[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 16071-16072]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1730
REQUIRING A REGIONAL STRATEGY TO ADDRESS THE THREAT POSED BY BOKO HARAM

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Permanent Select Committee on 
Intelligence be discharged from further consideration of the bill (S. 
1632) to require a regional strategy to address the threat posed by 
Boko Haram and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Florida?
  There was no objection.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

[[Page 16072]]



                                S. 1632

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. REGIONAL STRATEGY TO ADDRESS THE THREAT POSED BY 
                   BOKO HARAM.

       (a) Strategy Required.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State and the 
     Secretary of Defense shall jointly develop and submit to the 
     appropriate committees of Congress a five-year strategy to 
     help enable the Government of Nigeria, members of the 
     Multinational Joint Task Force to Combat Boko Haram (MNJTF) 
     authorized by the African Union, and relevant partners to 
     counter the regional threat of Boko Haram and assist the 
     Government of Nigeria and its neighbors to accept and address 
     legitimate grievances of vulnerable populations in areas 
     affected by Boko Haram.
       (2) Elements.--At a minimum, the strategy must address the 
     following elements:
       (A) Enhance, pursuant to existing authorities and 
     restrictions, the institutional capacity, including military 
     capabilities, of the Government of Nigeria and partner 
     nations in the region, as appropriate, to counter the threat 
     posed by Boko Haram.
       (B) Provide humanitarian support to civilian populations 
     impacted by Boko Haram's activity.
       (C) Specific activities through which the United States 
     Government intends to improve and enhance the capacity of 
     Multinational Joint Task Force to Combat Boko Haram partner 
     nations to investigate and prosecute human rights abuses by 
     security forces and promote respect for the rule of law 
     within the military.
       (D) A means for assisting Nigeria, and as appropriate, 
     Multinational Joint Task Force to Combat Boko Haram nations, 
     to counter violent extremism, including efforts to address 
     underlying societal factors shown to contribute to the 
     ability of Boko Haram to radicalize and recruit individuals.
       (E) A plan to strengthen and promote the rule of law, 
     including by improving the capacity of the civilian police 
     and judicial system in Nigeria, enhancing public safety, and 
     responding to crime (including gender-based violence), while 
     respecting human rights and strengthening accountability 
     measures, including measures to prevent corruption.
       (F) Strengthen the long-term capacity of the Government of 
     Nigeria to enhance security for schools such that children 
     are safer and girls seeking an education are better 
     protected, and to combat gender-based violence and gender 
     inequality.
       (G) Identify and develop mechanisms for coordinating the 
     implementation of the strategy across the inter-agency and 
     with the Government of Nigeria, regional partners, and other 
     relevant foreign partners.
       (H) Identify the resources required to achieve the 
     strategy's objectives.
       (b) Assessment.--The Director of National Intelligence 
     shall submit, to the appropriate committees of Congress, an 
     assessment regarding--
       (1) the willingness and capability of the Government of 
     Nigeria and regional partners to implement the strategy 
     developed under subsection (a), including the capability 
     gaps, if any, of the Government and military forces of 
     Nigeria that would need to be addressed to enable the 
     Government of Nigeria and the governments of its partner 
     countries in the region--
       (A) to counter the threat of Boko Haram; and
       (B) to address the legitimate grievances of vulnerable 
     populations in areas affected by Boko Haram; and
       (2) significant United States intelligence gaps concerning 
     Boko Haram or on the willingness and capacity of the 
     Government of Nigeria and regional partners to implement the 
     strategy developed under subsection (a).
       (c) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     lack of economic opportunity and access to education, 
     justice, and other social services contributes to the ability 
     of Boko Haram to radicalize and recruit individuals.
       (d) Appropriate Committees of Congress Defined.--In this 
     section, the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' 
     means--
       (1) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on 
     Foreign Relations, the Committee on Appropriations, and the 
     Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate; and
       (2) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on 
     Foreign Affairs, the Committee on Appropriations, and the 
     Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of 
     Representatives.

  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record the following letters 
exchanged between myself and the gentleman from California, Mr. Nunes, 
Chairman of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, regarding 
S. 1632, an Act to require a regional strategy to address the threat 
posed by Boko Haram.

                                         House of Representatives,


                                 Committee on Foreign Affairs,

                                 Washington, DC, December 8, 2016.
     Hon. Devin Nunes,
     Chairman, Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for consulting with the 
     Committee on Foreign Affairs on S. 1632, a bill to require a 
     regional strategy to address the threat posed by Boko Haram, 
     and for agreeing to be discharged from further consideration 
     of that bill so that it may proceed expeditiously to the 
     Floor. I concur in your understanding that the assessment 
     required by section 1(b) shall be conducted and provided in a 
     manner that protects intelligence sources and methods.
       I agree that your forgoing further action on this measure 
     does not in any way diminish or alter the jurisdiction of 
     your Committee, or prejudice its jurisdictional prerogatives 
     on this measure or similar legislation in the future.
       I will seek to place our letters on S. 1632 into the 
     Congressional Record during floor consideration of the bill. 
     I appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation and 
     look forward to continuing to work with your Committee as 
     this measure moves through the legislative process.
           Sincerely,
                                                  Edward R. Royce,
                                                         Chairman.
                                  ____
                                  
         House of Representatives, Permanent Select Committee on 
           Intelligence,
                                                 December 7, 2016.
     Hon. Ed Royce,
     Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Royce: On September 24, 2015, S. 1632, ``A 
     bill to require a regional strategy to address the threat 
     posed by Boko Haram,'' was referred to the Committee on 
     Foreign Affairs, and in addition, to the Permanent Select 
     Committee on Intelligence.
       In order to expedite the House's consideration of the bill, 
     the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence will forego 
     consideration of the measure. This courtesy is, however, 
     conditioned on our mutual understanding and agreement that it 
     will in no way diminish or alter the jurisdiction of the 
     Permanent Select Committee with respect to any future 
     jurisdictional claim over the subject matter contained in the 
     bill or any similar measure. It is also conditioned on our 
     mutual understanding and agreement that the Director of 
     National Intelligence shall carry out the assessment required 
     by Subsection 1(b) of the bill consistent with the protection 
     of intelligence sources and methods.
       I would appreciate your response to this letter confirming 
     this understanding and would request that you include a copy 
     of this letter in the Congressional Record during its floor 
     consideration. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
           Sincerely,
                                                      Devin Nunes,
                                                         Chairman.
  The bill was ordered to be read a third time, was read the third 
time, and passed, and a motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________