[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 84 (Monday, May 20, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H3966-H3970]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
GLOBAL FRAGILITY ACT
Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 2116) to enhance stabilization of conflict-affected areas
and prevent violence and fragility globally, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 2116
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 Act''.
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 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.
(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 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outdated patchwork of authorities that prioritize responding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, attention to the problem
of corruption, and integration with and leadership from
national and sub-national partners, including local civil
society organizations, traditional 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 stabilize conflict-affected areas and
prevent violence and fragility globally, including when
implementing the Global Fragility Initiative established
pursuant to section 6;
(2) seek to improve global, regional, and local
coordination of relevant international and multilateral
development and donor organizations regarding efforts to
stabilize conflict-affected areas and prevent violence and
fragility globally, 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 stabilize
conflict-affected areas and prevent violence and fragility
globally;
(4) support the research and development of effective
approaches to stabilize conflict-affected areas and prevent
violence and fragility globally, and data collection efforts
relevant to such approaches; and
(5) improve the tools and authorities for assessment,
monitoring, and evaluation needed to enable learning and
adaptation by such relevant Federal departments and agencies
working to stabilize conflict-affected areas and prevent
violence and fragility globally.
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) Stabilization and Prevention Fund.--
(1) Establishment.--There is established in the Treasury of
the United States a fund to be known as the ``Stabilization
and Prevention Fund'' (in this subsection referred to as the
``Fund''), to be administered by the Department of State and
the United States Agency for International Development
(USAID), and consisting of amounts authorized to be
appropriated pursuant to paragraph (2).
(2) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to the Fund $200,000,000 for each of the
five fiscal years beginning with the first fiscal year that
begins after the date of the enactment of this Act. Amounts
authorized to be appropriated pursuant to this paragraph are
authorized to remain available until expended.
(3) Purposes of the fund.--
(A) In general.--Amounts authorized to be appropriated to
the Fund shall be used for economic and development
assistance for any of the following:
(i) To support stabilization of conflict-affected areas and
prevent violence and fragility globally, including through
the Global Fragility Initiative established pursuant to
section 6.
(ii) To provide assistance to areas liberated or at risk
from, or under the control of, the Islamic State of Iraq and
Syria, other terrorist organizations, or violent extremist
organizations, including for stabilization assistance for
vulnerable ethnic and religious minority communities affected
by conflict.
(B) Addition.--Amounts authorized to be appropriated to the
Fund are in addition to any amounts otherwise made available
for the purposes described in subparagraph (A).
(4) Congressional notification.--Not later than 15 days
before amounts from the Fund are obligated, the Secretary of
State or Administrator of the United States Agency for
International Development shall submit notification of such
obligation to--
(A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives;
(B) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives;
(C) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; and
(D) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.
(b) Complex Crises Fund.--
(1) Establishment.--There is established in the Treasury of
the United States a fund to be known as the ``Complex Crises
Fund'' (in this subsection referred to as the ``Fund''), to
be administered by USAID.
(2) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to the Fund $30,000,000 for each of the
five fiscal years beginning with the first fiscal year that
begins after the date of the enactment of this Act. Amounts
authorized to be appropriated pursuant to this paragraph are
authorized to remain available until expended.
(3) Purposes of the fund.--
(A) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of
law, except section 620M of the Foreign Assistance Act of
1961 (22 U.S.C. 2378d), amounts in the Fund may be used to
carry out the provisions of the Foreign Assistance Act of
1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.) to support programs and
activities to prevent or respond to emerging or unforeseen
foreign challenges and complex crises overseas, including
through the Global Fragility Initiative established pursuant
to section 6.
(B) Addition.--Amounts authorized to be appropriated to the
Fund are in addition to any amounts otherwise made available
for the purposes described in subparagraph (A).
(4) Limitations.--
[[Page H3967]]
(A) In general.--Amounts in the Fund may not be expended
for lethal assistance or to respond to natural disasters.
(B) Administrative expenses.--Not more than five percent of
amounts in the Fund may be used for administrative expenses.
(5) Congressional notification.--Not later than five days
before amounts from the Fund are obligated, the Administrator
of the United States Agency for International Development
shall submit notification of such obligation to--
(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate;
(B) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
(C) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives; and
(D) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives.
(6) Waiver.--Notification in accordance with paragraph (5)
may be waived if--
(A) notification by the deadline specified in such
paragraph would pose a substantial risk to human health or
welfare; and
(B) the congressional committees specified in such
paragraph--
(i) are notified not later than three days after an
obligation of amounts from the Fund; and
(ii) are provided with an explanation of the emergency
circumstances that necessitated such waiver.
(c) Other Funding and Cost Matching.--The Global Fragility
Initiative established pursuant to section 6--
(1) may be supported by funds other than funds authorized
to be appropriated pursuant to this section; and
(2) shall seek to leverage funds from sources other than
the United States Government in order to promote coordination
and cost-matching to the maximum extent practicable.
SEC. 5. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING ASSISTANCE FOR THE GLOBAL
FRAGILITY 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 the appropriate
congressional committees to provide sufficient types and
levels of funding to--
(1) allow for more adaptive and responsive policy and
program planning, implementation, and scaling under the
Global Fragility Initiative established pursuant to section
6, including through more flexible funding mechanisms and
exemptions from specific and minimum funding levels when such
exemptions would make such programs better able to respond to
local needs, the results of monitoring and evaluation, or
changed circumstances in relevant countries;
(2) better integrate the initiative and other conflict and
violence reduction objectives and activities into other
policy and program areas, where appropriate; and
(3) support transparent and accountable multilateral funds,
initiatives, and strategies to enhance and better coordinate
both private and public efforts to stabilize conflict-
affected areas and prevent violence and fragility globally.
SEC. 6. GLOBAL FRAGILITY INITIATIVE.
(a) In General.--
(1) Establishment.--The Secretary of State, in coordination
with the Administrator of the United States Agency for
International Development (USAID), the Secretary of Defense,
the Atrocities Prevention Board (or any successor entity),
and the heads of other relevant Federal departments and
agencies, shall, in accordance with subsection (b), establish
an interagency initiative, to be referred to as the ``Global
Fragility Initiative'', to stabilize conflict-affected areas
and prevent violence and fragility globally.
(2) Stakeholder consultation.--The Global Fragility
Initiative required under this subsection shall be developed
in consultation with representatives of local civil society
and national and local governance entities, as well as
relevant international development organizations with
experience implementing programs in fragile and violence-
affected communities, multilateral organizations and donors,
and relevant private, academic, and philanthropic entities,
as appropriate.
(b) Establishment 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, the Atrocities Prevention Board (or any successor
entity), and the heads of other relevant Federal departments
and agencies, shall submit to the appropriate congressional
committees an interagency plan regarding the establishment of
the Global Fragility Initiative pursuant to subsection (a)
that includes the following:
(1) Identification of the roles and responsibilities of
each participating Federal department or agency, while
ensuring that--
(A) the Department of State is the overall lead department
for establishing United States foreign policy and advancing
diplomatic and political efforts;
(B) USAID is the lead implementing agency for development,
humanitarian, and related non-security program policy;
(C) where appropriate, the Department of Defense may
support the activities of the Department of State and USAID
by providing requisite security and support to civilian
efforts with the joint-formulation, coordination, and
concurrence of the Secretary of State and Administrator of
USAID; and
(D) other Federal departments and agencies support the
activities of the Department of State and USAID as
appropriate, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State
and Administrator of USAID.
(2) Identification of which officials of the Department of
State, USAID, and the Department of Defense, with a rank not
lower than Assistant Secretary or Assistant Administrator, as
the case may be, will be responsible for overseeing and
leading the initiative.
(3) Identification of the authorities, staffing, and other
resource requirements needed to effectively implement the
initiative.
(4) Descriptions of the organizational steps the Secretary
of State, the Administrator, the Secretary of Defense, and
the head of each other relevant Federal department or agency
will take to improve planning, coordination, implementation,
assessment, monitoring, evaluation, adaptive management, and
iterative learning with respect to the programs carried out
under the initiative.
(5) Descriptions of the steps the Secretary of State, the
Administrator, the Secretary of Defense, and the head of each
other relevant Federal department or agency will take to
ensure appropriate host-country ownership and to improve
coordination and collaboration under the initiative with
international development organizations, international
donors, multilateral organizations, and the private sector.
(6) Descriptions of potential areas of improved public and
private sector research and development, including with
academic, philanthropic, and civil society organizations, on
data collection efforts and more effective approaches to
stabilize conflict-affected areas and prevent violence and
fragility globally.
(7) Descriptions of the processes for regularly evaluating
and updating the initiative on an iterative basis, including
regarding priority country and regional plans described in
subsection (d).
(8) A list of priority countries and regions selected
pursuant to subsection (c), including descriptions of the
rationale for such selections.
(c) Selection of Priority 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 select
certain countries as ``priority countries'' and certain
regions as ``priority regions'' for the Global Fragility
Initiative--
(1) on the basis of--
(A) clearly defined indicators of the levels of violence or
fragility in such country or region, such as the country or
region's--
(i) ranking on recognized global fragility lists, such as
the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development
States of Fragility report, the Fund for Peace Fragile States
Index, the World Bank Harmonized List of Fragile Situations,
the Institute for Economics and Peace Global Peace Index, and
Holocaust Museum Early Warning Project Risk Assessment;
(ii) ranking on select United States Government conflict
and atrocity early warning watch lists; and
(iii) levels of violence, such as violence committed by
armed groups, violent extremist organizations, gender-based
violence, and violence against children and youth; and
(B) an assessment of--
(i) the capacity and commitment of national and sub-
national government entities and civil society partners in
such country or region to work with Federal departments and
agencies on the initiative, including by demonstrating the
willingness and making demonstrable efforts to improve
governance, enhance rule of law, and protect human rights;
and
(ii) the likelihood that selection as a priority country or
priority region would allow the initiative to measurably
stabilize conflict-affected areas or prevent violence and
fragility in such country or region; and
(2) in a manner that ensures that--
(A) not fewer than three countries or regions are
designated as ``Stabilization Countries'' or ``Stabilization
Regions'', as the case may be, in which current levels of
violence are among the highest in the world;
(B) not fewer than three countries or regions are
designated as ``Prevention Countries'' or ``Prevention
Regions'', as the case may be, in which current levels of
violence are lower than such levels in Stabilization
Countries or Stabilization Regions but risk factors for
violence or fragility are significant;
(C) countries and regions selected are in the areas of
responsibility of at least three geographic bureaus of the
Department of State; and
(D) regions, rather than individual countries, are selected
where the threat or spillover of violence, conflict, or
fragility threatens multiple countries within a single
geographic region.
(d) Country and Regional Plans.--Not later than one 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, the Atrocities Prevention Board (or any
successor entity), and the heads of other relevant Federal
departments and agencies, shall submit to the appropriate
congressional committees ten-year plans to align and
integrate under the Global Fragility Initiative required
under subsection (a) all relevant diplomatic,
[[Page H3968]]
development, security assistance and cooperation, and other
relevant activities of the United States Government with
respect to each of the countries and regions selected
pursuant to subsection (c). Each such country and regional
plan shall include the following:
(1) Specific multi-year interagency plans for coordination
and implementation under each such plan.
(2) An up-to-date baseline analysis for each such country
or region, including an analysis of political dynamics,
impacts of violence, and conditions that contribute to
violence and fragility.
(3) Prioritized descriptions of the goals and objectives
for stabilizing conflict-affected areas and preventing
violence and fragility in each such country or region.
(4) Descriptions of how and when the relevant goals,
objectives, plans, and benchmarks for each such 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.
(5) 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 an appropriate ownership stake in
developing, implementing, assessing, monitoring, evaluating,
and updating relevant activities under each such plan.
(6) Interagency plans to integrate existing and planned
security assistance and cooperation programs in each such
country or region with the initiative and to maximize
positive outcomes and mitigate risks associated with such
programs, including risks related to corruption, governance,
and human rights.
(7) Assessment, monitoring, and evaluation frameworks for
diplomatic, development, and security activities, which shall
be informed by consultations with the stakeholders specified
in subsection (a)(2), with clear, date-certain metrics for
each such country or region, as well as interagency plans for
using such frameworks to adapt such activities on a regular
and iterative basis.
(8) Descriptions of available policy tools and how such
tools will be used to stabilize conflict-affected areas or
prevent violence and fragility in each such country or
region.
(9) A description of how planning and implementation for
each such country or region will be coordinated to ensure
such planning and implementation are conducted in partnership
between the United States Government and--
(A) governments of such countries;
(B) international development organizations;
(C) relevant international donors;
(D) multilateral organizations; and
(E) the private sector.
(10) A regional component outlining plans to address
relevant transnational issues in cases in which an individual
country is selected and such country is affected by or at
risk of regional fragility or violence.
(11) A component outlining plans to address national-level
factors at the individual country level in cases in which a
region is selected and such region is affected by or at risk
of fragility or violence as a result of such national-level
factors.
(e) Implementation.--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
Atrocities Prevention Board (or any successor entity),
relevant United States ambassadors, USAID mission directors,
geographic combatant commanders, and other relevant
individuals with responsibility over activities in each
priority country or region selected pursuant to subsection
(c), shall ensure that--
(1) the Global Fragility Initiative required under
subsection (a), including each of the country and regional
plans under subsection (d), is implemented, updated, and
coordinated on a regular and iterative basis; and
(2) such initiative is used to guide United States
Government policy at a senior level and incorporated into
relevant strategies and plans across the United States
Government such that the activities of all Federal
departments and agencies are consistent with such initiative.
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 ten years after such date
of enactment, the Secretary of State, in coordination with
the Administrator of USAID, the Secretary of Defense, the
Atrocities Prevention Board (or any successor entity), and
the heads of other relevant Federal departments and agencies,
shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees an
unclassified report, which may include a classified annex, on
progress made and lessons learned with respect to the Global
Fragility Initiative established pursuant to section 6,
including each country and regional plan required as part of
such initiative, including the following:
(1) Descriptions of steps taken to incorporate the
initiative and such country and regional plans into relevant
strategies and plans that affect such countries and regions.
(2) Accountings of all funding received and obligated to
implement each such country and regional plan during the
previous two years, as well as funding requested, planned,
and projected for the following two years.
(3) Descriptions of progress made towards the goals and
objectives established for each such country and region,
including progress made towards achieving specific targets,
metrics, and indicators.
(4) Descriptions of updates made during the previous two
years to the goals, objectives, plans of action, and other
elements described in each such country and regional plan, as
well as any changes made to programs based on the results of
assessment, monitoring, and evaluation.
(b) Congressional Consultation.--The Secretary of State,
the Administrator of USAID, and the Secretary of Defense
shall provide to any appropriate congressional committee upon
the request of any such committee regular briefings on the
implementation of this Act.
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 ten years after such date of
enactment, the Comptroller General of the United States shall
consult with the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee
on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on
Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives regarding
opportunities for independent review of the activities under
the Global Fragility Initiative established pursuant to
section 6, including opportunities to--
(1) assess the extent to which United States Government
activities in each country and region selected as part of the
initiative are being implemented in accordance with the
initiative and the relevant country or regional plan under
the initiative;
(2) assess the processes and procedures for coordinating
among and within each relevant Federal department or agency
when implementing the initiative and each such country and
regional plan;
(3) assess the monitoring and evaluation efforts under the
initiative and each such country and 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;
(4) recommend changes necessary to better implement United
States Government activities in accordance with the
initiative, as well as recommendations for any changes to the
initiative; and
(5) assess such other matters as the Comptroller General
determines appropriate.
(b) Availability of Information.--The heads of all relevant
Federal departments and agencies shall ensure that all
relevant data, documents, and other information is made
available to the Comptroller General of the United States 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 New
York (Mr. Engel) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul) each will
control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.
General Leave
Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on H.R. 2116.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New York?
There was no objection.
Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, on the Foreign Affairs Committee, we focus a great
deal on the importance of diplomacy and development as pillars of
American foreign policy. The reason why we to do this is simple:
diplomacy and development advance our interests and values in a way
that saves lives, that prevents war, that stops crises before they
start, and helps stabilize countries where conflicts have occurred.
These efforts strengthen old friendships and build new bridges of
understanding with people and cultures and governments throughout the
world.
We will always need a strong military, but sending our servicemembers
[[Page H3969]]
into harm's way should, likewise, always be a measure of last resort.
So, on our committee, we look for ways to make our diplomacy and
development more effective. We try to give our diplomats and
development experts the tools and resources they need to carry out
their critical work.
Today, the House is taking up six bills aimed at doing just that. The
first is a bill of mine that I am glad is moving forward.
Let me thank our ranking member, my friend, Mr. McCaul of Texas, for
joining as a cosponsor. This legislation gets at the heart of what we
want to see from our diplomatic and development efforts around the
world: helping places already torn apart by violence to recover and
preventing the start of violence in other places where factors are ripe
for its outbreak.
Over the past two decades, we have learned a great deal about what
drives violence and instability in what are called fragile states. We
know that it takes clearly defined goals and strategies. We know that
it takes strong, sustained investment over the long term. We know that
it takes serious research and analysis. And we know that it takes
agencies across government working together toward the same goals.
This bill takes all that knowledge and establishes an overarching
policy framework for the United States Government. It will help ensure
that our government is working in lockstep to prevent violence and
extremism and that we are working closely with civil society groups to
assess internal and external drivers of instability, to implement these
initiatives on the ground, and to constantly monitor and evaluate the
work.
This bill takes into account the fact that no two countries are
alike. Some will be willing partners in this work; others will require
more rigorous engagement to get them on board. For this reason, the
bill requires the selection of priority countries and regions based on
a number of indicators, such as the challenges at hand and the
commitments of respective governments.
The bill also establishes and authorizes the Stabilization and
Prevention Fund and authorizes the Complex Crises Fund for the next 5
years, important steps in making sure this initiative has the resources
needed for success.
This bill will make a real difference in the lives of some of the
world's most vulnerable people and communities, and it will do so in a
way that serves U.S. interests.
The United States must get ahead of the extremist threat if we want
to ensure our own security. This bill helps us to do just that. I ask
for the support of all Members to pass this legislation.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McCAUL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Global Fragility Act. I
want to thank my good friend, Chairman Engel, for introducing this
bill. I am proud to be the lead Republican on this vital bipartisan
legislation.
Violent conflict costs the global economy more than $14 trillion
every year, killing tens of thousands of people and displacing millions
from their homes. In the past, the United States has been investing
billions of dollars to stabilize fragile states and conflict areas,
often with little to show for it.
We are successful militarily. For example, we have destroyed the so-
called caliphate in Iraq and Syria. But as former Secretary of Defense
James Mattis once said: ``The more that we put into the State
Department's diplomacy, hopefully, the less we have to put into a
military budget as we deal with the outcome. . . . `'
Simply put, we need to be more effective in helping to prevent
conflicts before they erupt. That is what this bill is designed to do.
Weak governance, corruption, and extreme poverty fuel instability.
Jihadi groups prey on these conditions and plague key parts of the
world with their violence and oppression. Fragile states provide
fertile recruiting ground for these terrorists and, also, transnational
criminal organizations.
Sadly, we are seeing jihadists expand in the Sahel region of Africa.
Violent attacks linked to terror groups have doubled every year since
2016.
When I was in Africa last month, I heard tragic stories of this
growing threat. I am glad that we are taking action here today to help
bring stability to this vital region by passing the Global Fragility
Act.
Our bill requires the administration to launch a new initiative to
coordinate our assistance in fragile states. This will ensure that the
United States takes a whole-of-government approach to preventing
violent conflict rather than individual agencies funding piecemeal,
uncoordinated activities.
The bill requires the State Department to coordinate with USAID, the
Department of Defense, and other agencies in standing up a pilot
program in a select number of countries. It also ensures consistent
future funding in order to take a long-term approach to our programs
and objectives in those key selected locations.
Madam Speaker, we must get this right. We are seeing unprecedented
levels of instability, displacement, and humanitarian needs around the
world in Syria, Venezuela, Yemen, the Sahel, South Sudan, and
elsewhere. Preventing conflict and violence can save the U.S. taxpayer
dollars and make our country and the rest of the world safer.
I want to recognize the development community and NGOs, like the ONE
Campaign, for the important work that they have done on this critical
humanitarian and national security issue. They have been extremely
supportive of this bill, and I look forward to working with them to get
to final passage.
Madam Speaker, in closing, I would like to say that we have done a
lot of good things in terms of defending this Nation. As chairman of
Homeland Security, I think that we stopped probably 95 percent of the
threats that we saw coming at us.
We have done very good offensively in our military, defeating and
destroying extremist groups like al-Qaida and ISIS in Iraq and Syria
and the collapse of the caliphate. But, Madam Speaker, I think where we
have been probably not as good and where we need to do better is in
prevention and getting at the root causes of the problems.
Getting to the root cause of the problems, particularly in Africa, is
extremely important, as the military tells us the Sahel will be the
next caliphate.
We have to pass this bill because it gets to the root cause. It is
the prevention piece that the State Department, USAID, and the
Department of Defense will work together to stop and prevent extremism
at its core roots, and I believe it will make the world a safer place
long term.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, the United States works to prevent and stop violence
when we help to build stronger, more secure communities around the
world; when we try to make the most vulnerable regions more stable and
prosperous, we are improving the lives of large numbers of people. We
are also advancing our own interests by eliminating the root causes
that allow extremism to fester and drive threats to our own security.
That is the aim of my bill. That is the aim of this bill we are
considering today. It is a smart approach to a serious foreign policy
challenge.
The House passed it in the last Congress. I hope the other body will
take it up soon so we can get it to the President's desk.
Madam Speaker, I again thank the ranking member, Mr. McCaul.
Policies like this should always be bipartisan. As I always stress,
as does Mr. McCaul, we try to work in a bipartisan way on the House
Foreign Affairs Committee because, after all, the work we are doing is
work for all Americans. It helps all Americans. It helps our great
Nation.
So I again want to thank the ranking member, Mr. McCaul. I ask all
Members to support this effort, and I yield back the balance of my
time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 2116.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
[[Page H3970]]
____________________