[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 127 (Monday, July 20, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4298-S4299]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2472. Mr. MENENDEZ submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
to amendment SA 2301 proposed by Mr. Inhofe to the bill S. 4049, to 
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2021 for military activities 
of the Department of Defense, for military construction,

[[Page S4299]]

and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe 
military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other 
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of subtitle G of title XII, add the following:

     SEC. 1287. EFFORTS TO MEDIATE GRAND ETHIOPIAN RENAISSANCE DAM 
                   DISPUTE.

       (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) an equitable outcome of negotiations over the future of 
     the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam that promotes sustainable 
     economic, energy, and agricultural development is in the best 
     interest of regional actors as well as United States 
     interests in East and North Africa; and
       (2) the Department of State's diplomatic corps should lead 
     interagency United States Government efforts to facilitate 
     negotiations and engage with regional actors in support of a 
     solution.
       (b) Report.--Not later than 10 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, and every 30 days thereafter, the 
     Secretary of State shall submit to Congress a report 
     including--
       (1) a description of the status of United States efforts to 
     mediate the dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, 
     including diplomatic actions taken over the previous 180 days 
     to support a settlement;
       (2) a description of the outcome of African Union and other 
     initiatives to facilitate an agreement among Egypt, Ethiopia, 
     and Sudan;
       (3) the United States Government diplomatic strategy to 
     encourage an agreement and mitigate the risks that a failure 
     to reach an agreement poses for the three countries and the 
     region; and
       (4) an analysis prepared by the Bureau of Intelligence and 
     Research, in classified form as necessary, of--
       (A) the effectiveness of United States efforts to 
     facilitate negotiations to date;
       (B) the perceptions within Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan of 
     United States efforts to facilitate negotiation; and
       (C) potential triggers for conflict.
       (c) Limitation on Withholding of Funds.--The Secretary of 
     State may not withhold any United States assistance to Egypt, 
     Ethiopia, or Sudan until 60 days after notifying the 
     appropriate congressional committees of the decision to 
     withhold such funds.
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