[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 137 (Tuesday, September 22, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6905-S6906]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




REQUIRING A REGIONAL STRATEGY TO ADDRESS THE THREAT POSED BY BOKO HARAM

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 175, S. 1632.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 1632) to require a regional strategy to address 
     the threat posed by Boko Haram.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill, 
which had been reported from the Committee on Foreign Relations, with 
an amendment to strike all after the enacting clause and insert in lieu 
thereof the following:

     SECTION 1. REGIONAL STRATEGY TO ADDRESS THE THREAT POSED BY 
                   BOKO HARAM.

       (a) Strategy Required.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State and the 
     Secretary of Defense shall jointly develop and submit to the 
     appropriate committees of Congress a five-year strategy to 
     help enable the Government of Nigeria, members of the 
     Multinational Joint Task Force to Combat Boko Haram (MNJTF) 
     authorized by the African Union, and relevant partners to 
     counter the regional threat of Boko Haram and assist the 
     Government of Nigeria and its neighbors to accept and address 
     legitimate grievances of vulnerable populations in areas 
     affected by Boko Haram.
       (2) Elements.--At a minimum, the strategy must address the 
     following elements:
       (A) Enhance, pursuant to existing authorities and 
     restrictions, the institutional capacity, including military 
     capabilities, of the Government of Nigeria and partner 
     nations in the region, as appropriate, to counter the threat 
     posed by Boko Haram.
       (B) Provide humanitarian support to civilian populations 
     impacted by Boko Haram's activity.
       (C) Specific activities through which the United States 
     Government intends to improve and enhance the capacity of 
     Multinational Joint Task Force to Combat Boko Haram partner 
     nations to investigate and prosecute human rights abuses by 
     security forces and promote respect for the rule of law 
     within the military.
       (D) A means for assisting Nigeria, and as appropriate, 
     Multinational Joint Task Force to Combat Boko Haram nations, 
     to counter violent extremism, including efforts to address 
     underlying societal factors shown to contribute to the 
     ability of Boko Haram to radicalize and recruit individuals.
       (E) A plan to strengthen and promote the rule of law, 
     including by improving the capacity of the civilian police 
     and judicial system in Nigeria, enhancing public safety, and 
     responding to crime (including gender-based violence), while 
     respecting human rights and strengthening accountability 
     measures, including measures to prevent corruption.
       (F) Strengthen the long-term capacity of the Government of 
     Nigeria to enhance security for schools such that children 
     are safer and girls seeking an education are better 
     protected, and to combat gender-based violence and gender 
     inequality.
       (G) Identify and develop mechanisms for coordinating the 
     implementation of the strategy across the inter-agency and 
     with the Government of Nigeria, regional partners, and other 
     relevant foreign partners.
       (H) Identify the resources required to achieve the 
     strategy's objectives.
       (b) Assessment.--The Director of National Intelligence, in 
     consultation with the Secretary of State, shall submit to the 
     appropriate committees of Congress an assessment regarding 
     the willingness and capability of the Government of Nigeria 
     and regional partners to implement the strategy required by 
     subsection (a), including the capability gaps, if any, of the 
     government and military forces of Nigeria that would need to 
     be addressed in order to enable the Government of Nigeria and 
     the governments of its partner countries in the region to 
     counter the threat of Boko Haram and to address legitimate 
     grievances of vulnerable populations in areas affected by 
     Boko Haram.
       (c) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     lack of economic opportunity and access to education, 
     justice, and other social services contributes to the ability 
     of Boko Haram to radicalize and recruit individuals.
       (d) Appropriate Committees of Congress Defined.--In this 
     section, the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' 
     means--
       (1) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on 
     Foreign Relations, the Committee on Appropriations, and the 
     Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate; and
       (2) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on 
     Foreign Affairs, the Committee on Appropriations, and the 
     Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of 
     Representatives.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Lankford amendment at the desk be agreed to, that the committee-
reported amendment, as amended, be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be 
read a third time and passed, and the motion to reconsider be 
considered made and laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment (No. 2677) was agreed to, as follows:

(Purpose: To require that the Director of National Intelligence assess 
the capability of the United States Government to help implement the 5-
      year strategy to counter the regional threat of Boko Haram)

       On page 8, strike lines 5 through 16 and insert the 
     following:
       (b) Assessment.--The Director of National Intelligence 
     shall submit, to the appropriate committees of Congress, an 
     assessment regarding--
       (1) the willingness and capability of the Government of 
     Nigeria and regional partners to implement the strategy 
     developed under subsection (a), including the capability 
     gaps, if any, of the Government and military forces of 
     Nigeria that would need to be addressed to enable the 
     Government of Nigeria and the governments of its partner 
     countries in the region--
       (A) to counter the threat of Boko Haram; and
       (B) to address the legitimate grievances of vulnerable 
     populations in areas affected by Boko Haram; and
       (2) significant United States intelligence gaps concerning 
     Boko Haram or on the willingness and capacity of the 
     Government of Nigeria and regional partners to implement the 
     strategy developed under subsection (a).

  The committee-reported amendment in the nature of a substitute, as 
amended, was agreed to.
  The bill (S. 1632), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a 
third reading, was read the third time, and passed, as follows:

                                S. 1632

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. REGIONAL STRATEGY TO ADDRESS THE THREAT POSED BY 
                   BOKO HARAM.

       (a) Strategy Required.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State and the 
     Secretary of Defense shall jointly develop and submit to the 
     appropriate committees of Congress a five-year strategy to 
     help enable the Government of Nigeria, members of the 
     Multinational Joint Task Force to Combat Boko Haram (MNJTF) 
     authorized by the African Union, and relevant partners to 
     counter the regional threat of Boko Haram and assist the 
     Government of Nigeria and its neighbors to accept and address 
     legitimate grievances of vulnerable populations in areas 
     affected by Boko Haram.
       (2) Elements.--At a minimum, the strategy must address the 
     following elements:
       (A) Enhance, pursuant to existing authorities and 
     restrictions, the institutional capacity, including military 
     capabilities, of the Government of Nigeria and partner 
     nations in the region, as appropriate, to counter the threat 
     posed by Boko Haram.
       (B) Provide humanitarian support to civilian populations 
     impacted by Boko Haram's activity.
       (C) Specific activities through which the United States 
     Government intends to improve and enhance the capacity of 
     Multinational Joint Task Force to Combat Boko Haram partner 
     nations to investigate and prosecute human rights abuses by 
     security

[[Page S6906]]

     forces and promote respect for the rule of law within the 
     military.
       (D) A means for assisting Nigeria, and as appropriate, 
     Multinational Joint Task Force to Combat Boko Haram nations, 
     to counter violent extremism, including efforts to address 
     underlying societal factors shown to contribute to the 
     ability of Boko Haram to radicalize and recruit individuals.
       (E) A plan to strengthen and promote the rule of law, 
     including by improving the capacity of the civilian police 
     and judicial system in Nigeria, enhancing public safety, and 
     responding to crime (including gender-based violence), while 
     respecting human rights and strengthening accountability 
     measures, including measures to prevent corruption.
       (F) Strengthen the long-term capacity of the Government of 
     Nigeria to enhance security for schools such that children 
     are safer and girls seeking an education are better 
     protected, and to combat gender-based violence and gender 
     inequality.
       (G) Identify and develop mechanisms for coordinating the 
     implementation of the strategy across the inter-agency and 
     with the Government of Nigeria, regional partners, and other 
     relevant foreign partners.
       (H) Identify the resources required to achieve the 
     strategy's objectives.
       (b) Assessment.--The Director of National Intelligence 
     shall submit, to the appropriate committees of Congress, an 
     assessment regarding--
       (1) the willingness and capability of the Government of 
     Nigeria and regional partners to implement the strategy 
     developed under subsection (a), including the capability 
     gaps, if any, of the Government and military forces of 
     Nigeria that would need to be addressed to enable the 
     Government of Nigeria and the governments of its partner 
     countries in the region--
       (A) to counter the threat of Boko Haram; and
       (B) to address the legitimate grievances of vulnerable 
     populations in areas affected by Boko Haram; and
       (2) significant United States intelligence gaps concerning 
     Boko Haram or on the willingness and capacity of the 
     Government of Nigeria and regional partners to implement the 
     strategy developed under subsection (a).
       (c) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     lack of economic opportunity and access to education, 
     justice, and other social services contributes to the ability 
     of Boko Haram to radicalize and recruit individuals.
       (d) Appropriate Committees of Congress Defined.--In this 
     section, the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' 
     means--
       (1) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on 
     Foreign Relations, the Committee on Appropriations, and the 
     Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate; and
       (2) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on 
     Foreign Affairs, the Committee on Appropriations, and the 
     Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of 
     Representatives.

                          ____________________