[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 3]
[House]
[Pages 3200-3205]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    RECONSTRUCTION AND STABILIZATION CIVILIAN MANAGEMENT ACT OF 2008

  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 1084) to amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, the State 
Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956, and the Foreign Service Act 
of 1980 to build operational readiness in civilian agencies, and for 
other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1084

       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 ``Reconstruction and 
     Stabilization Civilian Management Act of 2008''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
       (1) In June 2004, the Office of the Coordinator for 
     Reconstruction and Stabilization (referred to as the 
     ``Coordinator'') was established in the Department of State 
     with the mandate to lead, coordinate, and institutionalize 
     United States Government civilian capacity to prevent or 
     prepare for post-conflict situations and help reconstruct and 
     stabilize a country or region that is at risk of, in, or is 
     in transition from, conflict or civil strife.
       (2) In December 2005, the Coordinator's mandate was 
     reaffirmed by the National Security Presidential Directive 
     44, which instructed the Secretary of State, and at the 
     Secretary's direction, the Coordinator, to coordinate and 
     lead integrated United States Government efforts, involving 
     all United States departments and agencies with relevant 
     capabilities, to prepare, plan for, and conduct 
     reconstruction and stabilization operations.
       (3) National Security Presidential Directive 44 assigns to 
     the Secretary, with the Coordinator's assistance, the lead 
     role to develop reconstruction and stabilization strategies, 
     ensure civilian interagency program and policy coordination, 
     coordinate interagency processes to identify countries at 
     risk of instability, provide decision-makers with detailed 
     options for an integrated United States Government response 
     in connection with reconstruction and stabilization 
     operations, and carry out a wide range of other actions, 
     including the development of a civilian surge capacity to 
     meet reconstruction and stabilization emergencies. The 
     Secretary and the Coordinator are also charged with 
     coordinating with the Department of Defense on reconstruction 
     and stabilization responses, and integrating planning and 
     implementing procedures.
       (4) The Department of Defense issued Directive 3000.05, 
     which establishes that stability operations are a core United 
     States military mission that the Department of Defense must 
     be prepared to conduct and support, provides guidance on 
     stability operations that will evolve over time, and assigns 
     responsibilities within the Department of Defense for 
     planning, training, and preparing to conduct and support 
     stability operations.

     SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
     Administrator of the United States Agency for International 
     Development.
       (2) Agency.--The term ``agency'' means any entity included 
     in chapter 1 of title 5, United States Code.
       (3) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
     ``appropriate congressional committees'' means the Committee 
     on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the 
     Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.
       (4) Department.--Except as otherwise provided in this Act, 
     the term ``Department'' means the Department of State.
       (5) Personnel.--The term ``personnel'' means individuals 
     serving in any service described in section 2101 of title 5, 
     United States Code, other than in the legislative or judicial 
     branch.
       (6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of State.

[[Page 3201]]



     SEC. 4. AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE FOR RECONSTRUCTION 
                   AND STABILIZATION CRISES.

       Chapter 1 of part III of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 
     (22 U.S.C. 2351 et seq.) is amended by inserting after 
     section 617 the following new section:

     ``SEC. 618. ASSISTANCE FOR A RECONSTRUCTION AND STABILIZATION 
                   CRISIS.

       ``(a) Assistance.--
       ``(1) In general.--If the President determines that it is 
     in the national security interests of the United States for 
     United States civilian agencies or non-Federal employees to 
     assist in reconstructing and stabilizing a country or region 
     that is at risk of, in, or is in transition from, conflict or 
     civil strife, the President may, in accordance with the 
     provisions set forth in section 614(a)(3), subject to 
     paragraph (2) of this subsection but notwithstanding any 
     other provision of law, and on such terms and conditions as 
     the President may determine, furnish assistance to such 
     country or region for reconstruction or stabilization using 
     funds under paragraph (3).
       ``(2) Pre-notification requirement.--The President may not 
     furnish assistance pursuant paragraph (1) until five days 
     (excepting Saturdays, Sundays, and legal public holidays) 
     after the requirements under section 614(a)(3) of this Act 
     are carried out.
       ``(3) Funds.--The funds referred to in paragraph (1) are 
     funds made available under any other provision of law and 
     under other provisions of this Act, and transferred or 
     reprogrammed for purposes of this section, and such transfer 
     or reprogramming shall be subject to the procedures 
     applicable to a notification under section 634A of this Act.
       ``(b) Limitation.--The authority contained in this section 
     may be exercised only during fiscal years 2008, 2009, and 
     2010, except that the authority may not be exercised to 
     furnish more than $100,000,000 in any such fiscal year.''.

     SEC. 5. RECONSTRUCTION AND STABILIZATION.

       Title I of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 
     1956 (22 U.S.C. 2651a et seq.) is amended by adding at the 
     end the following new section:

     ``SEC. 62. RECONSTRUCTION AND STABILIZATION.

       ``(a) Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and 
     Stabilization.--
       ``(1) Establishment.--There is established within the 
     Department of State the Office of the Coordinator for 
     Reconstruction and Stabilization.
       ``(2) Coordinator for reconstruction and stabilization.--
     The head of the Office shall be the Coordinator for 
     Reconstruction and Stabilization, who shall be appointed by 
     the President, by and with the advice and consent of the 
     Senate. The Coordinator shall report directly to the 
     Secretary.
       ``(3) Functions.--The functions of the Office of the 
     Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization shall 
     include the following:
       ``(A) Monitoring, in coordination with relevant bureaus and 
     offices of the Department of State and the United States 
     Agency for International Development (USAID), political and 
     economic instability worldwide to anticipate the need for 
     mobilizing United States and international assistance for the 
     reconstruction and stabilization of a country or region that 
     is at risk of, in, or are in transition from, conflict or 
     civil strife.
       ``(B) Assessing the various types of reconstruction and 
     stabilization crises that could occur and cataloging and 
     monitoring the non-military resources and capabilities of 
     agencies (as such term is defined in section 3 of the 
     Reconstruction and Stabilization Civilian Management Act of 
     2008) that are available to address such crises.
       ``(C) Planning, in conjunction with USAID, to address 
     requirements, such as demobilization, disarmament, rebuilding 
     of civil society, policing, human rights monitoring, and 
     public information, that commonly arise in reconstruction and 
     stabilization crises.
       ``(D) Coordinating with relevant agencies to develop 
     interagency contingency plans and procedures to mobilize and 
     deploy civilian personnel and conduct reconstruction and 
     stabilization operations to address the various types of such 
     crises.
       ``(E) Entering into appropriate arrangements with agencies 
     to carry out activities under this section and the 
     Reconstruction and Stabilization Civilian Management Act of 
     2008.
       ``(F) Identifying personnel in State and local governments 
     and in the private sector who are available to participate in 
     the Civilian Reserve Corps established under subsection (b) 
     or to otherwise participate in or contribute to 
     reconstruction and stabilization activities.
       ``(G) Taking steps to ensure that training and education of 
     civilian personnel to perform such reconstruction and 
     stabilization activities is adequate and is carried out, as 
     appropriate, with other agencies involved with stabilization 
     operations.
       ``(H) Taking steps to ensure that plans for United States 
     reconstruction and stabilization operations are coordinated 
     with and complementary to reconstruction and stabilization 
     activities of other governments and international and 
     nongovernmental organizations, to improve effectiveness and 
     avoid duplication.
       ``(I) Maintaining the capacity to field on short notice an 
     evaluation team consisting of personnel from all relevant 
     agencies to undertake on-site needs assessment.
       ``(b) Response Readiness Corps.--
       ``(1) Response readiness corps.--The Secretary, in 
     consultation with the Administrator of the United States 
     Agency for International Development and the heads of other 
     appropriate agencies of the United States Government, may 
     establish and maintain a Response Readiness Corps (referred 
     to in this section as the `Corps') to provide assistance in 
     support of reconstruction and stabilization operations in 
     countries or regions that are at risk of, in, or are in 
     transition from, conflict or civil strife. The Corps shall be 
     composed of active and standby components consisting of 
     United States Government personnel, including employees of 
     the Department of State, the United States Agency for 
     International Development, and other agencies who are 
     recruited and trained (and employed in the case of the active 
     component) to provide such assistance when deployed to do so 
     by the Secretary to support the purposes of this Act.
       ``(2) Civilian reserve corps.--The Secretary, in 
     consultation with the Administrator of the United States 
     Agency for International Development, may establish a 
     Civilian Reserve Corps for which purpose the Secretary is 
     authorized to employ and train individuals who have the 
     skills necessary for carrying out reconstruction and 
     stabilization activities, and who have volunteered for that 
     purpose. The Secretary may deploy members of the Civilian 
     Reserve Corps pursuant to a determination by the President 
     under section 618 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.
       ``(3) Mitigation of domestic impact.--The establishment and 
     deployment of any Civilian Reserve Corps shall be undertaken 
     in a manner that will avoid substantively impairing the 
     capacity and readiness of any State and local governments 
     from which Civilian Reserve Corps personnel may be drawn.
       ``(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are 
     authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of State such 
     sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2007 through 2010 
     for the Office and to support, educate, train, maintain, and 
     deploy a Response Readiness Corps and a Civilian Reserve 
     Corps.
       ``(d) Existing Training and Education Programs.--The 
     Secretary shall ensure that personnel of the Department, and, 
     in coordination with the Administrator of USAID, that 
     personnel of USAID, make use of the relevant existing 
     training and education programs offered within the 
     Government, such as those at the Center for Stabilization and 
     Reconstruction Studies at the Naval Postgraduate School and 
     the Interagency Training, Education, and After Action Review 
     Program at the National Defense University.''.

     SEC. 6. AUTHORITIES RELATED TO PERSONNEL.

       (a) Extension of Certain Foreign Service Benefits.--The 
     Secretary, or the head of any agency with respect to 
     personnel of that agency, may extend to any individuals 
     assigned, detailed, or deployed to carry out reconstruction 
     and stabilization activities pursuant to section 62 of the 
     State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (as added by 
     section 5 of this Act), the benefits or privileges set forth 
     in sections 413, 704, and 901 of the Foreign Service Act of 
     1980 (22 U.S.C. 3973, 22 U.S.C. 4024, and 22 U.S.C. 4081) to 
     the same extent and manner that such benefits and privileges 
     are extended to members of the Foreign Service.
       (b) Authority Regarding Details.--The Secretary is 
     authorized to accept details or assignments of any personnel, 
     and any employee of a State or local government, on a 
     reimbursable or nonreimbursable basis for the purpose of 
     carrying out this Act, and the head of any agency is 
     authorized to detail or assign personnel of such agency on a 
     reimbursable or nonreimbursable basis to the Department of 
     State for purposes of section 62 of the State Department 
     Basic Authorities Act of 1956, as added by section 5 of this 
     Act.

     SEC. 7. RECONSTRUCTION AND STABILIZATION STRATEGY.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of State, in consultation 
     with the Administrator of the United States Agency for 
     International Development, shall develop an interagency 
     strategy to respond to reconstruction and stabilization 
     operations.
       (b) Contents.--The strategy required under subsection (a) 
     shall include the following:
       (1) Identification of and efforts to improve the skills 
     sets needed to respond to and support reconstruction and 
     stabilization operations in countries or regions that are at 
     risk of, in, or are in transition from, conflict or civil 
     strife.
       (2) Identification of specific agencies that can adequately 
     satisfy the skills sets referred to in paragraph (1).
       (3) Efforts to increase training of Federal civilian 
     personnel to carry out reconstruction and stabilization 
     activities.
       (4) Efforts to develop a database of proven and best 
     practices based on previous reconstruction and stabilization 
     operations.
       (5) A plan to coordinate the activities of agencies 
     involved in reconstruction and stabilization operations.

     SEC. 8. ANNUAL REPORTS TO CONGRESS.

       Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act and annually for

[[Page 3202]]

     each of the five years thereafter, the Secretary of State 
     shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a 
     report on the implementation of this Act. The report shall 
     include detailed information on the following:
       (1) Any steps taken to establish a Response Readiness Corps 
     and a Civilian Reserve Corps, pursuant to section 62 of the 
     State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (as added by 
     section 5 of this Act).
       (2) The structure, operations, and cost of the Response 
     Readiness Corps and the Civilian Reserve Corps, if 
     established.
       (3) How the Response Readiness Corps and the Civilian 
     Reserve Corps coordinate, interact, and work with other 
     United States foreign assistance programs.
       (4) An assessment of the impact that deployment of the 
     Civilian Reserve Corps, if any, has had on the capacity and 
     readiness of any domestic agencies or State and local 
     governments from which Civilian Reserve Corps personnel are 
     drawn.
       (5) The reconstruction and stabilization strategy required 
     by section 7 and any annual updates to that strategy.
       (6) Recommendations to improve implementation of subsection 
     (b) of section 62 of the State Department Basic Authorities 
     Act of 1956, including measures to enhance the recruitment 
     and retention of an effective Civilian Reserve Corps.
       (7) A description of anticipated costs associated with the 
     development, annual sustainment, and deployment of the 
     Civilian Reserve Corps.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Berman) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include 
extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 6 minutes.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to first thank our colleague and friend from 
California, a valuable member of the Appropriations Committee, an 
individual who has always had a long-term interest in the issue of 
capacity building in our international relations effort, Congressman 
Sam Farr, who introduced this vitally important legislation and who has 
an unwavering commitment to restoring the strength and expertise of 
U.S. civilian agencies.
  Since the end of the Cold War, the United States has been engaged in 
a stabilization or reconstruction operation once every 18 to 24 months. 
During the same period, the backbone of America's diplomatic and 
development might, the State Department and the U.S. Agency for 
International Development, has been substantially weakened by staff 
cuts, hiring freezes and consolidation.
  Despite new hires, there are only 6,600 professional Foreign Service 
officers in the State Department. According to Secretary of Defense 
Gates, this is less than the personnel of one carrier battle group, and 
allegedly less than the number of active military band members.
  Likewise, at a time when the United States is engaged in two massive 
stabilization and reconstruction efforts and countless other 
emergencies, USAID, America's premier development agency, barely has 
1,000 Foreign Service officers. Compare that number to the height of 
the Cold War, when it had more than 4,500 Foreign Service officers with 
expertise in engineering, agricultural development, rule of law, and 
civil administration. In essence, we have created a situation where 
those who are best suited for complex stabilization missions simply 
aren't there.
  Mr. Speaker, this personnel imbalance is unacceptable and dangerously 
shortsighted. Stabilization operations require expertise in smart 
skills, such as job creation, rule of law programs, fortification of 
police forces, and good governance training, which lies within 
America's civilian agencies. Amazingly, at a time we need to call on 
this expertise the most, the U.S. Government capacity for these skills 
is at its weakest.
  We need look no further than Iraq to see the dangers of overburdening 
our military with stabilization and reconstruction activities for which 
they were not trained, nor for which they are best suited. As Secretary 
Gates aptly observed, ``Brave men and women in uniform have stepped up 
to the task, with field artillerymen and tankers building schools and 
mentoring city councils, usually in a language they don't speak. But it 
is no replacement for the real thing, civilian involvement and 
expertise.''
  The U.S. needs experienced police officers to train local Iraqi 
counterparts. We need USAID personnel to assist with municipal 
administration, sewage treatment, banking, electricity, and thousands 
of other tasks. This bill aims to successfully address upcoming threats 
and prosecute the long-term fight against terror by fortifying the U.S. 
Government's civilian capacity to deal with instability, particularly 
in areas where terrorists thrive.
  The Reconstruction and Stabilization Civilian Management Act of 2008 
authorizes the establishment of a Readiness Response Corps to plug the 
gap regarding civilian capacity. The corps will include active and 
standby components composed of Federal employees, and a reserve 
component made up of civilian experts from State and local governments 
and nongovernmental organizations.
  To effectively establish the corps, the bill includes several 
innovative personnel provisions which ensure that the State Department 
and other Federal employees will not be prejudiced by joining the corps 
and that the Secretary of State will have unambiguous authority to hire 
personnel appropriate for the corps, including experts from Federal, 
State and local agencies. The bill also authorizes the President to use 
up to $100 million in any given fiscal year for the purposes of 
furnishing assistance to stabilize and reconstruct a country or region 
at risk.
  Finally, the bill codifies the establishment of an Office of the 
Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization within the Department 
of State.
  Mr. Speaker, we expect this bill to accomplish two key goals. In the 
short term, the bill will ease the burden on the Armed Forces by 
allowing the State Department to deploy civilians in crisis situations 
previously staffed by the military. In the long term, the bill will 
enable the U.S. Government to project ``smart power'' in situations 
that cry for such civilian expertise.
  For these reasons, I thank my colleague, Mr. Farr, for introducing 
this legislation, and I urge all of my colleagues to support this 
legislation.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1084, the 
Reconstruction and Stabilization Civilian Management Act. I want to 
thank Chairman Berman; the gentleman from California (Mr. Farr), the 
author of the bill; and my dear friend, Mr. Saxton, the lead Republican 
cosponsor of the legislation, for working to reach the bipartisan 
agreement before us.
  The text we are considering today was finalized in consultation with 
the State Department and the White House. It provides the President and 
Secretary of State with the basic authorities they have been seeking 
for expanding reconstruction and stabilization activities in order to 
assist countries whose descent into internal crisis may endanger the 
national security interests of the United States.
  The legislation formally creates and gives full legislative support 
to the 4-year-old office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and 
Stabilization. It also provides the President with the authority to 
create a Federal Response Readiness Corps and a volunteer Civilian 
Reserve Corps, a proposal based on a December 2005 Presidential 
directive and which enjoys the support of a broad cross-section of U.S. 
agencies.
  These new corps will work to prevent future conflicts overseas and 
ensure that we are better prepared to effectively address post-conflict 
scenarios in countries that are important to our Nation's security 
interests. The hope is that, by preorganizing and training qualified 
civilian personnel, any future reconstruction and stabilization 
operations can be better coordinated and

[[Page 3203]]

 more effective in order to free up our Armed Forces to better focus on 
strategic military and security objectives.
  It is important to note that the text before us provides these 
authorities in a limited, careful manner, subject to greater 
congressional oversight. In contrast with the original text and other 
proposed drafts, there are several things that today's suspension text 
does not do: It does not mandate specific funding levels, and limits 
funding authorities to a 3-year trial period, from fiscal year 2008 
through 2010; it does not create additional budget draw-down authority 
for emergency peacekeeping assistance; it does not mandate a minimum 
number of Civilian Reserve Corps personnel; and it does not include 
special personnel authorities such as waivers to allow dual 
compensation of Federal retirees or an increase in the premium pay cap.
  Although we are attempting to create a system that is better equipped 
to intervene more effectively in foreign crises, we are not intending 
to lower the threshold for U.S. involvement in such situations. This is 
not an invitation to ``nation building.'' For this reason, the amended 
text requires a Presidential national security interest determination 
and advance congressional notification before any deployment of the 
corps to a country in crisis.

                              {time}  1045

  We also intend that these activities be conducted in a transparent 
and fiscally responsible manner. Toward that end, the text includes an 
annual worldwide cap of $100 million on all reconstruction and 
stabilization assistance provided under the act.
  In order to mitigate the potential domestic impact, the text we are 
considering today mandates that the Civilian Reserve Corps be staffed 
in a way that does not diminish the capacity of State or local 
governments from which the volunteers may be drawn. It also charges the 
Office of the Coordinator to avoid duplication with other U.S. foreign 
assistance activities. Finally, it requires enhanced reporting to 
Congress on the structure, operation and cost of core operations, their 
relations to other U.S. foreign assistance efforts, and any impact on 
U.S. domestic readiness and capabilities.
  I am gratified that we are able to reach this compromise, and look 
forward to working together in the future to ensure the success of this 
and other U.S. foreign assistance programs. I urge my colleagues to 
support this bipartisan measure.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 4 minutes to the chief 
sponsor of this legislation, the gentleman from California (Mr. Farr).
  Mr. FARR. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Chairman Berman and 
Ranking Member Ros-Lehtinen for their leadership and vision on this 
issue. I would also like to thank the Foreign Affairs Committee staff 
for their meticulous work. We have a better bill on the floor for it.
  This legislation is important because future stabilization operations 
are going to rely on a different set of skills, different than we 
currently have. We talk about stabilization and peace building, but how 
exactly do you do that? That is what this bill is about.
  It is a bill that allows the Secretary of State, working with the 
Secretary of Defense, to essentially bring the core of people that have 
the talent, have the linguistic talent, the knowledge talent, the 
experience of careers, to come together to form an emergency response 
team, much like we have in the domestic program with FEMA.
  Even Secretary of Defense Gates has noted that future conflicts will 
be fundamentally political in nature and will require an application of 
all elements of national power, not just the Defense Department. On 
another occasion, Secretary Gates called for more resources to be given 
to our civilian agencies, so that they will have the civilian 
professionals capable of carrying out reconstruction and stabilization 
operations.
  Why would the Secretary of Defense ask for more money to go to the 
State Department and to USAID? It is because he sees the future threats 
and our capacity to deal with them and understands that a safer and 
more secure and more peaceful world depends upon adequately funding our 
civilian agencies. He knows that the best way to avoid war is to 
stabilize countries by creating stakeholders for peace in those 
countries.
  USAID, our foremost development agency, has the expertise, but lacks 
the manpower and regular training to conduct stabilization operations. 
With this bill, USAID will receive additional personnel to implement 
stabilization operations. The State Department will also be enhanced as 
it takes on the role of coordinator of these complex operations.
  Again, I appreciate all the hard work that went into this bill to get 
it to the floor. I appreciate the strong backing from Secretary Gates 
and from Secretary Rice. I would also like to thank Congressman Saxton, 
my colleague, for his stalwart support and his work on H.R. 1084. It is 
my earnest hope that improved American civilian capabilities will yield 
fewer and shorter conflicts and will build a more peaceful and 
prosperous world. In order to do that, I need your vote, and I ask for 
that for the betterment of America and the world.
  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to my 
colleague, the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Davis).
  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support 
of H.R. 1084. In today's security environment, it is absolutely 
essential that we authorize the creation of the Response Readiness 
Corps and Response Readiness Reserve within the State Department and 
USAID. This legislation is a vital step toward achieving a proper 
balance between civilian and military efforts in stabilization and 
reconstruction missions.
  Iraq and Afghanistan have really highlighted a need for better 
interagency coordination and a more robust civilian capacity. As 
someone who went to Iraq early and saw a void of adequate civilian 
support, I know that we need to improve the civilian apparatus for 
future stability in reconstruction efforts. In Iraq and Afghanistan, we 
have relied on the military to act as diplomats, help build government 
capacity and conduct combat missions, all at the same time.
  Simply put, stability and reconstruction have fallen too heavily on 
our military in recent years. Unable to tap into a viable, full-scale 
deployable civilian force, our great men and women have been asked to 
perform jobs outside of their area of expertise. Congress must, must do 
a better job of marshalling all elements of national power in support 
of U.S. goals abroad and ensure that future missions are not military-
centric, but joint interagency efforts. Part of this effort must be 
greater capacity within civilian agencies, a bench to pull from when 
contingencies arise. This legislation by my friend from California will 
help do just that.
  Congress must also be thinking about how to capture the skills and 
lessons learned from military personnel and civilians who have served 
on PRTs or other interagency projects in Iraq and Afghanistan. These 
individuals now have vital skills that could be used to help train 
Federal civilian employees deploying to zones of conflict.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1084 gets us on the right path, and I encourage all 
of my colleagues to support this legislation.
  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to a 
gentleman who has been very interested in this whole process of 
capacity building, the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Snyder).
  Mr. SNYDER. Mr. Speaker, people in Arkansas want to be safe and they 
want to feel safe. Everyone in America wants to be safe and have a 
strong national defense. National security means a strong military. 
National security also means that all the tools in our tool box must be 
available, including the capacity and availability of the civilian side 
of our government.
  Mr. Farr has been leading this charge, along with Mr. Saxton, and I 
appreciate the great work of Mr. Berman stepping into his new role, to

[[Page 3204]]

bring forth this issue that all the tools of U.S. strength must be 
available. As Mrs. Davis was pointing out, we have a lot of work to do 
beyond this bill in terms of the coordination of all our different 
agencies.
  I was talking to one of my constituents who is a civilian working in 
Iraq, and she said, You know, I sometimes think the differences in 
conflicts between the agencies of the U.S. Government are greater than 
the differences between us and the Iraqis. I think that really brings 
home the issues and challenges that we have.
  But this bill today is a great step towards making sure that we have 
all the tools in our tool box that we need for our national security, 
and I applaud its passage today.
  Mr. BERMAN. Mr. Speaker, before I yield back my time, I would like to 
include for the Record an exchange of letters regarding H.R. 1084 
between the gentleman from California, the chairman of the Committee on 
Oversight and Government Reform (Mr. Waxman), and me.

         House of Representatives, Committee on Oversight and 
           Government Reform,
                                    Washington, DC, March 4, 2008.
     Hon. Howard L. Berman,
     Acting Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Rayburn House 
         Office Building, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Berman: I am writing to confirm our mutual 
     understanding with respect to the consideration of H.R. 1084, 
     the Reconstruction and Stabilization Civilian Management Act 
     of 2008.
       As you know, on February 27, 2008, the Committee on Foreign 
     Affairs ordered H.R. 1084 reported to the House. The 
     Committee on Oversight and Government Reform (Oversight 
     Committee) appreciates your effort to consult regarding those 
     provisions of H.R. 1084 that fall within the Oversight 
     Committee's jurisdiction, including matters related to the 
     federal workforce.
       In the interest of expediting consideration of H.R. 1084, 
     the Oversight Committee will not separately consider this 
     legislation. The Oversight Committee does so, however, with 
     the understanding that this does not prejudice the Oversight 
     Committee's jurisdictional interests and prerogatives 
     regarding this bill or similar legislation.
       I respectfully request your support for the appointment of 
     outside conferees from the Oversight Committee should H.R. 
     1084 or a similar Senate bill be considered in conference 
     with the Senate. I also request that you include our exchange 
     of letters on this matter in the Report by the Committee on 
     Foreign Affairs on H.R. 1084 and in the Congressional Record 
     during consideration of this legislation on the House floor.
       Thank you for your attention to these matters.
           Sincerely,
                                                  Henry A. Waxman,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                     Committee on Foreign Affairs,


                                     House of Representatives,

                                    Washington, DC, March 4, 2008.
     Hon. Henry A. Waxman,
     Chairman, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, 
         Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter regarding H.R. 
     1084, the Reconstruction and Stabilization Civilian 
     Management Act of 2008, which authorizes the President to 
     provide assistance to stabilize and reconstruct a country or 
     region that is at risk of, in, or is in transition from, 
     conflict or civil strife, and establishes a Response 
     Readiness Corps and Civilian Reserve Corps to respond to such 
     country or region.
       I appreciate your willingness to work cooperatively on this 
     legislation. I recognize that the bill contains provisions 
     that fall within the jurisdiction of the Committee on 
     Oversight and Government Reform. I acknowledge that the 
     Committee will not seek a sequential referral of the bill and 
     agree that the inaction of your Committee with respect to the 
     bill does not prejudice the Oversight Committee's 
     jurisdictional interests and prerogatives regarding this bill 
     or similar legislation.
       Further, as to any House-Senate conference on the bill, I 
     understand that your Committee reserves the right to seek the 
     appointment of conferees for consideration of portions of the 
     bill that are within the Committee's jurisdiction, and I 
     agree to support a request by the Committee with respect to 
     serving as conferees on the bill (or similar legislation).
       I will ensure that our exchange of letters is included in 
     my Committee's report on the bill and in the Congressional 
     Record during consideration on the House floor of H.R. 1084, 
     and I look forward to working with you on this important 
     legislation.
           Cordially,
                                                 Howard L. Berman,
                                                  Acting Chairman.

  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support 
of 1084, the Reconstruction and Stabilization Civilian H.R. Management 
Act of 2008, introduced by my distinguished colleague from California, 
Representative Farr.
  This important legislation will amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 
1961, the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956, and the 
Foreign Service Act of 1980 in order to build operational readiness for 
civilian agencies.
  Since the end of the cold war, the United States has consistently 
been engaged in stabilization or reconstruction operation at the 
average interval of once every 18 to 24 months. However, despite the 
United States' ever increasing stabilization efforts around the world, 
U.S. Agency for International Development, USAID), the most significant 
dipolmatic and development organ of the United States Government, has 
been substantially weakened due to staff cuts, hiring freezes, and 
consolidation. This is absolutely unacceptable.
  In a time where the U.S. has mounted a global war on terror, arguably 
destabilizing more regions than not, it is imperative that American 
diplomatic missions reflect American global involvement. This important 
legislation authorizes the Secretary of State, in consultation with the 
Administrator of USAID, to establish a Response Readiness Corps to 
provide stabilization and reconstruction activities in foreign 
countries or those with expertise in engineering, agricultural 
development, rule of law, and civil administration required for the 
complex stabilization missions of today are simply not there. At a time 
regions that are at risk, in, or are in transition from, conflict or 
civil strife (up to 250 personnel to serve in the Corps, and such other 
personnel as the Secretary may designate from the Department and 
USAID).
  I have said time and time again that what the United States needs is 
a new diplomatic offensive, a diplomatic surge. That being said, there 
are only 6,600 professional Foreign Service officers today in the State 
Department. According to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, the number 
of professional Foreign Service officers is less than the personnel of 
one carrier battle group. In a time when the United States is engaged 
in two massive stabilization and reconstruction efforts and countless 
other emergencies, USAID has less than 1,000 Foreign Service officers, 
as opposed to during the height of the Cold War when there were more 
than 4,500 Foreign Service officers. In essence, we have created a 
situation where those with expertise in engineering, agricultural 
development, rule of law, and civil administration required for the 
complex stabilization missions of today are simply not there. At a time 
when we need to call on this expertise the most, the U.S. Government 
capacity for these skills is at its weakest.
  This legislation seeks to alleviate some of this total lack of 
diplomatic and developmental capacity. The aim of this bill is to 
successfully address upcoming threats and prosecute the long-term fight 
against terror by fortifying the United States Government's civilian 
capacity to deal with instability, particularly in areas where 
terrorist and terrorism thrive. This legislation will authorize the 
Secretary to establish a Readiness Response Corps in order to alleviate 
the gap in civilian capacity. This Corps will include active, as well 
as standby, components composed of Federal employees. Furthermore, it 
includes a reserve component consisting of civilian experts from State 
and local governments as well as non-governmental organizations.
  The current American diplomatic and developmental strategy simply 
does not sufficiently meet the needs of today's world. This bill will 
amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize the President to 
transfer or reprogram up to $100 million in any given fiscal year for 
the purposes of furnishing assistance and permitting the export of 
goods and services to assist in stabilizing and reconstructing a 
country or region that is in, or is in transition from, conflict or 
civil strife. It also amends the State Department Basic Authorities Act 
of 1956 in order to establish within the Department of State an 
absolutely essential Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and 
Stabilization.
  I strongly support this legislation that will ease the burden on the 
Armed Forces by allowing the State Department to deploy civilians in 
crisis situations previously staffed by the military. Our men and woman 
in uniform have accomplished what we asked them to do and it is time 
that the U.S. Government responsibly and appropriately addresses the 
stabilization and reconstruction situations that

[[Page 3205]]

persist, despite our inaction, throughout the world. I urge my 
colleagues to join me in supporting this extremely important and timely 
piece of legislation.
  Mr. BERMAN. 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. Berman) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 1084, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________