[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 163 (Tuesday, November 15, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H6189-H6192]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 WOMEN, PEACE, AND SECURITY ACT OF 2016

  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 5332) to ensure that the United States promotes the meaningful 
participation of women in mediation and negotiations processes seeking 
to prevent, mitigate, or resolve violent conflict, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 5332

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Women, Peace, and Security 
     Act of 2016''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) Around the world, women remain under-represented in 
     conflict prevention, conflict resolution, and post-conflict 
     peace building efforts.
       (2) Despite the historic under-representation of women in 
     conflict resolution processes, women in conflict-affected 
     regions have nevertheless achieved significant success in--
       (A) moderating violent extremism;
       (B) countering terrorism;
       (C) resolving disputes through nonviolent mediation and 
     negotiation; and
       (D) stabilizing societies by enhancing the effectiveness of 
     security services, peacekeeping efforts, institutions, and 
     decision-making processes.
       (3) Research shows that--
       (A) peace negotiations are more likely to end in a peace 
     agreement when women's groups play an influential role in the 
     negotiation process;
       (B) once reached, a peace agreement is 35 percent more 
     likely to last at least 15 years if women have participated 
     in the negotiation process; and
       (C) when women meaningfully participate, peace negotiations 
     are more likely to address the underlying causes of the 
     conflict, leading to more sustainable outcomes.

     SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

       It is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) the meaningful participation of women in conflict 
     prevention and conflict resolution processes helps to promote 
     more inclusive and democratic societies and is critical to 
     the long-term stability of countries and regions;
       (2) the political participation and leadership of women in 
     fragile environments, particularly during democratic 
     transitions, is critical to sustaining lasting democratic 
     institutions; and
       (3) the United States should be a global leader in 
     promoting the meaningful participation of women in conflict 
     prevention, management, and resolution, and post-conflict 
     relief and recovery efforts.

     SEC. 4. STATEMENT OF POLICY.

       It shall be the policy of the United States to promote the 
     meaningful participation of women in all aspects of conflict 
     prevention, management, and resolution, and post-conflict 
     relief and recovery efforts, reinforced through diplomatic 
     efforts and programs that--
       (1) integrate the perspectives and interests of affected 
     women into conflict-prevention activities and strategies;
       (2) encourage partner governments to adopt plans to improve 
     the meaningful participation of women in peace and security 
     processes and decision-making institutions;
       (3) promote the physical safety, economic security, and 
     dignity of women and girls;
       (4) support the equal access of women to aid distribution 
     mechanisms and services;
       (5) collect and analyze gender data for the purpose of 
     developing and enhancing early warning systems of conflict 
     and violence;
       (6) adjust policies and programs to improve outcomes in 
     gender equality and the empowerment of women; and
       (7) monitor, analyze, and evaluate the efforts related to 
     each strategy submitted under section 5 and the impact of 
     such efforts.

     SEC. 5. UNITED STATES STRATEGY TO PROMOTE THE PARTICIPATION 
                   OF WOMEN IN CONFLICT PREVENTION AND PEACE 
                   BUILDING.

       (a) Requirement.--Not later than October 1, 2017, October 
     1, 2022, and October 1, 2027, the President, in consultation 
     with the heads of the relevant Federal departments and 
     agencies, shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
     committees and make publicly available a single government-
     wide strategy, to be known as the Women, Peace, and Security 
     Strategy, that provides a detailed description of how the 
     United States intends to fulfill the policy objectives in 
     section 4. The strategy shall--
       (1) support and be aligned with plans developed by other 
     countries to improve the meaningful participation of women in 
     peace and security processes, conflict prevention, peace 
     building, transitional processes, and decision-making 
     institutions; and
       (2) include specific and measurable goals, benchmarks, 
     performance metrics, timetables, and monitoring and 
     evaluation plans, to ensure the accountability and 
     effectiveness of all policies and initiatives carried out 
     under the strategy.
       (b) Specific Plans for Agencies.--Each strategy under 
     subsection (a) shall include a specific implementation plan 
     from each of the relevant Federal departments and agencies 
     that describes--
       (1) the anticipated contributions of the department or 
     agency, including technical, financial, and in-kind 
     contributions, to implement the strategy; and
       (2) the efforts of the department or agency to ensure that 
     the policies and initiatives carried out pursuant to the 
     strategy are designed to achieve maximum impact and long-term 
     sustainability.
       (c) Department of State Implementation.--Within each 
     relevant bureau of the Department of State, the Secretary of 
     State shall task the current Principal Deputy Assistant 
     Secretary with the responsibility for the implementation of 
     the strategy under subsection (a) and the specific 
     implementation plan for the Department under subsection (b), 
     with respect to the roles and responsibilities of such 
     bureau. The Principal Deputy Assistant Secretaries tasked 
     with such responsibility shall meet, at least twice a year, 
     to review the implementation of the strategy and the plan and 
     to contribute to the report under section 8(b).
       (d) Coordination.--The President should promote the 
     meaningful participation of women in conflict prevention, in 
     coordination and consultation with international partners, 
     including multilateral organizations, stakeholders, and other 
     relevant international organizations, particularly in 
     situations in which the direct engagement of the United 
     States is not appropriate or advisable.
       (e) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     the President, in implementing each strategy submitted under 
     subsection (a), should--
       (1) provide technical assistance, training, and logistical 
     support to female negotiators, mediators, peace builders, and 
     stakeholders;
       (2) address security-related barriers to the meaningful 
     participation of women;
       (3) increase the participation of women in existing 
     programs funded by the United States Government that provide 
     training to foreign nationals regarding law enforcement, the 
     rule of law, or professional military education;
       (4) support appropriate local organizations, especially 
     women's peace building organizations;
       (5) support the training, education, and mobilization of 
     men and boys as partners in support of the meaningful 
     participation of women;
       (6) encourage the development of transitional justice and 
     accountability mechanisms that are inclusive of the 
     experiences and perspectives of women and girls;
       (7) expand and apply gender analysis to improve program 
     design and targeting; and
       (8) conduct assessments that include the perspectives of 
     women before implementing any new initiatives in support of 
     peace negotiations, transitional justice and accountability, 
     efforts to counter violent extremism, or security sector 
     reform.

     SEC. 6. TRAINING REQUIREMENTS REGARDING THE PARTICIPATION OF 
                   WOMEN IN CONFLICT PREVENTION AND PEACE 
                   BUILDING.

       (a) Foreign Service.--The Secretary of State, in 
     conjunction with the Administrator of the United States 
     Agency for International Development, shall ensure that all 
     appropriate personnel (including special envoys, members of 
     mediation or negotiation teams, relevant members of the civil 
     service or Foreign Service, and contractors) responsible for 
     or deploying to countries or regions

[[Page H6190]]

     considered to be at risk of, undergoing, or emerging from 
     violent conflict obtain training, as appropriate, in the 
     following areas, each of which shall include a focus on women 
     and ensuring meaningful participation by women:
       (1) Conflict prevention, mitigation, and resolution.
       (2) Protecting civilians from violence, exploitation, and 
     trafficking in persons.
       (3) International human rights law and international 
     humanitarian law.
       (b) Department of Defense.--The Secretary of Defense shall 
     ensure that relevant personnel receive training, as 
     appropriate, in the following areas:
       (1) Training in conflict prevention, peace processes, 
     mitigation, resolution, and security initiatives that 
     specifically addresses the importance of meaningful 
     participation by women.
       (2) Gender considerations and meaningful participation by 
     women, including training regarding--
       (A) international human rights law and international 
     humanitarian law, as relevant; and
       (B) protecting civilians from violence, exploitation, and 
     trafficking in persons.
       (3) Effective strategies and best practices for ensuring 
     meaningful participation by women.

     SEC. 7. CONSULTATION AND COLLABORATION.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of State and the 
     Administrator of the United States Agency for International 
     Development shall establish guidelines for overseas United 
     States personnel of the Department or the Agency, as the case 
     may be, to consult with stakeholders regarding United States 
     efforts to--
       (1) prevent, mitigate, or resolve violent conflict; and
       (2) enhance the success of mediation and negotiation 
     processes by ensuring the meaningful participation of women.
       (b) Frequency and Scope.--The consultations required under 
     subsection (a) shall take place regularly and include a range 
     and representative sample of stakeholders, including local 
     women, youth, ethnic and religious minorities, and other 
     politically under-represented or marginalized populations.
       (c) Collaboration and Coordination.--The Secretary of State 
     should work with international, regional, national, and local 
     organizations to increase the meaningful participation of 
     women in international peacekeeping operations, and should 
     promote training that provides international peacekeeping 
     personnel with the substantive knowledge and skills needed to 
     ensure effective physical security and meaningful 
     participation of women in conflict prevention and peace 
     building.

     SEC. 8. REPORTS TO CONGRESS.

       (a) Briefing.--The Secretary of State, in conjunction with 
     the Administrator of the United States Agency for 
     International Development and the Secretary of Defense, shall 
     brief the appropriate congressional committees, not later 
     than one year after the date of the first submission of a 
     strategy required under section 5, on--
       (1) existing, enhanced, and newly established training 
     carried out pursuant to section 6; and
       (2) the guidelines established for overseas United States 
     personnel to engage in consultations with stakeholders, 
     pursuant to section 7.
       (b) Report on Women, Peace, and Security Strategy.--Not 
     later than two years after the date of the submission of each 
     strategy required under section 5, the President shall submit 
     to the appropriate congressional committees a report that--
       (1) summarizes and evaluates the implementation of such 
     strategy and the impact of United States diplomatic efforts 
     and foreign assistance programs, projects, and activities to 
     promote the meaningful participation of women;
       (2) describes the nature and extent of the coordination 
     among the relevant Federal departments and agencies on the 
     implementation of such strategy;
       (3) outlines the monitoring and evaluation tools, 
     mechanisms, and common indicators to assess progress made on 
     the policy objectives in section 4; and
       (4) describes the existing, enhanced, and newly established 
     training carried out pursuant to section 6.

     SEC. 9. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
     ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
       (A) the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Armed 
     Services, and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
     Senate; and
       (B) the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Armed 
     Services, and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
     of Representatives.
       (2) Stakeholders.--The term ``stakeholders'' means non-
     governmental and private sector entities engaged in or 
     affected by conflict prevention and stabilization, peace 
     building, protection, security, transition initiatives, 
     humanitarian response, or related efforts, including--
       (A) registered or non-registered nonprofit organizations, 
     advocacy groups, business or trade associations, labor 
     unions, cooperatives, credit unions, relief or development 
     organizations, community and faith-based organizations, 
     philanthropic foundations, and tribal leaders or structures;
       (B) independent media, educational, or research 
     institutions; and
       (C) private enterprises, including international 
     development firms, banks, and other financial institutions, 
     particularly small businesses and businesses owned by women 
     or disadvantaged groups.
       (3) Meaningful participation.--The term ``meaningful 
     participation'' means safe, genuine, and effective access to, 
     and present and active involvement in the full range of 
     formal or informal processes related to negotiation or 
     mediation with respect to any efforts toward the following:
       (A) Conflict prevention.
       (B) Resolution or mitigation of, or transition from, 
     violent conflict.
       (C) Peacekeeping and peace building.
       (D) Post-conflict reconstruction, transition initiatives, 
     elections, and governance.
       (E) Humanitarian response and recovery.
       (4) Relevant federal departments and agencies.--The term 
     ``relevant Federal departments and agencies'' means--
       (A) the United States Agency for International Development;
       (B) the Department of State;
       (C) the Department of Defense;
       (D) the Department of Homeland Security; and
       (E) any other department or agency specified by the 
     President for purposes of this Act.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Royce) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include any extraneous material in the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this measure. This is the Women, 
Peace, and Security Act of 2016. It is H.R. 5332.
  I want to recognize Representative Kristi Noem and Representative Jan 
Schakowsky for their bipartisan leadership on this measure and, of 
course, Ranking Member Engel for his important work on it.
  Earlier this year, the Foreign Affairs Committee held a hearing. This 
was part of our series on women in foreign affairs, where we heard 
powerful testimony about the importance of including women in peace 
processes around the world. We heard from those who had been engaged, 
including the powerful voice of one who had helped bring about the 
peace process in Northern Ireland.
  It may seem obvious that women should have an opportunity to 
represent their communities as a matter of right--they make up half of 
the population. And what negotiation, what agreement, can claim to 
represent women if their participation is barred.
  Our hearing also emphasized another fact, and that is why women's 
participation in peace processes is important if we care about the 
likelihood of the success of that process. Simply put, when women are 
at the negotiating table, peace is more likely.
  Why would that be? Because research shows that a peace agreement is 
more likely to be reached--in fact, 35 percent more likely to last at 
least 15 years--when women are involved. When you consider that 
historically half of all peace agreements fail--and they fail within 
the first 5 years--women's involvement becomes imperative. Think about 
the lives saved and the economies maintained by a 35 percent decrease 
in repeated conflicts.
  Mr. Speaker, from Liberia to Northern Ireland, we have watched women 
play pivotal roles in that effort of reaching out to governments, 
lobbying governments, impressing the combatants, and pushing 
politicians to end a conflict.

                              {time}  1245

  Women peacemakers often press warring parties to move beyond mere 
power-sharing agreements that benefit only a small percentage of 
fighters and, instead, shift that ground, debate over a comprehensive 
and longer term accord, and reach those accords that benefit the full 
civilian population as a whole. Once an agreement is reached, these 
women can play a critical role in building support within the 
communities, and that is why the legislation before us today is so 
important. This bill recognizes the fact that it is in our

[[Page H6191]]

national interest to promote women's participation in resolving 
conflicts globally, and it requires a government-wide strategy--an 
effort--to advance this goal.
  In 2011, the administration issued a National Action Plan on Women, 
Peace, and Security. Recently, it published its update, H.R. 5332. This 
bill, which is the result of our work and the result of the authors' 
work, builds on this effort by requiring specific goals and benchmarks 
for women's participation, along with the regular reporting to Congress 
so as to gauge progress. The bill also requires that appropriate State 
Department and USAID and Defense Department personnel receive training 
on how to facilitate women's participation in conflict resolution, in 
security initiatives, and in efforts to protect civilians from violence 
and exploitation. Then it pushes this concept and gets them into the 
effort to do so.
  I urge all Members to support its passage.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

                                         House of Representatives,


                                  Committee on Armed Services,

                                 Washington, DC, November 2, 2016.
     Hon. Edward R. Royce,
     Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs,
     House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: I write concerning H.R. 5332, the Women, 
     Peace, and Security Act of 2016, as amended, which has been 
     referred to the Committee on Armed Services. I am writing to 
     confirm that, although there are certain provisions in the 
     bill that fall within the Rule X jurisdiction of the 
     Committee on Armed Services, the committee will forgo action 
     on this bill in order to expedite this legislation for floor 
     consideration.
       I am glad we agree that forgoing consideration of the bill 
     does not prejudice the Committee on Armed Services with 
     respect to any future jurisdictional claim over the 
     provisions contained in the bill or similar legislation that 
     fall within the committee's Rule X jurisdiction. I request 
     you urge the Speaker to appoint members of the committee to 
     any conference committee convened to consider such 
     provisions.
       Please place a copy of this letter and your response 
     acknowledging our jurisdictional interest into the committee 
     report on H.R. 5332 and into the Congressional Record during 
     consideration of the measure on the House floor.
           Sincerely,
                                    William M. ``Mac'' Thornberry,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                                 Committee on Foreign Affairs,

                                 Washington, DC, November 3, 2016.
     Hon. William M. ``Mac'' Thornberry,
     Chairman, House Armed Services Committee,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for consulting with the 
     Committee on Foreign Affairs on H.R. 5332, the Women, Peace, 
     and Security Act of 2016, and for agreeing to be discharged 
     from further consideration of that bill.
       I agree that your forgoing further action on this measure 
     does not in any way diminish or alter the jurisdiction of the 
     Committee on Armed Services, or prejudice its jurisdictional 
     prerogatives on this bill or similar legislation in the 
     future. I would support your effort to seek appointment of an 
     appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate 
     conference involving this legislation.
       I will seek to place our letters on H.R. 5332 into the 
     Congressional Record during floor consideration of the bill. 
     I appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation and 
     look forward to continuing to work with your Committee as 
     this measure moves through the legislative process.
           Sincerely,
                                                  Edward R. Royce,
                                                         Chairman.

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in support of this measure.
  Again, let me first thank our chairman, Ed Royce, for helping to 
advance this bill. I thank the bill's authors: Representative Noem and 
Representative Schakowsky. Representative Schakowsky, especially, has 
been focusing for years on the vulnerabilities that face women and 
girls in conflicts and on the unique role in which women can play in 
working to build peace. Ms. Schakowsky has been spending a great deal 
of her time in representing issues such as the one in this bill. In 
fact, she was the first one who told me about the bill and what they 
were doing in terms of putting it together; so I really want to commend 
her.
  It has been nearly 5 years, Mr. Speaker, since the Obama 
administration unveiled the National Action Plan on Women, Peace, and 
Security. The idea at the center of the strategy is the importance of 
women in their helping to prevent and resolve conflicts. Thanks to the 
administration's efforts, the U.S. has worked to include women in 
conflict prevention, negotiation, and resolution. We have promoted 
efforts to enhance the physical and economic security of women around 
the world, and we have sought to break through the barriers that have 
stopped women from being full participants in peace processes. We 
haven't taken these steps on a hunch. Research has shown that peace 
negotiations are more likely to succeed when women have influential 
positions in the negotiation process.
  The bill we are considering would make these policies permanent. It 
would build on what the Obama administration has accomplished by making 
sure State Department, USAID, and Pentagon personnel are fully trained 
on the unique strengths that women bring to conflict prevention and 
resolution. It would also require annual reporting so that Congress can 
stay apprised of these efforts. I think making this strategy permanent 
is absolutely imperative. After all, even though the administration and 
bipartisan leadership in Congress have seen the value of this approach, 
we have no idea how future administrations and Presidents and 
Congresses will view women or if they will fully appreciate how women's 
participation can make our foreign policies stronger.
  I am pleased to support this measure, and I urge all of my colleagues 
to do the same.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
South Dakota (Mrs. Noem), the author of this bill.
  Mrs. NOEM. I, personally, thank the chairman for considering this 
important bill, and I thank Representative Schakowsky for being willing 
to pursue policies such as this and get them signed into statute. That 
is the only way we can really be assured that they will continue into 
the future.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5332, the Women, Peace, and 
Security Act. I introduced this bill with Representative Schakowsky to 
increase and strengthen women's participation in peace negotiations and 
in conflict prevention globally.
  The threats to our national security are troubling, and groups like 
ISIL are determined to destroy us and our system of values. Russia and 
China are using economic and military forces to expand their global 
influences. Middle East instability is raising questions as to how the 
conflict will impact our global economy and America's national 
security.
  With so much occurring, peace negotiations are ongoing. At least one 
study showed us that, in conflict resolution processes, a peace 
agreement is 35 percent more likely to last at least 15 years when 
women are involved. Women can often encourage healthy choices within 
the home and can advocate for their children's education and welfare. 
Both of these help ensure greater stability by giving young people 
opportunity outside of conflict. Their roles in the global economy also 
help raise countries out of poverty. By bringing these perspectives to 
the negotiating table, different priorities often emerge, which make 
peace negotiations much more likely to address a conflict's underlying 
causes. We have seen this to be true in places like Northern Ireland, 
Africa, and Asia.
  With all of this in mind, I introduced the Women, Peace, and Security 
Act, along with Representative Schakowsky, and with Chairman Royce's 
and Ranking Member Engel's help. The bipartisan legislation ensures 
that women have a seat at the table when peace negotiations are 
ongoing. It makes sure that there is meaningful congressional 
oversight. This bill builds on existing U.S. initiatives while 
requiring a focused and long-term strategy with greater congressional 
oversight. Our legislation will help introduce further accountability. 
By doing so, I am hopeful that we can provide even greater 
sustainability outcomes during future conflict resolutions and peace 
negotiation processes.
  I thank the Speaker for considering H.R. 5332, and I urge my 
colleagues to support the bill.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky), who has played such a leading role on these 
issues.
  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. I thank my colleague for yielding.

[[Page H6192]]

  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5332, the Women, Peace, and 
Security Act.
  First, I thank my partner in this effort, Congresswoman Kristi Noem, 
for all of her work in making this day come, as well as to thank 
Chairman Royce, who not only spoke so eloquently about the importance 
of this legislation, but who helped to make it happen today. I thank 
Ranking Member Engel for his leadership in moving this legislation 
forward. I am so appreciative.
  This is a bipartisan, budget-neutral bill to encourage the 
participation of women in creating peace. As Congressman Royce said, 
when women are involved in the peace process, negotiations are more 
likely to end in lasting agreements. He is right in that the 
International Peace Institute found that a peace agreement is 35 
percent more likely to last for at least 15 years if women participate 
in drafting the agreement. The study also found that, with a 5 percent 
increase in women's political participation, a nation is five times 
less likely to use violence when faced with international crisis or 
conflict. Promoting the participation of women abroad is in our 
country's strategic interest as it increases stability and economic 
prosperity. However, women remain underrepresented in conflict 
prevention, conflict resolution, and post-conflict peace-building 
efforts around the world.

  The Women, Peace, and Security Act is a step toward fixing that 
imbalance and promoting a more peaceful future. The Women, Peace, and 
Security Act would, for the very first time, establish women's 
participation as a permanent element of U.S. foreign policy under 
congressional oversight. It would also promote greater transparency and 
accountability in efforts at the Department of Defense and the 
Department of State. Under the Women, Peace, and Security Act, those 
departments would report annually to Congress on efforts to actively 
recruit women and to promote women's participation in conflict 
prevention and resolution.
  The bill would encourage the United States to assist women mediators 
and negotiators by eliminating barriers to their equal and secure 
participation in peace processes. In addition, it would institute 
comprehensive training modules on the protection, rights, and specific 
needs of women in conflict and would require the administration to 
evaluate the impact of U.S. foreign assistance on women's meaningful 
political participation.
  The United States plays such a crucial role in promoting peace all 
over the world. By making women's participation in the peace process a 
national priority, we will improve national and global security. I am 
proud to join Congresswoman Noem in championing this legislation, and I 
encourage my colleagues to support its passage.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Once again, I thank Chairman Ed Royce as well as Representatives Noem 
and Schakowsky for their hard work. This is truly bipartisan and is 
very good for the country.
  This is one of these issues that wouldn't have occurred to many 
people a generation ago or even a decade ago, but thanks to hard work, 
research, and innovative thinking, we now know how critical it is that 
women have a seat at the table when we are working to prevent and 
resolve conflicts. This bill will help ensure that our foreign policy 
stays on the cutting edge.
  I hope, in the future, we will continue to do the hard work that is 
needed to drive new ideas in foreign policy and to understand the 
complexities and sensitivities of our interconnected, global landscape. 
This isn't kid stuff, and we shouldn't treat it lightly; so I am 
grateful for the commitment of my colleagues that has helped move this 
bill forward. I urge a ``yes'' vote.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  From Syria to Afghanistan to Sudan, armed conflicts are raging all 
over this globe, and efforts to negotiate their ends are more important 
now than ever. We know that when women are included in these 
discussions that we are much more likely to see an enduring peace. As a 
witness at our hearing on women's participation explained: including 
women is not only the right thing to do, it is the smart thing to do.
  The legislation before us today will strengthen U.S. efforts to 
promote the inclusion of women in peace negotiations in order to create 
more sustainable agreements and reduce that likelihood that we have 
seen over and over and over again of a return to conflict.
  I take this moment to thank Representatives Noem and Schakowsky for 
their bipartisan work on this measure. I also want to mention a few 
staff members who have not only worked on our series of focusing month 
after month on empowering women in negotiations, but on issues beyond 
that--human trafficking. I especially want to thank Jessica Kelch, 
Janice Kaguyutan, Renee Munasifi, and Elizabeth Cunningham. I thank 
them all for their efforts throughout the years on these issues.
  As we close, I really urge all of my colleagues to support this 
important legislation.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 5332, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to ensure 
that the United States promotes the meaningful participation of women 
in mediation and negotiation processes seeking to prevent, mitigate, or 
resolve violent conflict.''.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________