[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 186 (Tuesday, November 27, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H9587-H9591]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
GLOBAL FRAGILITY AND VIOLENCE REDUCTION ACT OF 2018
Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 5273) to reduce global fragility and violence by
improving the capacity of the United States to reduce and address the
causes of violence, violent conflict, and fragility in pilot countries,
and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 5273
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 ``Global Fragility and
Violence Reduction Act of 2018''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) According to the United Nations, an unprecedented 68.5
million people around the world, the highest level ever
recorded, are currently forcibly displaced from their homes.
(2) According to the World Bank, violence and violent
conflict are now the leading causes of displacement and food
insecurity worldwide, driving 80 percent of humanitarian
needs, with the same conflicts accounting for the majority of
forcibly displaced persons every year since 1991.
(3) According to the World Health Organization, preventable
forms of violence kill at least 1.4 million people each year.
According to the Institute for Economics and Peace, violence
containment costs the global economy $14.76 trillion a year,
or 12.4 percent of the world's GDP. If violence were to
decrease uniformly across the world by just 10 percent, the
global economy would gain $1.48 trillion each year.
(4) Violence and violent conflict underpin many of the
United States Government's key national security challenges.
Notably, violent conflicts allow for environments in which
terrorist organizations recruit and thrive, while the
combination of violence, corruption, poverty, poor
governance, and underdevelopment often enables transnational
gangs and criminal networks to wreak havoc and commit
atrocities worldwide.
(5) According to new research by the University of Maryland
and University of Pittsburgh, exposure to violence increases
support for violence and violent extremism. Research
increasingly finds exposure to violence as a predictor of
future participation in violence, including violent
extremism.
(6) United States foreign policy and assistance efforts in
highly violent and fragile states remain governed by an
outdated patchwork of authorities that prioritize responding
to immediate needs rather than solving the problems that
cause them.
(7) Lessons learned over the past 20 years, documented by
the 2013 Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction
Lessons Learned Study, the 2016 Fragility Study Group report,
and the 2018 Special Inspector General for Afghanistan
Lessons Learned Study on Stabilization, show that effective,
sustained United States efforts to reduce violence and
stabilize fragile and violence-affected states require
clearly defined goals and strategies, adequate long-term
funding, rigorous and iterative conflict analysis,
coordination across the United States Government, including
strong civil-military coordination, and integration with
national and sub-national partners, including local civil
society organizations, local justice systems, and local
governance structures.
(8) The ``Stabilization Assistance Review'' released in
2018 by the Departments of State and Defense and the United
States Agency for International Development states, ``The
United States has strong national security and economic
interests in reducing levels of violence and promoting
stability in areas affected by armed conflict.'' The Review
further states, ``Stabilization is an inherently political
endeavor that requires aligning U.S. Government efforts--
diplomatic engagement, foreign assistance, and defense--
toward supporting locally legitimate authorities and systems
to peaceably manage conflict and prevent violence.''.
SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY.
It is the policy of the United States to--
(1) ensure that all relevant Federal departments and
agencies coordinate to achieve coherent, long-term goals for
programs designed to prevent violence, stabilize conflict-
affected areas, and address the long-term causes of violence
and fragility, including when implementing the Global
Fragility and Violence Reduction Initiative described in
section 5(a);
(2) seek to improve global, regional, and local
coordination of relevant international and multilateral
development and donor organizations regarding efforts to
prevent violence, stabilize conflict-affected areas, and
address the long-term causes of violence and fragility in
fragile and violence-affected countries, and, where
practicable and appropriate, align such efforts with
multilateral goals and indicators;
(3) expand and enhance the effectiveness of United States
foreign assistance programs and activities to prevent
violence, stabilize conflict-affected areas, and address the
long-term causes of violence and fragility, including
programs intended to improve the indicators described in
section 5(d)(1);
(4) support the research and development of effective
approaches to prevent violence, stabilize conflict-affected
areas, and address the long-term causes of violence and
fragility; and
(5) improve the monitoring, evaluation, learning, and
adaptation tools and authorities for relevant Federal
departments and agencies working to prevent violence,
stabilize conflict-affected areas, and address the long-term
causes of violence and fragility.
SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING ASSISTANCE FOR THE GLOBAL
FRAGILITY AND VIOLENCE REDUCTION INITIATIVE.
It is the sense of Congress that the President, the
Secretary of State, the Administrator of USAID, the Secretary
of Defense, and the heads of other relevant Federal
departments and agencies, should work with Congress to
provide sufficient types and levels of funding to--
(1) allow for more adaptive program planning and
implementation under the initiative and priority country or
regional plans required under section 5, including through
exemptions from specific and minimum funding levels when such
exemptions would make programs better able to respond to
monitoring and evaluation or changed circumstances in
relevant countries;
(2) better integrate conflict and violence reduction
activities into other program areas where appropriate; and
(3) contribute to the creation of transparent and
accountable multilateral funds, initiatives, and strategies
to enhance and better coordinate both private and public
efforts to prevent violence, stabilize conflict-affected
areas, and address the long-term causes of violence and
fragility.
SEC. 5. GLOBAL INITIATIVE TO REDUCE FRAGILITY AND VIOLENCE.
(a) Initiative.--The Secretary of State, in coordination
with the Administrator of the United States Agency for
International Development (USAID), the Secretary of Defense,
and the heads of other relevant Federal departments and
agencies, shall establish an interagency initiative, to be
referred to as the ``Global Initiative to Reduce Fragility
and Violence'', to prevent violence, stabilize conflict-
affected areas, and address the long-term causes of violence
and fragility.
(b) Implementation Plan.--Not later than 180 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in
coordination with the Administrator of USAID, the Secretary
of Defense, and the heads of other relevant Federal
departments and agencies, shall develop and submit to the
appropriate congressional committees an interagency
implementation plan for the Global Initiative to Reduce
Fragility and Violence established pursuant to subsection (a)
that includes the following:
(1) Descriptions of the overall goals, objectives,
criteria, and metrics guiding the implementation, including
with respect to prioritizing countries and measuring
progress.
(2) A list of the priority countries and regions selected
pursuant to subsection (d)(2).
(3) Identification of the roles and responsibilities of
each participating Federal department or agency, while
ensuring that with respect to activities relating to
stabilization--
(A) the Department of State shall be the overall lead for
establishing United States foreign policy and advancing
diplomatic and political efforts;
(B) USAID shall be the lead implementing agency for
development, humanitarian, and related non-security programs;
(C) the Department of Defense shall support the activities
of the Department of State and USAID as appropriate,
including by providing requisite security and reinforcing
civilian efforts, with the concurrence of the Secretary of
State and Administrator of USAID; and
(D) other Federal departments and agencies shall support
the activities of the Department of State and USAID as
appropriate, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State
and Administrator of USAID.
(4) Identification of the authorities, staffing, and other
resource requirements needed to effectively implement the
initiative.
(5) Descriptions of the organizational steps the Department
of State, USAID, the Department of Defense, and each other
relevant Federal department or agency will take to improve
planning, coordination, implementation, monitoring,
evaluation, adaptive management, and iterative learning with
respect to the programs under such initiative.
(6) Descriptions of the steps each relevant Federal
department or agency will take to improve coordination and
collaboration under such initiative with international
development organizations, international donors, multilateral
organizations, and the private sector.
(7) Descriptions of potential areas of improved public and
private sector research and development, including with
academic, philanthropic, and civil society organizations, on
more effective approaches to preventing violence, stabilizing
conflict-affected areas, and addressing the long-term causes
of violence and fragility.
(8) Plans for regularly evaluating and updating, on an
iterative basis--
(A) the Global Initiative to Reduce Fragility and Violence;
(B) the interagency implementation plan described in this
subsection; and
(C) the priority country and regional plans described in
subsection (c).
[[Page H9588]]
(c) Priority Country and Regional Plans.--Not later than 1
year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
Secretary of State, in coordination with the Administrator of
USAID, the Secretary of Defense, and the heads of other
relevant Federal departments and agencies, shall develop and
submit to the appropriate congressional committees 10-year
plans to align and integrate the diplomatic, development,
security, and other relevant activities of the United States
Government with the initiative required under subsection (a)
for each of the priority countries and regions designated
pursuant to subsection (d). Such priority country and
regional plans shall include:
(1) Specific interagency plans for coordination and
implementation under the country or regional plan.
(2) Descriptions of how and when the relevant goals,
objectives, and plans for each priority country or region
will be incorporated into relevant United States country
plans and strategies, including Department of State
Integrated Country Strategies, USAID Country Development
Cooperation Strategies, and Department of Defense Campaign
Plans, Operational Plans, and Regional Strategies, as well as
any equivalent or successor plans or strategies.
(3) Interagency plans to ensure that appropriate local
actors, including government and civil society entities and
organizations led by women, youth, or under-represented
communities, have roles in developing, implementing,
monitoring, evaluating, and updating relevant aspects of each
such country or regional plan.
(4) Clear, transparent, and measurable diplomatic,
development, and security benchmarks, timetables, and
performance metrics for each such country and region that
align with best practices where applicable.
(5) Interagency plans for monitoring and evaluation,
adaptive management, and iterative learning that provide for
regular and iterative policy and program adaptations based on
outcomes, lessons learned, and other evidence gathered from
each such country or region and across such countries and
regions.
(6) Descriptions of the available policy tools to prevent
violence, stabilize conflict-affected areas, and address the
long-term causes of violence and fragility in each such
country or region.
(7) Descriptions of the resources and authorities that
would be required for each relevant Federal department or
agency to best implement each such country or regional plan,
as well as evidence-based iterative updates to such plans.
(8) Descriptions of potential areas of improved partnership
with respect to such country or region, regarding efforts to
prevent violence, stabilize conflict-affected areas, and
address the long-term causes of violence and fragility,
between the United States Government and--
(A) international development organizations;
(B) relevant international donors;
(C) multilateral organizations; and
(D) the private sector.
(d) Designation of Priority Countries and Regions.--
(1) Identification of candidate countries and regions.--The
Secretary of State, in coordination with the Administrator of
USAID and the Secretary of Defense and in consultation with
the appropriate congressional committees, shall develop a
list of candidate countries and regions to be considered for
inclusion under the initiative on the basis of--
(A) clearly defined indicators of high levels of violence
and fragility in such country or region, such as--
(i) violence committed by armed groups, gender-based
violence, and violence against children and youth;
(ii) prevalence of, and citizen support for, adversarial
armed groups;
(iii) internal and external population displacement;
(iv) patterns of human rights violations, including early
warning indicators of the commission of genocide or other
atrocities;
(v) poor governance, pervasive corruption, and political
instability; and
(vi) vulnerability to current or future transnational
threats; and
(B) the capacity and opportunity to work across Federal
departments and agencies and with local partners and other
donors to prevent violence, stabilize conflict-affected
areas, and address the long-term causes of violence and
fragility with respect to such country or region, including
by measurably--
(i) improving inclusive, transparent, and accountable power
structures, including effective, legitimate, and resilient
national and sub-national institutions;
(ii) improving effective and respected conflict prevention,
mitigation, management, and resolution mechanisms;
(iii) reducing levels of support among the residents of
such country or region for violence, violent extremism, and
adversarial armed groups;
(iv) ensuring strong foundations for plurality, non-
discrimination, human rights, rule of law, and equal access
to justice;
(v) addressing political, social, economic, and
environmental vulnerabilities, grievances, and conflicts;
(vi) ensuring inclusive economic development and enabling
business environments; and
(vii) improving resilience to transnational stresses and
shocks, including from organized crime, violent extremist
organizations, and economic and food markets crises.
(2) Selection of priority countries and regions.--From
among the candidate countries and regions identified pursuant
to paragraph (1), the Secretary of State, in coordination
with the Administrator of USAID and the Secretary of Defense,
shall select certain countries as ``priority countries'' and
certain regions as ``priority regions'' in a manner that
ensures that--
(A) countries and regions are selected in a sufficient
number and of sufficient diversity to provide indicators of
the various drivers and early warnings of violence, conflict,
and fragility, as well as best practices for United States
efforts to prevent violence, stabilize conflict-affected
areas, and address the long-term causes of violence and
fragility;
(B) not fewer than three countries or regions are
designated as ``Stabilization Countries'' or ``Stabilization
Regions'', in which the current levels of violence, violent
conflict, or fragility are among the highest in the world;
(C) not fewer than three countries or regions are
designated as ``Prevention Countries'' or ``Prevention
Regions'', in which current levels of violence, violent
conflict, or fragility are lower than such levels in
Stabilization Countries or Stabilization Regions but warning
signs for future violence, conflict, or fragility are
significant;
(D) regions, rather than individual countries, are selected
where the threat or spillover of violence, conflict, or
fragility threatens the stability of multiple countries
within a single geographic region; and
(E) the countries and regions selected are in the areas of
responsibility of at least three geographic bureaus of the
Department of State.
(e) Stakeholder Consultation.--The initiative required
under subsection (a) shall be developed in coordination with
representatives of local civil society and national and local
governance entities, as well as relevant international
development organizations, multilateral organizations,
donors, and relevant private, academic, and philanthropic
entities, as appropriate.
(f) Congressional Consultation.--The Secretary of State,
the Administrator of USAID, and the Secretary of Defense
shall provide regular briefings on the implementation of this
Act to any appropriate congressional committee upon the
request of such committee.
(g) Measuring Violence, Violent Conflict, and Fragility.--
For the purposes of implementing, monitoring, and evaluating
the effectiveness of the priority country and regional plans
required under subsection (c), progress towards preventing
violence, stabilizing conflict-affected areas, and addressing
the long-term causes of violence and fragility shall be
measured by indicators established for each such country by
relevant inter-agency country teams for each such country,
informed by consultations with the stakeholders specified in
subsection (e).
SEC. 6. IMPLEMENTATION AND UPDATES OF PRIORITY COUNTRY AND
REGIONAL PLANS.
The Secretary of State, in coordination with the
Administrator of USAID, the Secretary of Defense, and the
heads of other relevant Federal departments and agencies, and
in consultation with the relevant United States Ambassadors,
USAID Mission Directors, geographic Combatant Commanders, and
other relevant individuals with responsibility over
activities in each priority country or region designated
pursuant to section 5, shall ensure that--
(1) the Global Initiative to Reduce Fragility and Violence
and the priority country and regional plans required under
such section are implemented, updated, and coordinated on a
regular and iterative basis;
(2) such initiative and country and regional plans are used
to guide United States Government policy at a senior level
and incorporated into relevant strategies and plans across
the United States Government and in each such country;
(3) resources for all relevant activities and requirements
of such initiative and country and regional plans are
prioritized, requested, and used consistent with such
initiative and country and regional plans; and
(4) the results of program monitoring and evaluation under
such initiative and country and regional plans are regularly
reviewed and used to determine continuation, modification, or
termination of future year programming.
SEC. 7. BIENNIAL REPORTS AND CONGRESSIONAL CONSULTATION.
(a) Biennial Reports.--Not later than two years after the
date of the enactment of this Act and every two years
thereafter until the date that is 10 years after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, the
Administrator of USAID, the Secretary of Defense, and the
heads of other relevant Federal departments and agencies
shall jointly submit to the appropriate congressional
committees a report on progress made and lessons learned with
respect to the Global Initiative to Reduce Fragility and
Violence and each priority country or regional plan required
under section 5, including--
(1) descriptions of steps taken to incorporate such
initiative and such country or regional plans into relevant
strategies and plans that affect such countries or regions;
(2) accountings of all funding received and obligated to
implement each such country or regional plan during the past
two years, as well as funding requested, planned, and
projected for the following two years;
[[Page H9589]]
(3) descriptions of progress made towards the goals and
objectives established for each such priority country or
region, including progress made towards achieving the
specific targets, metrics, and indicators described in
section 5(b); and
(4) descriptions of updates made during the past two years
to the goals, objectives, plans of action, and other elements
described in section 5 for each such country or regional
plan, as well as any changes made to programs based on the
results of monitoring and evaluation.
(b) Congressional Consultation.--In addition to the reports
required under subsection (a), the Secretary of State, the
Administrator of USAID, the Secretary of Defense, and the
heads of other relevant Federal departments and agencies
shall jointly consult with the appropriate congressional
committees at least once a year regarding progress made on
the initiative and priority country and regional plans
required under section 5.
SEC. 8. GAO REVIEW.
(a) In General.--Not later than two years after the date of
the enactment of this Act and every two years thereafter
until the date that is 10 years after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United
States shall consult with the Chairman and Ranking Member of
the Foreign Relations Committee of the Senate and the Foreign
Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives regarding
opportunities for independent review of the activities under
the Global Initiative to Reduce Fragility and Violence and
the priority country and regional plans required by section
5, including--
(1) opportunities to--
(A) assess the extent to which United States Government
activities in each priority country designated pursuant to
section 5 are being implemented in accordance with the
initiative and the relevant country or regional plan required
under such section;
(B) assess the processes and procedures for coordinating
among and within each relevant Federal department or agency
when implementing such initiative and each such country or
regional plan;
(C) assess the monitoring and evaluation efforts under such
initiative and each such country or regional plan, including
assessments of the progress made and lessons learned with
respect to each such plan, as well as any changes made to
activities based on the results of such monitoring and
evaluation; and
(D) recommend changes necessary to better implement United
States Government activities in accordance with such
initiative and country and regional plans, as well as
recommendations for any changes to such initiative or plans;
and
(2) such other matters the Comptroller General determines
to be appropriate.
(b) Availability of Information.--All relevant Federal
departments and agencies shall make all relevant data,
documents, and other information available to the Comptroller
General for purposes of conducting independent reviews
pursuant to this section.
SEC. 9. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act--
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committees on Foreign Relations, Armed Services,
and Appropriations of the Senate; and
(B) the Committees on Foreign Affairs, Armed Services, and
Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
(2) Relevant federal department or agency.--The term
``relevant Federal department or agency'' means the
Department of the Treasury and any other Federal department
or agency the President determines is relevant to carry out
the 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 of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that
all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their
remarks and include 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 of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, since the horrific attacks of September 11, 2001, the
United States has committed lives and treasure to help stabilize
countries plagued by conflict and insecurity. We undertake these
efforts because unchecked instability abroad threatens our economic,
humanitarian, and security interests here at home.
Of course, the United States cannot achieve its objectives alone. We
need to coordinate with willing and able partners. We need to engage
local leaders, empower civil society, and work with the private sector.
We need to improve coordination among our own national security
agencies to ensure they are working together to advance clearly defined
objectives and eliminate duplication and waste. Through this process,
they learn and adapt.
Last June, the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International
Development, and the Department of Defense released a security
assistance review that set out a framework to improve U.S. security
assistance programs, including stabilization. The legislation we are
considering today builds on that effort.
This legislation requires the Secretary of State, in coordination
with the Administrator of USAID, the Secretary of Defense, and the
heads of other relevant Federal departments and agencies, to develop a
comprehensive initiative to address global violence and instability.
Within 6 months, the Secretary of State will submit to Congress an
implementation plan that sets out clear goals and objectives,
identifies priority countries and regions, defines the roles and
responsibilities of each U.S. department and agency, and describes
efforts to improve coordination and private sector engagement.
Then, building off that initial survey, the Secretary will submit to
Congress a 10-year implementation plan for each identified priority
country and region that aligns the diplomatic, development, and
security activities of the United States.
Mr. Speaker, this is a timely bill that will help ensure the
effective use of U.S. foreign assistance, reduce violence and
insecurity abroad, and keep America safe. It enjoys bipartisan support.
And it just makes sense.
I would like to thank the sponsors--Ranking Member Eliot Engel; the
chairman of the Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade Subcommittee, Ted
Poe; the chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, Mike McCaul; Bill
Keating of Massachusetts--and their bipartisan cosponsors for their
work on this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this measure. I am proud to have
authored this bipartisan piece of legislation, and I thank Chairman
Royce for his leadership in bringing it to the floor. I also want to
thank Congressmen Poe, McCaul, Keating, and Adam Smith for joining me
as original cosponsors.
Around the world, levels of violence are at a 25-year high, driving
massive instability. This is a global security threat, as fragile,
unstable states are breeding grounds for criminals and terrorists.
There is a significant economic toll as well. Violence and
instability undercut American investment and development efforts, and
cost the global economy nearly $15 trillion a year.
But probably worst of all, this violence and instability has created
a humanitarian catastrophe. The world now faces an unprecedented
refugee crisis: 68.5 million people have left their homes. This is the
highest level ever recorded.
Naturally, we need to do more to end this violence and instability,
and prevent it from happening in the first place. Over the years, we
have learned a lot about what works to stabilize conflicts and prevent
violence from breaking out. We need to update our government policies
to implement those lessons.
This bill does just that by establishing an initiative to reduce
fragility and violence, and to align American policy and programs with
best practices. It will require the State Department, USAID, and the
Department of Defense to coordinate their diplomatic, development, and
security activities, with a focus on at least six priority countries or
regions. It also requires innovative approaches to coordinate our work
with partners, measure results, and adapt to changing conditions.
Finally, it mandates robust oversight to ensure our efforts are
implemented effectively.
{time} 1645
The Global Fragility and Violence Reduction Act is an important step
in thwarting many of the most devastating crises facing the world right
[[Page H9590]]
now and preventing new ones from emerging in the future. I am very
happy to have authored this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to
join me in passing it today.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from Texas, Judge Ted Poe, chairman of the Foreign Affairs
Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade.
Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I want to express my strong support
for this legislation of which I am an original cosponsor. I was proud
to work alongside Ranking Member Engel, Mr. Adam Smith, Mr. McCaul, and
Representative Keating on this legislation.
Around the globe today, Mr. Speaker, fractured nations are struggling
with conflict, violence, and a range of other challenges that degrade
security and prevent their internal development.
Weak states and ungoverned places anywhere in the world provide
opportunities for terrorism and instability to flourish. As a result,
these fragile states become national security concerns for our country.
Mr. Speaker, we need to solve problems in a smarter way so we don't
have to constantly deploy America's sons and daughters into harm's way
to fight more foreign wars. The United States has been at war
consistently for over 17 straight years. Maybe it is time we rethink
our philosophy of constant military involvement throughout the globe as
a first response to turmoil and unrest.
We need to address the underlying root causes of instability: treat
the disease, not just the symptoms. That is what this bill will do. It
will require the development of a whole-of-government approach to
targeting root causes of instability and conflict in the world's most
fragile regions before they require military interventions by the
United States.
Instead of parallel efforts that often respond to conflict with
short-term solutions, this bill will require long-term, coordinated
strategies that make our foreign assistance dollars more effective. It
will allow Congress to have more oversight of those foreign aid
dollars. The money we spend abroad must be designed to solve problems,
not endlessly consume resources by military conflict.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Ranking Member Engel for his leadership
on this critical issue. I do urge my colleagues to support this
legislation.
I also want to take a moment to thank Ranking Member Engel for his
friendship and support and his work on the Foreign Affairs Committee
since I have been on the committee. I also want to thank Chairman
Royce, who will also be leaving Congress at the end of this session,
for his work.
As we have said numerous times, if more committees would work in a
bipartisan way to solve a specific goal--the long-term interests of the
United States being that goal--I think things would be better here in
the House. But I want to thank both of these Members for their
relationship with me and for working so hard to help America solve
these international problems in a bipartisan way.
And that is just the way it is.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) who just
spoke, I think it is very appropriate now, as the Congress is moving to
an end, to thank him for his hard work and for his good friendship. He
really is a Member's Member and is really indicative of the bipartisan
showing that we had for many, many years on the Foreign Affairs
Committee.
We are going to miss the gentleman on the committee, and we hope he
will continue to watch us and call us and keep in touch with us because
he truly is a fine Member and someone whom I am really proud to call my
friend. And if I may so say, and that is just the way it is.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul), chairman of the Committee on
Homeland Security and a senior member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the bill I wrote with
Mr. Engel, my good friend, the Global Fragility and Violence Reduction
Act.
Mr. Speaker, one of our greatest national security challenges is
preventing violent conflict around the world. Violent conflict creates
hostile environments and displaces and deprives citizens. It costs the
global economy over $14 trillion annually.
They also provide fertile recruiting grounds for terrorist groups and
transnational criminal organizations, which I have tracked in my role
as chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security. Often, these
environments thrive in states that are fragile, where the government
loses legitimacy in the eyes of its own people and, ultimately, its
ability to govern.
When ignored, these breakdowns in a government ultimately can lead to
lengthy and costly involvement by the United States. That is why,
today, Congressman Engel and I are proposing an innovative, new way of
thinking about these challenges.
The Global Fragility and Violence Reduction Act requires the
administration to launch an initiative to reduce this fragility and
violence. This will guide our efforts to reduce violent conflict and
help fragile states down a path towards stability.
This bill also requires the Department of State, in coordination with
USAID and the Department of Defense, to identify 10 countries or
regions as a pilot program to start this new initiative. This
initiative ensures local partnerships are at the core of any solution
in order to deliver better long-term results.
Since each fragile state is different, this initiative is flexible to
address the causes of fragility. What may work to solve the economic
and migration issues of Venezuela are likely to be different than the
solutions needed to help curb terrorist groups in west Africa.
By integrating the Department of State, USAID, and DOD together and
prioritizing, we are reshaping how we think about how we deliver aid
and development resources, preventing them from spiraling into chaos.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank, again, the ranking member; I
would like to thank Chairman Royce for his friendship, as well as Mr.
Poe and Mr. Smith; and I hope everybody will attend the chairman's
portrait unveiling at the National Archives this evening.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, again, I want to thank the bipartisan group
of lawmakers who worked with me on this bill--Mr. Poe, Mr. McCaul--and
I thank Chairman Royce for his leadership, as always.
After 17 years of war with no end in sight, we should all be able to
understand the value of preventing conflicts before they start. We have
learned a lot about what works and what doesn't when it comes to
stabilizing conflicts and preventing violence from breaking out. This
bill applies those lessons to American policy. By addressing the root
causes of violence, we get closer to a safer and more stable,
prosperous world.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly support the passage of this measure. I
encourage my colleagues to do the same, and I yield back the balance of
my time.
Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, let me begin by thanking Mr.
Engel, the author of this measure, and I express my deep appreciation
for his help in all that we have undertaken with our committee.
There are, as Eliot knows, 70 million men, women, and children who
have been displaced by conflict around this globe. While the United
States is the most generous provider of humanitarian assistance, it is
really true that no amount of tents and sheeting will stop the
suffering and the misery that these people feel.
We need solutions to get at the roots of these problems, and the
legislation we are considering today helps us down the right path to do
that. While it does not obligate the United States to take on
stabilization efforts, it does provide the framework for improved
coordination so that we can be more strategic, more efficient, and more
effective with our diplomatic development and security assistance.
Mr. Speaker, 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. 5273, as amended.
[[Page H9591]]
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and
nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
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