Winning the Peace Act of 2003 - Authorizes the President to designate a Director of Reconstruction for, and to provide assistance for reconstruction services for, each country or region in which the U.S. armed forces have engaged in armed conflict or which will receive reconstruction services from the U.S. Government due to armed conflict.
Gives the Director authority over all reconstruction activities of the U.S. Government within the country or region of operation.
Authorizes the Secretary of State to establish a permanent office to provide support to each Director.
Authorizes the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to establish an Office of International Emergency Management to: (1) maintain a database of entities with expertise in providing reconstruction services; and (2) provide support for mobilizing such entities to provide services requested by a country or region Director.
Expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretaries of State and Defense should propose to establish within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) an Integrated Security Support Component to prepare NATO units for reconstruction-related security tasks. Authorizes the President to commit U.S. personnel to such a Component.
Requires the Secretary of State to establish an interagency Training Center for Post-Conflict Reconstruction Operations.
Expresses the sense of Congress that the President should: (1) establish a task force to implement a reserve force of law enforcement officers willing to provide reconstruction services overseas; and (2) direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to review immigration rules for aliens admitted for permanent residence who wish to participate in return of talent programs in their country of origin.
Establishes a U.S. Security Development Fund.
[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2616 Introduced in House (IH)]
108th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2616
To increase the capabilities of the United States to provide
reconstruction assistance to countries or regions impacted by armed
conflict, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 26, 2003
Mr. Farr (for himself, Mr. Wolf, Mr. Hoeffel, Mr. Leach, and Mr.
Wexler) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on International Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To increase the capabilities of the United States to provide
reconstruction assistance to countries or regions impacted by armed
conflict, and for other purposes.
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 ``Winning the Peace Act of 2003''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) President George W. Bush has stated that the United
States security strategy takes into account the fact that
``America is now threatened less by conquering states than we
are by failing ones''.
(2) Failed states can provide safe haven for a diverse
array of transnational threats, including terrorist networks,
militia and warlords, global organized crime, and narcotics
traffickers who threaten the security of the United States and
the allies of the United States.
(3) The inability of the authorities in a failed state to
provide basic services can create or contribute to humanitarian
emergencies.
(4) It is in the interest of the United States and the
international community to bring conflict and humanitarian
emergencies stemming from failed states to a lasting and
sustainable close.
(5) Since the end of the cold war, United States military,
diplomatic, and humanitarian personnel have been engaged in
major post-conflict reconstruction efforts in such places as
Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo, Somalia, Haiti, Rwanda, and Afghanistan.
(6) Assisting failed states in emerging from violent
conflict is a complex and long-term task, as demonstrated by
the experience that 50 percent of such states emerging from
conditions of violent conflict slip back into violence within 5
years.
(7) In 2003, the bipartisan Commission on Post-Conflict
Reconstruction created by the Center for Strategic and
International Studies and the Association of the United States
Army, released a report explaining that ``United States
security and development agencies still reflect their Cold War
heritage. The kinds of complex crises and the challenge of
failed states encountered in recent years do not line up with
these outdated governmental mechanisms. If regional stability
is to be maintained, economic development advanced, lives
saved, and transnational threats reduced, the United States and
the international community must develop a strategy and enhance
capacity for pursuing post-conflict reconstruction.''.
(8) Preventing failed states from slipping into violence
and chaos requires an intensive engagement by individuals with
sensitivity to the relevant historical, social, political, and
economic context of, and a thorough understanding of the
language of, the region. Any person involved in reconstruction
efforts if such a state must have extensive cross-cultural
training and the ability to communicate effectively in the
language of that state.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the
Administrator of the United States Agency for International
Development.
(2) Director.--The term ``Director'' means a Director of
Reconstruction for a country or region designated by the
President under section 4.
(3) Reconstruction services.--The term ``reconstruction
services'' means activities related to rebuilding, reforming,
or establishing the infrastructure processes or institutions of
a country that has been affected by an armed conflict,
including services related to--
(A) security and public safety, including--
(i) disarmament, demobilization, and
reintegration of combatants;
(ii) training and equipping of national
armed forces;
(iii) training and equipping civilian
police forces; and
(iv) providing security as interim civilian
police forces;
(B) justice, including--
(i) developing rule of law and legal,
judicial, and correctional institutions;
(ii) preventing human rights violations;
(iii) bringing war criminals to justice;
(iv) supporting national reconciliation
processes; and
(v) clarifying property rights;
(C) governance, including--
(i) reforming or developing civil
administration and other government
institutions;
(ii) restoring performance of basic civil
functions, such as schools, health clinics, and
hospitals; and
(iii) establishing processes of governance
and participation; and
(D) economic and social well-being, including--
(i) providing humanitarian assistance;
(ii) constructing or repairing
infrastructure;
(iii) developing national economic
institutions and activities, such as a banking
system; and
(iv) encouraging wise stewardship of
natural resources for the benefit of the
citizens of such country.
SEC. 4. DIRECTOR OF RECONSTRUCTION POSITIONS.
(a) Authorization of Positions.--The President is authorized to
designate a Director of Reconstruction for each country or region in
which--
(1) units of the United States Armed Forces have engaged in
armed conflict; or
(2) as a result of armed conflict the country or region
will receive reconstruction services from the United States
Government.
(b) Authority to Provide Assistance.--Notwithstanding any other
provision of law, the President is authorized to provide assistance for
reconstruction services for any country or region for which a Director
has been designated under subsection (a).
(c) Duties.--A Director shall provide oversight and coordination
of, and have decision making authority for, all activities of the
United States Government, within the country or region for which
designated, that are related to providing reconstruction services to
such country or region, including implementing complex,
multidisciplinary post-conflict reconstruction programs in such country
or region.
(d) Coordination.--A Director shall coordinate with the
representatives of the country or region where the Director is
overseeing and coordinating the provision of reconstruction services,
and any foreign government, multilateral organization, or
nongovernmental organization that is providing services to such country
or region--
(1) to avoid providing reconstruction services that
duplicate any such services that are being provided by a person
or government other than the United States Government;
(2) to capitalize on civil administration systems and
capabilities available from such person or government; and
(3) to utilize individuals or entities with expertise in
providing reconstruction services that are available through
such other person or government.
(e) Support Services.--The Secretary of State is authorized to
establish within the Department of State a permanent office to provide
support, including administrative services, to each Director designated
under subsection (a).
SEC. 5. INTERNATIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICE.
(a) Authorization.--The Administrator is authorized to establish
within the United States Agency for International Development an Office
of International Emergency Management for the purposes described in
subsection (b).
(b) Purposes.--
(1) In general.--The purposes of the Office authorized by
subsection (a) shall be--
(A) to develop and maintain a database of
individuals or entities that possess expertise in
providing reconstruction services, including
appropriate language, interpretation, and communication
capabilities; and
(B) to provide support for mobilizing such
individuals and entities to provide a country or region
with services applying such expertise when requested by
the Director for such country or region.
(2) Experts.--The individuals or entities referred to in
paragraph (1) may include employees or agencies of the Federal
Government, any other government, or any other person,
including former Peace Corps volunteers or civilians located in
the affected country or region in critical response areas.
SEC. 6. INTEGRATED SECURITY SUPPORT COMPONENT.
(a) Sense of Congress Regarding the Creation of an Integrated
Security Support Component of NATO.--It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense
should present to the North Atlantic Council a proposal to
establish within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization an
Integrated Security Support Component to train and equip
selected units within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to
execute security tasks in countries or regions that require
reconstruction services; and
(2) if such a Component is established, the President
should commit United States personnel to participate in such
Component, after appropriate consultation with Congress.
(b) Authority to Participate in an Integrated Support Component.--
(1) In general.--If the North Atlantic Council establishes
an Integrated Security Support Component, as described in
subsection (a), the President is authorized to commit United
States personnel to participate in such Component, after
appropriate consultation with Congress.
(2) Capabilities.--The units composed of United States
personnel participating in such Component pursuant to the
authority in paragraph (1) should be capable of--
(A) providing for security of a civilian
population, including serving as a police force; and
(B) providing for the performance of public
functions and the execution of security tasks such as
control of belligerent groups and crowds, apprehending
targeted persons or groups, performing anti-corruption
tasks, and supporting police investigations.
SEC. 7. TRAINING CENTER FOR POST-CONFLICT RECONSTRUCTION OPERATIONS.
(a) Establishment.--The Secretary of State shall establish within
the Department of State an interagency Training Center for Post-
Conflict Reconstruction Operations for the purposes described in
subsection (b).
(b) Purposes.--The purposes of the Training Center authorized by
subsection (a) shall be to--
(1) train interagency personnel in assessment, strategy
development, planning, and coordination related to providing
reconstruction services;
(2) develop and certify experts in fields related to
reconstruction services who could be called to participate in
operations in countries or regions that require such services;
(3) provide training to individuals who will provide
reconstruction services in a country or region, including
language, interpretation, communication, and cross-cultural
training;
(4) develop rapidly deployable training packages for use in
countries or regions in need of reconstruction services; and
(5) conduct reviews of operations that provide
reconstruction services for the purpose of--
(A) improving subsequent operations to provide such
services; and
(B) developing appropriate training and education
programs for individuals who will provide such
services.
SEC. 8. CIVILIAN POLICE RESERVE.
It is the sense of Congress that the President should establish a
task force of Federal, State, and local law enforcement representatives
to implement a reserve force of law enforcement officers willing to
serve overseas to provide reconstruction services described in clauses
(iii) and (iv) of section 3(3)(A).
SEC. 9. RETURN OF TALENT PROGRAMS.
It is the sense of Congress that the President should direct the
Secretary of Homeland Security to review immigration rules for aliens
admitted for permanent residence to the United States who wish to
return temporarily to their countries of origin to participate in
``return of talent'' programs, to the extent those countries are
receiving reconstruction services from the United States.
SEC. 10. SECURITY DEVELOPMENT FUND.
There is established a United States Security Development Fund to
carry out the purposes of this Act. There is authorized to be
appropriated to the President from time to time such amounts as may be
necessary for the fund to carry out the purposes of this Act, except
that no amount of funds may be appropriated which, when added to
amounts previously appropriated but not yet obligated, would cause such
amounts to exceed $300,000,000. Amounts appropriated under this section
shall remain available until expended.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1364-1365)
Referred to the House Committee on International Relations.
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