms
Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2763), the President''.
Page 43, line 16, strike ``to conduct'' and insert ``to
participate in, to the extent appropriate and practicable,''.
Page 46, strike lines 1 through 4 and insert the following
new subclauses:
(I) The Afghan forces.
(II) ISAF.
(III) Non-ISAF United States forces.
(IV) Other Coalition forces.
Page 47, beginning on line 10, strike ``and countries
participating in ISAF'' and insert ``countries participating
in ISAF, and other Coalition countries''.
Page 57, line 24, strike ``Affairs'' and insert
``Relations''.
Page 66, line 9, insert ``and'' after the semicolon.
Page 70, after line 17, insert the following new
subsection:
(c) Concurrent Submission of Report.--Such section is
further amended by adding at the end the following new
subsection:
``(d) Concurrent Submission of Report.--The strategy
required by subsection (b) and any updates of the strategy
provided pursuant to subsection (c) shall be submitted
concurrently with the report and updates required by section
304 of this Act (relating to progress toward security and
stability in Afghanistan).''.
Page 71, line 24, strike ``who repatriate'' and insert ``to
ensure orderly and voluntary repatriation''.
The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 453, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Lantos) and a Member opposed each will control 5
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I am offering this amendment on behalf of
my distinguished colleague, the ranking Republican member, and myself.
Our amendment makes a number of technical, clarifying and clerical
changes to several provisions in this bill as reported by the Committee
on Foreign Affairs.
Mr. Chairman, this amendment has been cleared by both the Republican
and Democratic sides, and I urge all of my colleagues to support it.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I rise to claim time in opposition,
although I am not opposed to the amendment.
The CHAIRMAN. Without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for 5
minutes.
There was no objection.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I rise in support of and have no objection to this manager's
amendment, which contains minor technical and conforming changes. I
support this amendment's consideration by unanimous consent.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
The CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos).
The amendment was agreed to.
Amendment No. 2 Offered by Mr. Ackerman
The CHAIRMAN. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 2 printed
in House Report 110-174.
Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Amendment No. 2 offered by Mr. Ackerman:
Page 51, after line 7, insert the following new
subparagraph:
(J) An assessment of the quality of governance in each
province in Afghanistan, including an assessment of the
following:
(i) The implementation of the rule of law, including the
effects of any lack of such implementation on operations of
the Afghan National Army, Afghan National Police, and other
Afghan National Security Forces.
(ii) Whether and to what extent actions by Afghan National
Security Forces have led to abuses of human rights and the
extent to which such abuses, if any, undermine overall
counterinsurgency efforts in such province and Afghanistan as
a whole.
(iii) The ability of courts and the judicial system to
provide an effective justice system to support the civil-
military side of military and police operations.
Page 51, line 8, strike ``(J)'' and insert ``(K)''.
The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 453, the gentleman from
New York (Mr. Ackerman) and a Member opposed each will control 5
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.
Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
First, I want to congratulate Chairman Lantos and Ranking Member Ros-
Lehtinen for producing an excellent bipartisan bill. The Afghanistan
Freedom and Security Support Act demonstrates yet again the depth of
support in the Congress for our efforts in Afghanistan to defeat the
Taliban and al Qaeda and sends a clear message to the Government of
Afghanistan and the Afghan people that the United States is committed
to the success of a stable, free and democratic Afghanistan.
As the bill also points out, we remain far from that goal, and it is
not at all certain we will get there. The amendment I am offering today
concerns a problem that if left unaddressed could undercut all of our
efforts in Afghanistan, and that is the problem of corruption.
The Government Accountability Office in a recent report said the
reform effort in the judicial sector is being ``undermined by systemic
corruption at key national and provincial justice institutions.'' The
most recent report in Afghanistan from the U.N. Secretary General noted
that because corruption influences government appointments, Afghans
don't trust local government officials and have turned to making deals
with the Taliban for protection of their property. The same report goes
on to describe the popular alienation that many Afghans feel towards
local governments and asserts that this alienation is a key factor in
support for the insurgency.
My amendment adds language to section 302 of the bill to ensure that
the Presidential report required by that section includes an assessment
of the quality of governments in each province in Afghanistan, focusing
in particular on the implementation of the rule of law and its impact
on the operation of Afghan society, security forces and the impact of
any human rights abuses by Afghan government forces on overall
counterinsurgency efforts and the ability of the courts and judicial
system to provide an effective justice system in support of Afghan
military and police efforts.
Mr. Chairman, the question of corruption in Afghanistan may seem like
a small matter when compared with the resurgence of the Taliban and the
explosion of narcotics trafficking. But I believe for the Taliban to be
defeated and for the narcotics traffickers to be imprisoned, ordinary
Afghans must have confidence that their government actually works for
them. If the citizens
[[Page H6063]]
of Afghanistan believe otherwise, then they will turn to local
warlords, drug traffickers and the Taliban for protection. Under that
scenario, Afghans can look forward to another generation of civil
conflict.
I would urge all of our colleagues to support the amendment as well
as the underlying bill.
Mr. LANTOS. Will the gentleman yield?
Mr. ACKERMAN. I would be delighted to yield to the chairman.
Mr. LANTOS. I want to thank my friend from New York for his very
thoughtful amendment, and I am extremely pleased to support it.
Mr. ACKERMAN. I thank the gentleman from California.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the
amendment.
The CHAIRMAN. The gentlewoman is recognized for 5 minutes.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, the amendment has a noble purpose, to
enhance congressional oversight on the status of local governance in
Afghanistan, including adherence to the rule of law, protection of
human rights and operation of an effective justice system.
Unfortunately, the amendment lacks specific criteria by which to
measure these issues. It requires the administration to report, for
example, on how the lack of implementation of the rule of law affects
the operations of the Afghan National Army, the police and security
forces. However, there are numerous factors that comprise the rule of
law. How would this provision measure implementation of the rule of
law?
Without a clear measure, how could any administration then state,
with any degree of certainty, what effects the absence of such
implementation had on the operations of Afghan security forces? It goes
on to ask for an assessment on the ability of the Afghan judicial
system to support the civil military side of military and police
operations.
Again, a noble purpose, but there are no clear definitions, no
guidelines to determine the information sought. Further, how could we
establish a clear measure so that the administration can state how the
actions of the Afghan security forces led to human rights abuses, and
in turn, how much those abuses undermine counterinsurgency efforts?
That is an extraordinary, complicated, causal chain, and some direction
and clarification within the amendment itself, Mr. Chairman, would have
been most useful.
We sought modifications to this amendment in an effort to arrive at
an agreement on the text because I do support what my colleague from
New York is trying to get at. We want to support the overarching goals
of this bill, and his amendment is an attempt to do that.
I will continue to work closely with the gentleman from New York
regarding his particular amendment to preserve its intent, to make sure
that it can be effective in its implementation, but as currently
drafted, I will have to oppose the amendment. I urge my colleagues to
do the same.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Chairman, despite the fact that this might be a
complicated and extraordinary and difficult thing for the President to
do, we have every confidence in the President on this side that he will
be able to come up at least with some criteria that he at least thinks
is objective and report in his own language, using his own complicated
or simplistic criteria, whether or not he thinks corruption is
prevalent in the various provinces in Afghanistan. We are leaving that
up to him. And we will fully understand that in any language that he
presents it to us, it will come from him, and that will be his
determination.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I urge our colleagues to defeat this
amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
The CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Ackerman).
The amendment was agreed to.
Amendment No. 11 Offered by Mr. Souder
The CHAIRMAN. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 11 printed
in House Report 110-174.
Mr. SOUDER. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Amendment No. 11 offered by Mr. Souder:
Page 39, line 1, insert ``, including force protection and
in extremis support'' after ``logistical support''.
The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 453, the gentleman from
Indiana (Mr. Souder) and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Indiana.
Mr. SOUDER. Mr. Chairman, it is my intention to withdraw this
amendment because of the strong opposition of Chairman Skelton and
Ranking Member Duncan Hunter, but I appreciate the Rules Committee
making this in order. I believe it is an important step.
I know I am going to rain a little bit on the general parade here. I
think this is an important bill, it is an important step, but we have
oversold the success of Afghanistan. Before my first trip, I knew then
that our then Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, wanted to separate
the military effort in Afghanistan from other challenges the country
faced, just like in Iraq.
In Afghanistan, the question was heroin. On my first trip there, I
heard our own soldiers reflect the Pentagon attitude by mocking heroin
and minimizing its efforts to get rid of it. I attended the briefings
back here in Washington as the heroin problem began to pass anything
we've ever seen under the Taliban by a factor of four to five times of
anything we have ever seen under the Taliban. I asked the question,
since we had not removed the regional drug lords from office, how many
of the people who voted in that much heralded election could vote
against their local drug lords.
State Department, Defense Department, DIA and CIA disagreed on the
exact number. The highest was 30 percent, the lowest 20 percent. In
other words, 70 to 80 percent of the people who voted in that election
did not have a free vote because we did not remove the regional
druglords from office, and we let the heroin poppy grow without
controlling their sources of financing that had penetrated the early
parts of the government.
This government has, in fact, started to act, as they attempted to
assassinate President Karzai, who was clean, and he removed gradually
some members of his cabinet. But by that time, the heroin, once again,
four times world record, five times world record, four times world
record, three times world record, approaching eight to 10 times the
total cumulative effect that ever happened before the United States
went into Afghanistan. We had sites that we could not hit because we
were afraid they were going to shoot down our own planes.
What do we think they are buying the new IEDs with? What do we think
they are buying the other equipment with? Of course they are getting it
from profits from poppy.
I did a hearing in our subcommittee, because the British had this
effort, ``Afghanistan: Have the British Counter-Narcotics Efforts Gone
Wildly?'' On April 1, 2004. This is no new problem. Go arrest the
druglords. Our military is afraid they are going to get exploded. How
can you go arrest the drug lords?
My amendment was simply to say the military needs to support the
antinarcotics efforts and the DEA to take down these. You can't send
10, 25 agents out and say go arrest and take down the Helman province.
When I went with Congressman Hoekstra and Congressman Ruppersberger and
Congressman Shadegg, the four of us went into the Helman province,
possibly the only four Members that will ever get there. And when we
got there in a Blackhawk ride for 45 minutes, heroin as far as the eye
can see going at a high rate of speed. Dwarfed Columbia. This is an
incredible problem. The military needs to engage.
I agree with Chairman Skelton; we don't have enough troops in
Afghanistan. And that makes it a problematic thing of how to support
the DEA.
{time} 1545
This bill is a first step. But we need the military engagement and
support,
[[Page H6064]]
because you cannot get order, you cannot do alternative crops unless
you eradicate the heroin and change a little bit of the market force.
We can't subsidize the difference between other products and heroin. It
is not possible.
We can't do those efforts, and INL and the State Department and DEA
and the other agencies cannot do this without military support. This
needs to be addressed in the defense bill. It needs to be addressed
here in conference.
I hope that the chairman here can do it. I hope Chairman Skelton can
do it. I hope the administration can do it. But let's understand there
is no terrorism funding in Afghanistan. There is no insurgency efforts.
There is no corrupt government if you get rid of the heroin.
This is a difficult problem. It is multi-faceted. But you need real
protection, with real guns, with real transport, with real time, saying
that they are going to give logistical support rather than force
protection and extremist support, means and effect. For most of the
time, the DEA agents are on their own, go in. With 10,000 Taliban, good
luck in taking them down. They need more than good luck. They need some
help.
Mr. Chairman, I yield to the chairman of the Foreign Affairs
Committee, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos).
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank my friend from Indiana for
yielding, and I want to thank him for working with the committee. I
understand the gentleman is going to withdraw his amendment, and I
thank him for his courtesy.
I fully support his sentiment that is behind his amendment, and I
will work with him on this issue as H.R. 2446 goes through the
legislative process.
Mr. SOUDER. Mr. Chairman, I thank the distinguished chairman for his
leadership for the start of this bill. I hope we can really tackle the
underlying problems.
Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw my amendment.
The CHAIRMAN. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from
Indiana?
There was no objection.
Amendment No. 3 Offered by Mr. Costa
The CHAIRMAN. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 3 printed
in House Report 110-174.
Mr. COSTA. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Amendment No. 3 offered by Mr. Costa:
Page 29, after line 23, insert the following new section
(and redesignate subsequent sections and conform the table of
contents accordingly):
SEC. 106. ASSISTANCE TO SUPPORT THE OFFICES OF THE INSPECTOR
GENERAL OF DEPARTMENT OF STATE AND THE UNITED
STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN
AFGHANISTAN.
(a) Assistance Authorized.--The President shall provide
assistance to support the auditing, investigation, and
oversight capacity and capability of the Offices of the
Inspector General of the Department of State and the United
States Agency for International Development in Afghanistan.
The Offices of the Inspector General of the Department of
State and the United States Agency for International
Development are authorized to audit, investigate, and oversee
the programs authorized in title I of the Afghanistan Freedom
Support Act of 2002 (as amended by this title).
(b) Requirement for In-Country Presence.--The Offices of
the Inspector General of the Department of State and the
United States Agency for International Development, after
consultation with the Secretary of State and the
Administrator for the United States Agency for International
Development, shall permanently deploy not less than two staff
from each of the Offices of the Inspector General in
Afghanistan to carry out this section.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--
(1) Availability of funds.--Of the amounts authorized to be
appropriated under section 110 of the Afghanistan Freedom
Support Act of 2002 (as redesignated by this title) for each
of the fiscal years 2008 through 2010, not less than
$1,500,000 for each such fiscal year is authorized to be made
available to the Office of the Inspector General of the
Department of State and not less than $3,000,000 for each
such fiscal year is authorized to be made available to the
Office of the Inspector General of the United States Agency
for International Development to carry out this section.
(2) Relation to other available funds.--Amounts made
available under paragraph (1) are in addition to amounts
otherwise available for such purposes.
The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 453, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Costa) and a Member opposed each will control 5
minutes.
The chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
Mr. COSTA. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Chairman, I think from many of the comments that have been made
here this afternoon regarding the concerns that we have as it relates
to the situation in Afghanistan, we come with the best of intentions to
support H.R. 2446, which is the underlying bill, a strong bill; and I
am, of course, among those who support this measure.
It affirms the United States' long-term commitment to support
Afghanistan in the transition that has seen 30 years of civil war,
violence and occupation by a brutal regime to a stable and prosperous
democratic state at peace with its neighbors.
Having said that, though, it is easier said than done, as we all
know, for Afghanistan faces many challenges. With the amount of funding
that we have provided to the Afghani people for economic and security
reasons, I believe that there is increased need to have the sort of
oversight mechanisms in place to protect this investment, to ensure its
success and, of course, to always make sure that American taxpayers'
dollars are well spent.
My amendment provides this opportunity in two ways: It provides
oversight that includes the Office of Inspector General at the State
Department as well as the United States Agency for International
Development to provide the necessary oversight within this bill that
many of us believe is necessary.
The amendment to H.R. 2446 provides such support in two ways: in-
country presence and funding. Without in-country presence and without
the necessary funding, it won't happen.
Currently, the staff of the Office of Inspector General of the United
States AID are performing their duties in Manila. Now, you take out a
map and Manila is a long ways from Kabul in Afghanistan, which is the
capital. We need to have on-the-ground knowledge in Afghanistan and
programs that they are implementing, and they cannot perform those
duties from Manila, which is thousands of and thousands of miles away.
Many of us have visited Afghanistan, and we have on-the-ground
knowledge of what is critical to this war on terrorism. We must
remember this is where the war on terrorism began, which premeditated
the attacks on 9/11.
The amendment mandates that at least two staff members will be
permanently deployed in Afghanistan in the country. The amendment also
increases the funding for both the Offices of Inspector General in
accordance with their own plans to increase staffing over the coming
years. The Offices of the Inspector General are our watchdog, and they
provide vital efforts to ensure that money is well spent in
Afghanistan. We need to ensure that these American taxpayer dollars are
spent wisely and that waste and corruption, which was mentioned by the
previous speaker, is kept at bay, to the degree that it is possible.
In conclusion, let me say, Mr. Chairman, that we had tremendous
success in South Korea, but we have been there over 50 years and we
still have 30,000 troops there. The initial two decades in South Korea
will be, in my opinion, as difficult as it is today in Afghanistan.
Therefore, we must be prepared to put the proper resources there and to
stay the course. I strongly support this bill.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. COSTA. I yield to the chairman.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank my friend for his extremely
thoughtful and very necessary amendment, and I am very pleased to
support it strongly.
With billions of dollars being poured into reconstruction and
development assistance, justifiably so, we have a heavy responsibility
to the American people to ensure that our taxpayer dollars are being
spent in the manner in which they were intended.
As the gentleman knows, we just had a hearing with the Inspector
General for Afghanistan which was singularly
[[Page H6065]]
instructive and illuminating and highlighted many of the problems in
the spending of our tax dollars in Afghanistan. This function is the
function of the Inspectors General at the Department of State and the
U.S. Agency for International Development.
Your amendment requires that these officers be permanently deployed
in Afghanistan, which they are not currently, so that on-the-ground
assessments can be made in real time and with full continuity. Your
amendment authorizes additional funds to help ensure that adequate
resources are allocated to measure the effectiveness of our aid program
without increasing the cost of this bill.
Mr. Chairman, I strongly support this amendment and urge all of my
colleagues to do so as well.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I rise to claim time in opposition,
although I am not opposed to the amendment.
The CHAIRMAN. Without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for 5
minutes.
There was no objection.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Chairman, this amendment both authorizes and requires oversight
by the Inspectors General from the State Department and the U.S. Agency
for International Development, and it does this in two main ways.
First, it requires the permanent deployment in Afghanistan of at
least four IG staffers, two each from State and USAID, to audit, to
investigate and to oversee economic and developmental assistance
provided in Title I of the Act.
Secondly, it also earmarks a total of $4.5 million per year for these
IG activities.
We all share the goal of ensuring that our investment in
Afghanistan's economic and democratic development is not squandered.
Fiscal accountability is always in order, Mr. Chairman. As a proportion
of the total amounts in the Act, the amount earmarked by this amendment
is roughly in the ballpark of the amount that USAID usually spends on
IG activities as compared to its total budget. Furthermore, the
activities contemplated by this amendment are in keeping with the
current responsibilities of the State and USAID Inspectors General.
Solid plans that help maximize the impact of the strategy embodied in
the underlying bill are to be welcomed. In this spirit, I am pleased to
support this well-thought-out amendment by the gentleman from
California; and I also urge my colleagues to support it as well.
Mr. COSTA. Mr. Chairman, will the gentlewoman yield?
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I yield to the gentleman from California.
Mr. COSTA. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank the gentlewoman, the
ranking member, and the chairman of the Committee on International
Relations for their good work on this legislation and for their
bipartisan effort to provide leadership in our committee and in all the
hearings that we are holding and in the legislation that we are
participating in.
The bipartisan spirit which I think surrounds the committee these
days is welcomed and is truly a tribute to the chairman and the ranking
member.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Reclaiming my time, Mr. Chairman, I would also like
to thank Chairman Lantos as well as his staff for having such a
wonderful, cooperative spirit and for the working relationship between
staff and Members.
I thank the gentleman from California for offering this amendment,
because it gets at the heart of what we want to do: fiscal
accountability; making sure that our tax dollars are being used in the
wisest way, free of corruption, and making sure that we have folks on
the ground to look at those dollars. We have our precious treasure, our
men and women in uniform, shedding blood for freedom. Let's make sure
that American taxpayer dollars are being used in the correct way as
well.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
The CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from California (Mr. Costa).
The amendment was agreed to.
Amendment No. 4 Offered by Mr. Franks of Arizona
The CHAIRMAN. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 4 printed
in House Report 110-174.
Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Amendment No. 4 offered by Mr. Franks of Arizona:
Page 44, after line 5, insert the following new section
(and conform the table of contents accordingly):
SEC. 2_. REPORT ON THE SALE AND USE OF IRANIAN-MADE WEAPONS
FOR THE TALIBAN IN AFGHANISTAN.
(a) Congressional Finding.--United States Armed Forces in
Afghanistan recently intercepted a shipment of Iranian-made
weapons and explosives intended for the Taliban in
Afghanistan.
(b) Report Required.--Not later than 90 days after the date
of the enactment of this Act, and every 6 months thereafter,
the Secretary of Defense shall transmit to the appropriate
congressional committees a report on the current Iranian-made
weapons being sold to or used by the Taliban in Afghanistan.
The report shall include any evidence of official Iranian
Government endorsement of the sale of the Iranian-made
weapons.
(c) Definition.--In this section, the term ``appropriate
congressional committees'' means--
(1) the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on
Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives; and
(2) the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on
Foreign Relations of the Senate.
The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 453, the gentleman from
Arizona (Mr. Franks) and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Arizona.
Mr. FRANKS of Arizona. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Chairman, according to Secretary of Defense Gates, Iranian
weapons have begun to flow into Afghanistan in recent months. We know
this much for certain. What we do not know is if indeed this is an
official sanction of the Iranian government.
However, some in the intelligence community believe that this effort
is on the part of a branch of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, which
are responsible for shipping these deadly weapons to the Taliban. If
this is true, Mr. Chairman, the implications must be realized by this
Congress, because it means that Shiite Iran is disregarding sectarian
differences with Sunni Taliban in order to unite with them in an effort
to undermine U.S. efforts for peace in the nascent democratic
Afghanistan.
Mr. Chairman, this means that the nation of Iran is determined to
back non-state Muslim militants to terrorize countries who desire
peace, tolerance and stability. We saw them do this last year in
Lebanon through their proxy Hezbollah against the nation of Israel. We
now see this happening in Iraq as well.
There are two major elements, Mr. Chairman, when we consider the
danger of an enemy to this Nation. We first have to assess their
intention or the will of an enemy to harm the U.S. or our allies. It is
clear that the Taliban, Hamas, Hezbollah and groups like them hate
governments like ours that uphold the rule of law and uphold the effort
to protect freedom of action, thought and religion. They hate the
United States because of this, Mr. Chairman. They hate a tolerant
Europe, they hate the new democratic Afghanistan, they hate pluralistic
Israel and they hate Lebanon. They have an insidious and determined
will to tyrannize. They need only the means or the capacity to bring
that hate to fruition.
Mr. Chairman, this is the second element. A true threat exists to
this Nation's freedom when those who are committed to tyranny and to
disrupt peace are met with the means and the capacity to do so. Iran is
providing the means to non-state terrorist actors who possess the will
to use them.
{time} 1600
We must not let this continue. My amendment requires that the
Secretary of Defense provide Congress with a semiannual report that
informs us of the Iranian-made weapons being provided to the Taliban,
and any evidence that the sale is endorsed by the government of Iran.
Mr. Chairman, it is vital that this body understands the intention of
Iran
[[Page H6066]]
because they may some day very soon possess a very frightening capacity
that threatens the potential future of the world and the peace of free
people across the world.
I encourage my colleagues to support this amendment.
I would now like to yield to the distinguished ranking member of the
committee, Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
I rise in strong support of the Franks amendment. Since last April,
two arms shipment from Iran, including mortars, rocket-propelled
grenades, C-4 explosives and small arms have reportedly been
intercepted by U.S. and coalition troops.
Further, a NATO spokesman recently stated that an explosively formed
projectile, EFP, which resembled the EFPs bearing Iranian manufacturing
markings that have been found in Iraq, have been recently discovered in
Kabul. This directly affects the safety and security of our men and
women serving in Afghanistan. As I pointed out previously, my daughter-
in-law is one of those wearing our Nation's uniform serving in
Afghanistan. We want to make sure that we protect everyone in that
country.
These disturbing developments may indicate that the Iranian regime
has decided to also undermine the government of Afghanistan and U.S.
efforts to deny Islamic militants a safe haven in Afghanistan.
While fighting in Afghanistan has thus far been concentrated near the
Pakistani border, increased Iranian interference in Afghanistan may
indicate an attempt to provoke the U.S. and our coalition partners into
opening a second front. Iran's apparently increasing involvement in
this central front of the global war against radical jihadists reflects
the goal of the regime of pursuing regional dominance, spreading
radical Islam, and counteracting western influence in the region. Such
a goal is intolerable. As in Iraq, failure in Afghanistan is not an
option.
Mr. Chairman, the Afghanistan Freedom and Security Support Act works
to bolster our efforts, and I support the Franks amendment.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time
in opposition to the amendment, although I am not opposed to the
amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN (Mr. Pomeroy). Without objection, the gentleman
from California is recognized for 5 minutes.
There was no objection.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, the Committee on Foreign Affairs has long
been concerned with events in Iran, including recent media reports of
weapons crossing into Afghanistan from Iran destined for the Taliban.
This can create the potential for Iran to contribute to the
destabilization of Afghanistan, which we simply cannot allow. Congress
must have up-to-date information on Iran's influence in Afghanistan.
And I, therefore, welcome the gentleman's amendment in this regard, and
we are prepared to accept the gentleman's amendment.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Franks).
The amendment was agreed to.
Amendment No. 5 Offered by Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas
The Acting CHAIRMAN. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 5
printed in House Report 110-174.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Amendment No. 5 offered by Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas:
Page 25, line 20, strike ``and''.
Page 25, line 24, strike the first period, the closing
quotation marks, and the second period and insert ``; and''.
Page 25, after line 24, insert the following new
subparagraph:
``(I) providing technical assistance to train provincial
and local governmental personnel, especially as it relates
to--
``(i) healthcare;
``(ii) political participation;
``(iii) human rights, particularly as pertaining to women;
and
``(iv) education, particularly to encourage girls to
complete secondary education so they are prepared and able to
attend post-secondary schools.''.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 453, the
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) and a Member opposed each will
control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Texas.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I
may consume, and I thank the chairman and the ranking member for their
leadership on this issue.
Earlier in the debate I mentioned the concept of building blocks of
democracy. Frankly, I believe this amendment speaks to the building of
capacity to ensure that democracy.
Having first started my elective political career in local
government, I know that many times we say that is where the rubber hits
the road.
The effort of my amendment is to ensure that those who are involved
in local and State government would have the ability to build capacity
through technical assistance that will train national, provincial and
local government personnel for capacity-building purposes.
In order to govern, you must have information, information on
education, health care, human rights, and political participation. This
legislation globally speaks to those issues in a large manner.
I would like to technically emphasize the one-on-one training and
influence and information to those who have to govern. The more we can
do that, the more we can build capacity. And the more of those who are
in the leadership positions can establish confidence so that when they
confront the emerging terror of the Taliban or the questioning face of
a chieftain, they can have the response that this is, in fact, good
government.
My amendment also goes to encourage girls in Afghanistan to finish
secondary school. We realize this bill has a very strong focus on women
and girls, but there has to be the added measure of incentive, not only
to the earlier grades, but to say to a young woman that by finishing
secondary school, you can go on to post-secondary education, building
the blocks of democracy which would include women who would be enabled
to be doctors, lawyers, scientists and teachers, building a society in
Afghanistan that will need not only men but also women.
May I close by simply saying I point to a picture that points to this
learning board that I mentioned earlier. These are the kinds of tools
that would give young people and those without, if you will, various
equipment to go to school the opportunity to do so. I ask my colleagues
to support this amendment.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for allowing me to explain my amendment to
H.R. 2446, the ``Afghanistan Freedom and Security Support Act of
2007.'' I believe this is an extremely important piece of legislation,
and I commend the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Mr.
Lantos, for introducing it.
In the nearly 5 years since the 9/11 attacks, and the subsequent
ouster of the Taliban and al-Qaeda from Afghanistan, we have made
significant efforts to secure the nation from the Taliban. But we must
do more; otherwise, a resurgent Taliban will continue to pose a very
real threat to Afghanistan's stability.
This bill is an important step toward a more secure Afghanistan, and,
ultimately, a more stable region. It authorizes $1.7 billion in each of
fiscal years 2008 through 2010 for economic and development assistance
and provides additional support for other capacity building programs,
such as assistance to women and girls ($45 million per annum), energy
development and counter-narcotics ($75 million per annum).
Additionally, the bill authorizes funding for counter-narcotics efforts
and programs to increase the capacity of Afghan national, provincial,
and local governments, and additional development programs.
In addition to authorizing assistance to address the continuing
humanitarian needs, this legislation targets the ongoing opium trade,
as well as persistent problems of corruption. The bill links these
various sectors of policy together, integrating security,
reconstruction, and development concerns with counter-narcotics and
anti-corruption policies.
My amendment simply states that technical assistance should be
provided to train national, provincial, and local governmental
personnel for capacity-building purposes. In particular, this amendment
emphasizes the need to build local capacity in the critical fields of
[[Page H6067]]
education, healthcare, human rights, and political participation. My
amendment will also encourage girls in Afghanistan to finish secondary
school, providing them with the ability to pursue post-secondary
education.
Mr. Chairman, this amendment is born from my strong belief that we
must take a long-term view toward reconstruction in Afghanistan, and,
in doing so, we must develop the capacity of Afghanistan's citizens.
Under the Taliban regime, education, healthcare, human and women's
rights, and political participation were seriously stunted by the
government's oppressive policies. These sectors are absolutely crucial
to the long-term stability and sustainability of Afghanistan.
My amendment specifically speaks to the need to combat the lingering
societal barriers that may discourage girls from completing secondary
education. According to UNICEF's 2005 estimates, 1 million primary
school age girls in Afghanistan were not enrolled in school, and
education of girls continues to be undervalued in many communities.
Girls and women were horribly oppressed under the Taliban, and we
must take particular care to ensure that the lack of opportunities
afforded to females under the previous leadership is not carried over
into the current government. Encouraging girls to complete their
education would be extremely beneficial for both the women and girls
themselves, and for Afghan society as a whole.
Mr. Chairman, we have recognized the shortcomings of Afghanistan's
infrastructure. Even as we express our commitment to continuing our
programs in Afghanistan, we must look forward to the day we will
ultimately leave that country to stand on its own. We must do
everything we can to ensure that, sooner rather than later, Afghanistan
will no longer need our ongoing assistance.
My amendment represents an important step toward that ultimate goal,
while at the same time serving our short-term goals and increasing the
effectiveness of the humanitarian programs outlined by this
legislation.
To conclude, let me thank Chairman Lantos for his leadership on this
issue. I am confident that we can work together to craft legislation
designed to ensure that Afghanistan can recover from the excesses and
abuses of previous regimes, and become an active and prosperous member
of the international community. I urge my colleagues to support this
amendment.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, will the gentlewoman yield?
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. I yield to the gentleman from California.
Mr. LANTOS. I want to thank my friend from Texas for her thoughtful
amendment, and I am very pleased to support it.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my
time.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I rise to claim the time in
opposition, although I am not opposed to the amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Without objection, the gentlewoman from Florida
is recognized for 5 minutes.
There was no objection.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the
amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee)
stating that technical assistance should be provided to train national,
provincial and local government personnel for capacity-building
purposes as it relates to education, health care, human rights, and
particularly in respect to women and political participation.
As we have heard this afternoon, Mr. Chairman, under the Taliban's
brutal regime, their blatant disregard for the lives and the well-being
of the Afghan people, was perhaps most clearly evident among half of
their population, the women of Afghanistan. They have been made
destitute, sick and marginalized. They were banned from receiving any
education past the age of 8. They were denied proper medical treatment,
and they were not allowed to work.
Today, the Afghan people are free with women enjoying the freedoms
and opportunities previously denied to them under the Taliban. In order
for our efforts in Afghanistan to be effective, it is critical that we
continue to provide the Afghan people with the tools and the training
necessary for the development and sustainability of educational
institutions, protection of human rights, and implementation of
political reforms.
It is imperative that our efforts focus on educating and training the
officials of the Afghan government at the local level as local
officials have a better understanding of the needs of their citizens
and will be better prepared to address those needs.
This amendment also seeks to ensure that girls complete secondary
education so they will be better suited to pursue their post-secondary
education. Without proper education of its women and a society more
open to women who holding jobs, Afghanistan's political and economic
development is doomed to failure.
Providing Afghan girls with proper education will give rise to a new
generation of confident and educated women with skills to pursue
careers that will open unprecedented opportunities for them and enhance
Afghanistan's economic sector. I urge my colleagues to support the
Jackson-Lee amendment.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlelady for
her support, I ask my colleagues to support this amendment, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).
The amendment was agreed to.
Amendment No. 6 Offered by Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas
The Acting CHAIRMAN. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 6
printed in House Report 110-174.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Amendment No. 6 offered by Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas:
Page 35, after line 22, insert the following new
subsection:
(c) Additional Sense of Congress.--Such section is further
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(d) Additional Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of
Congress that assistance provided to eligible foreign
countries and international organizations under subsection
(a) should be used in part to protect women legislators when
they return to the provinces that they represent in
Afghanistan.''.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 453, the
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) and a Member opposed each will
control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Texas.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
I want to join Chairman Lantos in applauding this legislation as
being bipartisan, and all of us seemingly speaking from the same
songbook about the need to build these blocks of democracy, but also to
enhance the opportunities for women.
Might I just cite as a need for my amendment a report from the BBC
that says an international women's rights group says guarantees given
to Afghan women after the fall of the Taliban in 2001 have not
translated into real change.
Another quote from an Afghan woman: ``When I am at home, sometimes I
feel as though someone is choking me.'' And 57 percent of girls are
married before the legal age of 16.
We know that we have made great strides, but there is much more for
us to do. Former example, a controversial Afghan politician and former
member of parliament, Jalalai Joya, reported in May 2006 that she was
forced to sleep in a different house every night as a result of the
numerous death threats they have received. She has been quoted as
saying ``women still live under the shadow of the gun. Women are still
victims of violence.'' Joya was subsequently ousted from parliament
after she continuously voiced controversial criticisms of her fellow,
mostly male, lawmakers.
Raazia Baloch was presented with a broken Kalashnikov firearm upon
her election to the provincial assembly, which local authorities told
her was for her protection. Ms. Baloch serves a particularly volatile
province where, short after her election, an unknown gunman emptied his
AK-47 into a van leaving the province's women's ministry.
The unfortunate truth is if these women are going to serve, they are
going to need our special attention. And I do believe in the
relationship that the United States has with Afghanistan. The
leadership of President Karzai, speaking to him directly, I know he has
a great concern for the viability of women elected officials. In
[[Page H6068]]
fact, might I say that in a direct, one-on-one conversation with any
number of Afghan women parliamentarians during my visit to Afghanistan,
talking to them face to face, eye to eye, sister to sister, if you
will, they made it very clear when they do their work in the capital,
and they have to go home to their district, just like any one of us,
they fear for their lives. They are concerned about being able to fully
represent their constituents by going home and coming back safely.
Might I just quote additionally, a female owner of a radio station
was shot seven times while she slept at home with her 20-month-old son.
She is the second female journalist to be murdered in Afghanistan in
the past week.
So my amendment is very clear, and it is very straight. It allows us
through this legislation to make a very pronounced statement, and that
statement is that it is the sense of this Congress that assistance
provided to foreign countries and international organizations under
this provision should be used in part to protect these female
legislators. I hope this is part of helping us help them build
democracy.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for allowing me to explain my amendment to
H.R. 2446, the Afghanistan Freedom and Security Support Act of 2007. I
believe this is an extremely important piece of legislation, and I
commend the chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Mr. Lantos,
for introducing it. In the nearly 5 years since the 9/11 attacks, and
the subsequent ouster of the Taliban and al-Qaeda from Afghanistan, we
have made significant efforts to secure the nation from the Taliban;
however, the Taliban continues to pose a very real threat to
Afghanistan's stability.
This bill is an important step towards a more secure Afghanistan, and
ultimately, a more stable region. It authorizes $1.7 billion in each of
fiscal years 2008 through 2010 for economic and development assistance
and provides additional support for other capacity building programs,
such as assistance to women and girls, $45 million per annum, energy
development and counter narcotics, $75 million per annum. Additionally,
the bill authorizes funding for counter-narcotics efforts and programs
to increase the capacity of Afghan national, provincial, and local
governments, and additional development programs.
In addition to authorizing assistance to address the continuing
humanitarian needs, this legislation targets the ongoing opium trade,
as well as persistent problems of corruption. The bill links these
various sectors of policy together, integrating security,
reconstruction, and development concerns with counter-narcotics and
anti-corruption policies.
My amendment addresses the very serious issue of persecution of women
legislators in Afghanistan. All women, but particularly those who
demonstrate the courage to become national leaders, continue to face
intimidation and violence. If we are to encourage political and civic
participation among women, which I strongly advocate, we must ensure
that those who bravely venture into the political arena are protected
when they return home to the districts they represent.
After many years of oppressive Taliban control, women in Afghanistan
are now beginning to emerge from the shadows. For the first time in
recent memory, they now have the opportunity to take an active role in
their country's political destiny. As a female legislator myself, I
believe that women should be strongly encouraged to become national
leaders; I believe their involvement is extremely beneficial to the
nation.
And yet, these women face specific dangers as a result of their
gender. They may be exposed to vile threats and even physical violence.
For example, controversial Afghan politician and former Member of
Parliament Malalai Joya reported in May 2006 that she was forced to
sleep in a different house every night as a result of the numerous
death threats she received. She has been quoted as saying ``women still
live under the shadow of the gun. * * * women are still victims of
violence.'' Joya was subsequently ousted from parliament after she
continuously voiced controversial criticisms of her fellow, mostly
male, law-makers.
In 2006, another legislator, Raazia Baloch, was presented with a
broken Kalashnikov firearm upon her election to the provincial
assembly, which local authorities told her was for her protection. Ms.
Baloch serves a particularly volatile province, where, shortly after
her election, an unknown gunman emptied his AK-47 into a van leaving
the province's women's ministry.
The unfortunate truth is that women's rights are not yet enshrined in
Afghanistan. Women who venture into other leadership roles are
threatened as well. Only this morning, Zakia Zaki, the female owner of
an Afghan radio station, was shot seven times while she slept at home
with her 20 month-old son. She is the second female journalist to be
murdered in Afghanistan in the past week.
This further illustrates the unfortunate truth: Women continue to
face persecution and abuses, despite the fall of the Taliban. Until we
have reached a point where the basic rights of women are protected by
Afghanistan's government and cultural and social institutions, I
believe that we need to make every effort to ensure that basic rights
are respected.
I believe my amendment is absolutely crucial. With residual societal
barriers against women and girls persisting even under the new
government, I believe we must make every effort to protect women
legislators from the persecution and violence they may face in their
local communities.
[From the BBC News, Oct. 31, 2006]
No ``Real Change'' for Afghan Women
(By Pam O'Toole)
An international women's rights group says guarantees given
to Afghan women after the fall of the Taleban in 2001 have
not translated into real change.
Womankind Worldwide says millions of Afghan women and girls
continue to face systematic discrimination and violence in
their households and communities.
The report admits that there have been some legal, civil
and constitutional gains for Afghan women.
But serious challenges remain and need to be addressed
urgently, it states.
These include challenges to women's safety, realisation of
civil and political rights and status.
Womankind Worldwide sent a film crew to Afghanistan to
investigate the situation of women there.
They found a young Afghan woman crying in hospital who said
she wanted to die. She was recovering after setting fire to
herself.
Womankind Worldwide says there has been a dramatic rise in
cases of self-immolation by Afghan women since 2003.
It believes many are the result of forced marriages,
thought to account for about 60% to 80% of all Afghan
marriages.
57% of girls are married before the legal marriage age of
16.
Domestic violence remains widespread.
At an Afghan women's shelter, a young woman told the film
crew that she came to the shelter to target life's troubles.
``I come here so I can ease the pain a little. When I am at
home sometimes I feel as though someone is choking me,'' she
told the film crew.
Womankind Worldwide says the Afghan authorities rarely
investigate women's complaints of violent attacks.
Women reporting rape run the risk of being imprisoned for
having sexual intercourse outside marriage.
Although women now hold more than 25% of the seats in the
Afghan parliament, female politicians and activists often
face intimidation or even violence.
``Women who are standing up to defend women's rights are
not being protected,'' says Brita Fernandes Schmidt of
Womankind Worldwide.
``My message, really, to the international community is:
you need to address specific security issues for women,'' she
says.
``Women's rights activists are getting killed, women's NGO
workers are getting killed, and that is not going to change
unless some drastic action is taken,'' Ms Fernandes
continues.
Womankind Worldwide says the international community needs
to fulfil promises made after the fall of the Taleban to help
protect Afghan women.
It says the international community should give women a
greater voice in setting the aid and reconstruction agenda.
Until basic rights are granted to Afghan women in practice
as well as on paper, the report says, it could not be said
that the status of Afghan women had changed significantly in
the past five years.
I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos).
{time} 1615
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank my friend from Texas for
offering another needed, thoughtful and carefully crafted amendment;
and I'm very pleased to support it.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. I thank the distinguished gentleman.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve my time.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I rise to claim time in opposition,
although I am not opposed to this amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Without objection, the gentlewoman from Florida
is recognized for 5 minutes.
There was no objection.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment
offered by our distinguished colleague from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee)
supporting efforts to bolster women's political participation by
protecting female legislators when they return to the provinces they
represent.
This important amendment includes a sense of Congress stating that
assistance provided to foreign countries and international
organizations under this provision should be used in part to protect
these female legislators.
[[Page H6069]]
It is no secret that Afghan women were brutalized under the Taliban
rule. They were frequently beaten, raped, kidnapped and killed. They
had no access to education nor health care and were routinely singled
out for abuse simply because they were women. They lived in nightmarish
conditions that few of us could even imagine.
Five years after the fall of the Taliban, the women of Afghanistan
are making substantial progress in reclaiming their rightful place in
society. They are working as doctors, lawyers, teachers, civil servants
and in numerous other professions.
These women have overcome unimaginable obstacles, and they deserve
our ongoing support as they work to build a new democracy. We must
continue to work to ensure that they are not threatened, nor
intimidated nor physically harmed by those who seek to bring
Afghanistan back to the oppressive and brutal times experienced under
the Taliban regime.
As part of the work that my daughter-in-law does in her military
service in Afghanistan, Lindsay encounters many Afghan women and is
impressed with the great progress they have made in such a brief time.
Let us not go back in time.
Women legislators in Afghanistan are currently targets of attacks
perpetrated by Islamic militant extremists. We must enhance the efforts
in providing a safe and secure environment for these women to allow
them to pursue their legislative duties and encourage future
generations of women to seek leadership positions in Afghan society.
I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the remainder of our time.
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
I thank the ranking member for her support and eloquent words on this
issue and as well the chairman of the committee for his support.
Let me conclude by simply reading the headline of an article: Female
Afghan and Pakistani Politicians Forced from Office. This is as late as
Wednesday, May 23, 2007.
Let me thank my colleagues. I believe my amendment will further
enhance our goals, and that is to provide opportunities for all of
those in public life, including women in Afghanistan seeking to build
the building blocks of democracy, and I ask my colleagues to support my
amendment.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back my time.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).
The amendment was agreed to.
Amendment No. 7 Offered by Mr. Kirk
The Acting CHAIRMAN. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 7
printed in House Report 110-174.
Mr. KIRK. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Amendment No. 7 offered by Mr. Kirk:
At the end of title III of the bill (relating to
miscellaneous provisions), insert the following new section:
SEC. 3_. ELIGIBILITY IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES FOR AGENCIES OF
THE GOVERNMENTS OF AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN TO
RECEIVE A REWARD UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE
REWARDS PROGRAM.
(a) Eligibility.--Subsection (f) of section 36 of the State
Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2708(f))
is amended--
(1) by striking ``(f) Ineligibility.--An officer'' and
inserting the following:
``(f) Ineligibility.--
``(1) In general.--An officer'';
(2) in paragraph (1), as so designated by paragraph (1) of
this subsection, by inserting ``, except as provided in
paragraph (2),'' before ``of a foreign government''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(2) Exception in certain circumstances.--The Secretary
may pay a reward to an officer or employee of the government
of Afghanistan or Pakistan (or any entity thereof) who, while
in the performance of his or her official duties, furnishes
information described in such subsection, if the Secretary
determines that such payment satisfies the following
conditions:
``(A) Such payment is appropriate in light of the
exceptional or high-profile nature of the information
furnished pursuant to such subsection and such information
relates in any way to the commission of an act in
Afghanistan.
``(B) Such payment may aid in furnishing further
information described in such subsection.
``(C) Such payment is formally requested by such agency.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--Subsection (b) of such section
(22 U.S.C. 2708(b)) is amended in the matter preceding
paragraph (1) by inserting ``or to any officer or employee of
a foreign government in accordance with subsection (f)(2)''
after ``individual''.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 453, the gentleman
from Illinois (Mr. Kirk) and a Member opposed each will control 5
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.
Mr. KIRK. I thank the Chairman.
I also want to thank my partners in this effort, Chairman Lantos and
Ranking Member Ros-Lehtinen, because their support for this amendment
was critical.
Mr. Chairman, one of the most successful counter-terror programs run
by the United States is not managed by the Defense Department or the
CIA. It is the State Department's Rewards for Justice Program run by
Mrs. Rachel Schindel-Gombis.
By offering rewards, we have brought a number of criminals to justice
who killed Americans both here and abroad. One of our proudest
successes was the program's production of matchbook covers, like this
one here. Tipped off by a face and a telephone number on a matchbook, a
Pakistani citizen provided a key tip for the arrest of Mir Amal Kansi,
the man who murdered two Americans outside the CIA's gate here in
Virginia. Thanks to this program, Kansi was arrested, extradited,
convicted and executed for the cold-blooded murders he committed, as
was the famous al Qaeda terrorist Ramsi Yousef.
As a congressional staff member, I drafted the amendments to this
program that first opened this up to the arrest of United Nations war
criminals, specifically people indicted for war crimes by the tribunals
for Rwanda and Yugoslavia. The program has helped bring dozens of mass
murderers to justice, fulfilling some of the highest and best ideals of
the United States when we promised ``never again'' after liberating the
Nazi death camps.
As a Member of Congress, I coauthored the legislation for this
program that allowed varied rewards and mass media campaigns. I took
action on this after conducting missions on the Afghan-Pakistan border
where I learned that tribesmen in that region would not respond as
strongly to a $100,000 cash award but would respond more strongly to an
offer of say one kilo of gold or a new motorcycle.
Using this new authority, the State Department launched an
unprecedented multilingual campaign that yielded dozens of new
contracts for the arrest of senior al Qaeda and Taliban leaders.
One target stands above all, and that is the arrest of Osama bin
Laden for the murder of 3,000 Americans on September 11, 2001. By many
accounts, bin Laden and the core leadership of al Qaeda and the Taliban
are hiding in the frontier autonomous tribal areas of Pakistan or in
the border provinces of Afghanistan. The Rewards for Justice Program
has helped to arrest several senior Taliban and al Qaeda leaders but
not bin Laden or his number two, Ayman Al Zawahiri.
The amendment before us builds on the extensive legislative tradition
of this program, bipartisan, effective and flexible, to make it more
likely that the world's most wanted men pay for the murder of thousands
of Americans.
In this amendment, we authorize the State Department to pay rewards
to anyone in Afghanistan or Pakistan, including government employees,
if the information leads to the arrest of ``exceptionally high-
profile'' targets.
Mr. Chairman, the support for Osama bin Laden, like this poster here
which went out in English as well as many in Urdu and Dari, remains
high. For us, we need to rely on sometimes the only assets we have in
this region which are government employees in the service of
Afghanistan or Pakistan; and if they can provide the information that
leads to the arrest of Osama bin Laden or Ayman Al Zawahiri, then we
should gladly pay for this justice.
Mr. Chairman, I have discussed this amendment with senior officials
in the White House who expressed their support. I will note the receipt
of talking points from the State Department bureaucracy received this
morning that
[[Page H6070]]
expressed concerns, and my reaction is that the officials who authored
these points may work for someone, but they do not serve the American
people. Their points are poorly written and disconnected and reflect
strongly on a disappointing State Department tradition of sometimes
serving an obscure academic point but not America's citizens or their
future security.
If we can arrest bin Laden, we should. If reward money helps to lead
to his arrest, we should pay it. This program should be run in the most
flexible and effective manner possible so that the greatest mass
murderers in American history should meet their final justice.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. KIRK. I yield to the gentlewoman from Florida, one of my partners
on this.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment
offered by the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kirk).
The search and the long hunt for Osama bin Laden and other major
radical Islamic terrorists we want brought to justice in the
Afghanistan-Pakistan region requires new ideas and new tools for law
enforcement and those who are involved in this initiative. Mr. Kirk's
amendment represents such an initiative, by improving our terrorist
rewards program to reflect the reality of what we face on the ground.
Our terrorist rewards program has been a valuable and successful
tool, and I urge my colleagues to adopt the Kirk amendment.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time
in opposition to the amendment, although I'm not opposed to the
amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Without objection, the gentleman from California
is recognized for 5 minutes.
There was no objection.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
As you well know, a version of this amendment has passed before on
the floor of this House. I welcome any incentives that help to prevent
elements of al Qaeda and the Taliban to engage in further international
terrorist and criminal acts, and I strongly support this amendment in
the hope that it might lead at long last to the capture of Osama bin
Laden.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance our time.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kirk).
The question was taken; and the Acting Chairman announced that the
ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. KIRK. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Illinois
will be postponed.
Amendment No. 8 Offered by Mr. Kucinich
The Acting CHAIRMAN. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 8
printed in House Report 110-174.
Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Amendment No. 8 offered by Mr. Kucinich:
Page 43, after line 6, insert the following new subsection:
(c) Contribution to Post-Operations Humanitarian Relief
Fund.--Of the amount appropriated pursuant to subsection (a)
of section 110 of the Afghanistan Freedom Support Act of 2002
(as redesignated by title I of this Act), $500,000 for each
of the fiscal years 2008 through 2010 shall be available for
a United States contribution to the Post-Operations
Humanitarian Relief Fund of the International Security
Assistance Force.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 453, the gentleman
from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich) and a Member opposed each will control 5
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio.
Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
In Afghanistan, as is true of all wars, bombs have missed their
targets, civilians have been maimed and killed, property's been
destroyed. Both homes and families have been devastated and literally
torn apart.
As the United States seeks to abate terrorists, we must also learn to
avoid the unintended consequences related to our foreign policy. One
approach is to accept responsibility when we harm innocent civilians
and provide compensation for the impact that war has had on civilian
lives that are accidentally caught in the crossfire.
The United States has a moral obligation to help the innocent
civilians of Afghanistan, whose lives have been devastated by war, to
rebuild their lives and their country. The United States must live up
to this moral obligation by providing humanitarian assistance for
innocent victims of war who are harmed by combat operations.
Currently, the U.S. military has two systems in place that provide
monetary compensation to civilians who, as a consequence of U.S.
military action, have been accidentally harmed.
The Foreign Claims Act provides for the compensation of civilians who
have been injured, died or whose property's been damaged from noncombat
activities and negligent or wrongful acts.
Alternatively, condolence payments can be paid by the U.S. military
directly to victims, or their survivors, who suffer a physical injury,
death or property damage in amounts not to exceed $2,500.
Congress should support the Foreign Claims Act and condolence payment
systems to the greatest extent possible as this money helps innocent
people of Afghanistan rebuild their lives.
Today's bill, the Afghanistan Freedom and Security Support Act of
2007, seeks to increase the maximum amount of condolence payments; and
I commend this action and urge the President to heed the intent of
Congress in this matter.
There's another avenue for the United States to make major gains.
Brigadier Richard E. Nugee, chief spokesperson for the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization, recognized that NATO forces had killed dozens of
civilians in Afghanistan in 2006, and here's what he had to say. ``The
single thing that we have done wrong and we are striving extremely hard
to improve on is'' the unfortunate killing of innocent civilians.
NATO, realizing their past mistakes and in an effort to advance
goodwill and allay resentment among Afghans caused by innocent civilian
casualties, established a post-operations humanitarian relief fund,
placed under the ISAF's Commander's discretion, to compensate Afghans
harmed by combat operations.
{time} 1630
This NATO program is alike in its objective to both the Condolence
Payment system and the Foreign Claims Act. This system is noble in its
intent.
I urge the United States to show its commitment to the people of
Afghanistan, to honor our promise to win their minds and hearts by
increasing the functionality of the NATO humanitarian assistance
program for innocent war victims.
This amendment shows the commitment of the U.S. people to Afghanistan
by diverting $500,000 to the Post-Operations Humanitarian Relief Fund
of the U.N. International Security Assistance Force. The international
fund has received contributions from the Czech Republic, Lithuania, the
Netherlands and Sweden. By diverting this money the United States is
sending a message to and joining with NATO and the international
community to show our commitment to the people of Afghanistan.
The Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict, CIVIC, founded by
Marla Ruzicka, who worked tirelessly in Afghanistan to win compensation
for civilian war victims before she was killed by a car bomb in Baghdad
in 2005, supports that commitment.
Mr. Chairman, I would like to insert in the Record a letter of
endorsement from Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict.
Campaign for Innocent
Victims in Conflict,
June 5, 2007.
Hon. Tom Lantos,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: Having recently returned from Kabul, I
write in support of H.R. 2446, as offered by Mr. Kucinich on
June 5, 2007.
The civilian death toll in Afghanistan has become alarming,
with both sides responsible for civilian casualties. While
NATO forces work hard to avoid harming civilians, we know
that in war accidents happen and the families of those
innocent people killed
[[Page H6071]]
and injured need--and, frankly, deserve--immediate
assistance.
Several NATO countries recently created the Post-Operations
Humanitarian Relief Fund (POHRF)--a compensation war chest
under NATO's commander with the potential to give Afghan
civilians much needed assistance. However, only four NATO
countries have donated and the amount raised is not nearly
enough to truly make a difference to the Afghan people.
As H.R. 2446 requests on page 43, line 7, the United States
should lead the way by donating the relatively nominal amount
of $500,000 to POHRF. Showing--not merely telling--other NATO
countries how to ``win hearts and minds'' demonstrates
American leadership and humanity on behalf of innocent
Afghans suffering losses.
NATO's mission in Afghanistan cannot succeed without the
trust and support of the Afghan people, as you are seeing
with civilian protests and discontent in the headlines. To
win that trust, NATO--with the United States leading the
way--should dignify civilians harmed by its forces with the
help they deserve.
I hope you will join in urging NATO countries to support
POHRF by supporting this amendment ensuring a United States
contribution to this important fund. After all, Afghanistan
will be won or lost 1 civilian at a time.
Sincerely,
Sarah Holewinski,
Executive Director.
CIVIC states that ``The civilian death toll in Afghanistan has become
alarming, with both sides responsible for civilian casualties. While
NATO forces work hard to avoid harming civilians, we know that in war,
accidents happen and the families of those innocent people are killed
and injured need--and, frankly deserve--immediate assistance.
``NATO's mission in Afghanistan cannot succeed without the trust and
support of the Afghan people, as you are seeing with civilian protests
and discontent in the headlines. To win that trust, NATO--with the
United States leading the way--should dignify civilians harmed by its
forces with the help they deserve.''
If the United States truly desires to win the hearts and minds of
people in Afghanistan, we must consider how the destruction and loss of
life hurts those who are trying to resurrect their lives and their
country. While no dollar amount can truly be equated to a human life,
we can have a substantial impact on the rebuilding of the lives torn
apart by the war.
War causes wreckage, pain and suffering for many innocent civilians
who must endure life in a war zone. It's easy to understand how the
innocent may become angry or disillusioned with combat forces. As such,
it's in the interests of the United States to ensure proper levels of
humanitarian assistance.
I am urging my colleagues to join me in support of this amendment to
direct additional and much-needed assistance to the innocent citizens
of Afghanistan who deserve our help to rebuild their lives and their
countries.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I rise to claim time in opposition to
this amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The gentlewoman from Florida is recognized for 5
minutes.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. The issue of providing compensation to Afghan
civilians is one whose efficacy is not questioned. Our brave troops on
the ground offer such support through the allocation of the Commander's
Emergency Response Program funding and other avenues that allow U.S.
forces to compensate civilians for the damage caused due to ongoing
U.S. operations.
However, the manner by which my esteemed colleague from Ohio, my good
friend, Mr. Kucinich, seeks to go about addressing this issue would
establish an extremely troublesome precedent regarding our operations
in and our policy toward Afghanistan.
Simply put, U.S. taxpayer funds, U.S. assistance for Afghanistan,
should not be used to fund long-term compensation programs under the
Post-Operations Humanitarian Relief Fund of the International Security
Assistance Force for damage caused by foreign forces and not U.S.
forces.
By contrast, the underlying bill acknowledges ongoing U.S. efforts to
support war victims affected by U.S. operations and then calls for a
feasibility study to be conducted in order to assess if there is a need
to expand U.S. assistance to Afghan civilian war victims.
The Kucinich amendment, however, seeks to circumvent this necessary
precursor, essentially prescribing a solution to this problem before
the diagnosis is received, and, again, seeking to assign U.S.
responsibility for the actions of others. The United States could work
diplomatically with participant nations to ensure that they make proper
and substantially greater contributions to this relief fund.
However, I find it to be outside of the parameters for the U.S.
assistance to Afghanistan to cover the international forces where they
have fallen short, thereby putting the onus on the United States to
step up financially for damages that we have not created.
Mr. Chairman, I strongly urge my colleagues to vote against this
amendment.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, winning the hearts and minds of the Afghan
people is crucial to our success in Afghanistan.
This amendment seeks to bolster that support by providing more
resources to a fund operated by the International Security Assistance
Force, led by NATO, which seeks to assist those Afghan individuals and
families who have suffered injuries due to unintended military
operations.
Currently, there are a handful of NATO countries who contribute to
this fund, and it is important for the United States to show leadership
in this area. With our contribution, other NATO allies will also be
encouraged to participate.
Mr. Chairman, I support this amendment and urge my colleagues to do
so as well.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich).
The question was taken; and the Acting Chairman announced that the
ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further
proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Ohio will be
postponed.
Amendment No. 9 Offered by Mr. Terry
The Acting CHAIRMAN. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 9
printed in House Report 110-174.
Mr. TERRY. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Amendment No. 9 offered by Mr. Terry:
Page 26, after line 12, insert the following new
subsection:
(j) Priority to U.S. Organizations for Grants To Aid in the
Revitalization of Afghanistan.--In awarding grants to
nongovernmental organizations to aid in the revitalization of
Afghanistan, including to assist the people of Afghanistan to
create and sustain quality economic and educational systems,
under section 103 of the Afghanistan Freedom Support Act of
2002 (as amended by this section), the United States Agency
for International Development should give priority to
organizations based in the United States that have an
established and cost-effective record of developing and
administering such programs of assistance in Afghanistan.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 453, the gentleman
from Nebraska (Mr. Terry) and a Member opposed each will control 5
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Nebraska.
Mr. TERRY. Mr. Chairman, I come here today with the common sense and
hopefully consensus amendment that directs USAID to give priority to
organizations based in the United States when awarding grants to NGOs
to rebuild Afghanistan.
The experience and expertise of U.S. organizations in public
institutions to rebuild Afghanistan should be utilized and recognized
by USAID. It's also a fact that when people of Afghanistan see
Americans helping to rebuild their schools and providing teachers and
helping their economy, that a true and positive perception of our
Nation increases.
My straightforward amendment states that USAID should give priority
consideration to U.S.-based organizations that have a proven track
record of assisting young nations like Afghanistan to educate its
children and teach them skills that will lead to economic growth and
revitalization.
The Center for Afghanistan Studies at the University of Nebraska's
Omaha campus is a great example of a proven institution, experienced
institution, in providing cost-effective services to Afghanistan, as
well as other nations,
[[Page H6072]]
that has experience in administering programs within Afghanistan, and
teaching the people of Afghanistan, and yet were not considered to be a
subcontractor with USAID.
There are undoubtedly many more examples of expertise and assistance
from United States programs dedicated to the betterment of nations and
their citizens. It seems only right that USAID give priority to U.S.
organizations with established records of service and success.
I urge my colleagues' support.
Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentlelady from Florida (Ms. Ros-
Lehtinen), the ranking member.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment
offered by my distinguished friend from Nebraska (Mr. Terry).
This important amendment requires the U.S. Agency for International
Development to give priority in awarding grants to nongovernmental
organizations, to those based in the United States that have an
established and cost-effective record in developing and administering
such programs within Afghanistan.
In addition, it focuses on organizations that specialize in the
teaching of the people of Afghanistan how to create and sustain quality
economic and educational system. In this respect, U.S.-based
organizations, with a proven track record of accountability and cost-
effectiveness and the development and administration of such programs
in Afghanistan, should be granted priority in the grant process.
This amendment is necessary, both as a means of ensuring
accountability at all levels of the contracting process, and for proper
oversight by Congress.
I thank my colleague and friend for introducing this important
amendment, and I strongly urge its adoption.
Mr. TERRY. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time
in opposition to the amendment, although I am not opposed to the
amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Without objection, the gentleman from California
is recognized for 5 minutes.
There was no objection.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I support the underlying premise of the
gentleman's amendment that assistance should be provided through
organizations that have a cost-effective record of administering
programs in Afghanistan. I am also gratified that the gentleman made
some modifications to the original version of his amendment.
As H.R. 2446 reflects, we must continue to assist the Afghan people
in creating and sustaining economic and development systems for
themselves. We must continue to endow the Afghan government, Afghan
organizations and the Afghan people with the necessary know how,
expertise and resources so they can lead a free, stable and prosperous
Afghanistan.
I believe that this amendment strikes the right balance in calling
for USAID to prioritize organizations that have a cost-effective record
of administering programs in Afghanistan, while allowing for assistance
to Afghan entities as well.
On that basis, the amendment is acceptable to our side.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. TERRY. I thank the chairman for his instructive input, advice,
counsel and kind words and acceptance of the amendment.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Terry).
The amendment was agreed to.
Amendment No. 10 Offered by Mr. Van Hollen
The Acting CHAIRMAN. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 10
printed in House Report 110-174.
Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Amendment No. 10 offered by Mr. Van Hollen:
Page 17, line 17, strike ``and''.
Page 17, line 19, strike the first period, the closing
quotation marks, and the second period and insert ``; and''.
Page 17, after line 19, insert the following new clause:
``(ix) promoting the empowerment of citizens at the local
level in the decision-making process, including
reconstruction and economic development decisions.''.
Page 62, beginning on line 16, insert ``, create an
environment conducive to Afghan small business development,''
after ``opportunities''.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 453, the gentleman
from Maryland (Mr. Van Hollen) and a Member opposed each will control 5
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Maryland.
Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Let me begin by congratulating the chairman of the
Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Lantos, and the ranking member, Ms. Ros-
Lehtinen, for their wonderful bipartisan work on this very important
legislation, which sends a signal that the United States remains fully
engaged in making sure we have a secure Afghanistan, and that we build
on what has happened to date and make sure that we continue to have a
situation that demonstrates a continuing investment by the United
States.
I think if you look back over history, we made a big mistake, when we
disengaged from Afghanistan, after the Soviet withdrawal. We had
helped, of course, support the Mujahedin, the freedom fighters, that
was the right thing to do.
But when the Soviets left Afghanistan, so did we. And that left a
vacuum that the Taliban exploited, Afghanistan became a failed state,
al Qaeda found a home there, and we know the rest of the story, the
terrible attacks of September 11, 2001. Even to this day, we have not
yet finished the job in Afghanistan in terms of hunting down al Qaeda
and Osama bin Laden, and essentially destroying the network that caused
those terrible attacks of September 11, 2001.
But even as we continue that action, we need to make sure we provide
for stability in Afghanistan for the longer haul, so we do not create
another situation where other terrorists can take advantage of a failed
state.
That requires we work in partnership with the Afghan government and
the international community to make a long-term investment in
Afghanistan's stability. That involves, making sure, that in addition
to large infrastructure projects and important investments that we
make, that we also make sure that we empower the Afghan people and make
sure that they understand that we continue to have a stake and they
have a stake, obviously, in their future and in building their economy.
That's what this amendment that I am offering today relates to.
According to a recent GAO report, despite the expenditure of billions
of U.S. dollars, reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan still have
lacked a strategic focus. I know that is the major thrust of this bill,
and I, again, want to commend our leadership for putting this important
piece together.
As you know, this bill requires, among other things, that the
President design a comprehensive interagency strategy for long-term
security and stability. But in addressing these issues, issues that
will impact heavily on the lives of ordinary Afghan citizens, it's
essential that we make sure that we leverage one of Afghanistan's
greatest assets in that decision-making process. That is the Afghan
people themselves.
{time} 1645
And while it does support local-led development programs such as the
National Solidarity Project, the bill, I think, would also benefit and
be strengthened by additional focus on involving the Afghan people at
the local level in decision making. And that is why I'm proposing this
amendment that requires the President to include as any part of his
Afghanistan strategy an emphasis on empowering Afghan citizens in that
decision making.
Economic development is a major source of concern, obviously, to the
Afghan people. The CSIS, the Center for Strategic and International
Studies, recently released the second in a series of post-conflict
assessments of progress in Afghanistan and reported that, despite a
marked improvement in the economy, Afghans continue to suffer from
unsteady employment and economic insecurity. So this amendment
addresses those issues. Just, again, emphasizes what I know is the
overall
[[Page H6073]]
thrust of this legislation, the importance of making sure we include
the Afghan people at the grassroots level in decisions that affect
their future.
Again, I want to thank the chairman, Mr. Lantos, and the bipartisan
support this overall effort has had; and I urge the adoption of the
amendment.
Mr. LANTOS. Will the gentleman yield?
Mr. VAN HOLLEN. I will be delighted to yield.
Mr. LANTOS. I want to thank the gentleman for his singularly
thoughtful and carefully crafted amendment, and I'm very pleased to
support it.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I rise to claim time in opposition,
although I am not opposed to this amendment.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. Without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized
for 5 minutes.
There was no objection.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment
offered by my distinguished colleague and my friend, the gentleman from
Maryland (Mr. Van Hollen).
This amendment seeks to promote the empowerment of citizens at the
local level in the decision-making process, including reconstruction
and economic development.
One of the key elements necessary to achieve success in Afghanistan
is enhancing and promoting citizen participation in the reconstruction
and economic development efforts in that country.
Citizens making decisions is a critical part in a democratic society,
and this will enhance Afghanistan's political and economic
institutions. Local participation, local decision-making will allow the
Afghan people to take charge of their own lives and make decisions
based on the needs of their local communities.
In addition to ensuring security, fighting the illicit illegal
narcotics trade, related terrorist activities, developing the
infrastructure for a sustainable democratic central government, the
economic situation must also improve if Afghans are to have confidence
in their own future and if they are to build upon the progress they
have achieved thus far.
A lack of success in the economic forum has the potential to
undermine political developments. It could risk demoralizing the
aspirations of Afghan citizens and could jeopardize their ability to
actively shape their destiny.
The United States must work hard to ensure that Afghanistan is never
again a haven for terrorists, a major source of narcotics, or a source
of instability or oppression towards its citizens.
Again, I thank the gentleman from Maryland for introducing this
important amendment. I strongly urge my colleagues to support it.
And before I yield the remainder of our time to my good friend and
our fearless leader, Chairman Lantos, I want to thank the excellent
staff that has been working on our Republican side with the Democratic
side on forging this strong bill; and perhaps next time, Mr. Lantos, we
will come to the floor wearing tie-dyed T-shirts and love beads and
singing Kumbaya.
Mr. Chairman, I yield the remainder of our time to Chairman Lantos.
Mr. LANTOS. As we close discussion and debate, Mr. Chairman, let me
first express my appreciation to my friend and colleague, the ranking
Republican member of the committee, for her exceptional leadership on
this matter. Let me thank all of my Republican and Democratic
colleagues who have worked so hard on this matter.
But I particularly want to express my personal thanks to the
committee staff on both sides, specifically, Matthew Zweig and John
Mackey on the Republican side of the committee staff, as well as all
other members of the Republican staff, and on our side, Manpreet Anand,
Robin Roizman, David Fite and our extraordinary general counsel, David
Abramowitz.
We have done good bipartisan work, and I think the Congress did some
useful work today.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of our time.
The Acting CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Van Hollen).
The amendment was agreed to.
Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now rise.
The motion was agreed to.
Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Mr. Van
Hollen) having assumed the chair, Mr. Pomeroy, Acting Chairman of the
Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, reported that
that Committee, having had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2446) to
reauthorize the Afghanistan Freedom Support Act of 2002, and for other
purposes, had come to no resolution thereon.
____________________