[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 115 (Thursday, July 11, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4978-S4979]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2667. Mr. RISCH submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill S. 4638, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2025 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, 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 A of title XII, add the following:

     SEC. 1216. A PLAN TO ENGAGE COUP COUNTRIES IN THE SAHEL AND 
                   CENTRAL AND WEST AFRICA TO RETURN TO CIVILIAN 
                   DEMOCRATIC RULE.

       (a) Plan Required.--Not later than 90 days after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in 
     consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall submit to 
     the appropriate committees of Congress a plan to engage with 
     coup countries in the Sahel, Central Africa, and West Africa 
     to promote the return to civilian democratic rule.
       (b) Matters To Be Included.--The plan required by 
     subsection (a) shall include the following:

[[Page S4979]]

       (1) An assessment of the country-specific and overarching 
     themes and contributing factors to the coup d'etats in 
     countries in the Sahel and Central and West Africa, 
     including--
       (A) the policies and practices of the United States and 
     United States partners and allies that may have contributed 
     to the erosion of democratic institutions and public trust in 
     civilian governments of coup countries; and
       (B) the actions taken by the militaries of the coup 
     countries.
       (2) An identification of United States national security 
     priorities in each coup country in the Sahel, Central Africa, 
     and West Africa.
       (3) An assessment of efforts by Russia, Iran, the People's 
     Republic of China, and other global and regional malign 
     actors to undermine the return to civilian democratic rule in 
     coup countries in the Sahel, Central Africa, and West Africa, 
     along with a plan to counter such efforts through United 
     States public and private diplomacy and assistance programs.
       (4) A description of planned public and private diplomatic 
     engagements to support efforts by civilians, civil society, 
     and the governments of coup countries in the Sahel, Central 
     Africa, and West Africa to return to civilian democratic 
     rule.
       (5) A description of interagency coordination mechanisms 
     and efforts to develop and execute a unified strategy and 
     response by the United States Government to support the 
     return to civilian democratic rule in coup countries in the 
     Sahel, Central Africa, and West Africa.
       (6) An identification of United States assistance and 
     programs aimed at supporting the return to civilian 
     democratic rule in coup countries in the Sahel, Central 
     Africa, and West Africa.
       (7) A description of how United States assistance programs 
     have been used to address the needs of civilians, civil 
     society, and political groups, as well as the commitments by 
     the governments of coup countries in the Sahel, Central 
     Africa, and West Africa to return to civilian democratic 
     rule, including an assessment of the challenges and 
     opportunities for engagement and support by the United States 
     and United States partners and allies.
       (8) A description of the application of coup-related 
     restrictions (including the authority to resume assistance 
     under section 7008 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 
     2022 (Public Law 117-103; 136 Stat. 593)) to coup countries 
     in the Sahel, Central Africa, and West Africa, including an 
     assessment of the effectiveness and challenges in using such 
     restrictions and authorities, as well as a strategy for 
     applying the authority under such section 7008 to each such 
     country to encourage or hold accountable the efforts by the 
     governments of such countries to return to civilian 
     democratic rule.
       (9) A description of plans to coordinate United States 
     efforts with France, the European Union, the United Nations, 
     the African Union, the Economic Community of West African 
     States (ECOWAS), and partner nations in the region to support 
     the return to civilian democratic rule in coup countries in 
     the Sahel, Central Africa, and West Africa.
       (10) A description of efforts undertaken by coup countries 
     in the Sahel, Central Africa, and West Africa to return to 
     civilian democratic rule, including unmet commitments and 
     opportunities for engagement by the United States and United 
     States partners and allies.
       (11) Any other matters that the Secretary considers to be 
     relevant.
       (c) Form.--The plan required by subsection (a) shall be 
     submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified 
     annex.
       (d) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term 
     ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
       (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on 
     Armed Services of the Senate; and
       (B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on 
     Armed Services of the House of Representatives.
       (2) Coup country.--The term ``coup countr y''--
       (A) means any country within the Sahel, West Africa, or 
     Central Africa regions in which the duly elected head of 
     government has been removed from office by a military coup 
     d'etat, decree, or any similar action in which the military 
     played a decisive role (within the meaning of the terms under 
     section 7008 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 
     (Public Law 117-103; 136 Stat. 593); and
       (B) includes--
       (i) Burkina Faso;
       (ii) Gabon;
       (iii) Guinea;
       (iv) Mali; and
       (v) Niger.
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