Global Fragility Act of 2019
This bill directs the President to devise and implement a plan to combat global fragility. The bill also establishes funds to support such endeavors.
The President shall report to Congress and implement a 10-year Global Fragility Strategy to (1) help stabilize conflict-affected areas, (2) address global fragility, and (3) increase U.S. capacity to be a leader in international efforts to prevent extremism and violent conflict. The strategy shall (1) focus on the long-term causes of fragility and violence; (2) include specific objectives and approaches to reduce such causes; and (3) contain a selection of priority countries and regions based on various factors, including U.S. national security interest and clearly defined indicators of the levels of violence or fragility in a country or region. The President shall report to Congress and implement action plans for the priority countries and regions.
The bill establishes the Prevention and Stabilization Fund to replace the Relief and Recovery Fund. The new fund shall support stabilization of conflict-affected areas and assist areas liberated from or at risk from various terrorist organizations such as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. The bill also establishes the Complex Crises Fund to prevent or respond to emerging and unforeseen events overseas.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 727 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 727
To combat international extremism by addressing global fragility and
violence and stabilizing conflict-affected areas, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 7, 2019
Mr. Coons (for himself, Mr. Graham, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Rubio, and Mr.
Young) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred
to the Committee on Foreign Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To combat international extremism by addressing global fragility and
violence and stabilizing conflict-affected areas, 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 ``Global Fragility Act of 2019''.
SEC. 2. APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DEFINED.
In this Act, the term ``appropriate congressional committees''
means--
(1) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on
Appropriations of the Senate; and
(2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on
Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
TITLE I--DEVELOPMENT OF A COMPREHENSIVE, TEN-YEAR, GLOBAL FRAGILITY
STRATEGY, AND SELECTION OF PRIORITY COUNTRIES
SEC. 101. GLOBAL FRAGILITY STRATEGY.
(a) Strategy.--The President, in coordination with the Secretary of
State, the Administrator of the United States Agency for International
Development (USAID), the Secretary of Defense, and the heads of other
relevant Federal agencies, shall establish a comprehensive, integrated,
ten-year strategy, to be referred to as the ``Global Fragility
Strategy'', to contribute to the stabilization of conflict-affected
areas, address global fragility, and strengthen the capacity of the
United States to be an effective leader of international efforts to
prevent extremism and violent conflict. The strategy shall focus on
addressing long-term causes of fragility and violence, and shall--
(1) consider the causes of fragility and violence at both
the local and national levels, the external actors that
reinforce and exploit such conditions, and successful
prevention strategies and their key features;
(2) include specific objectives and multisectoral
approaches to reduce fragility and the causes of violence,
including those that strengthen state-society relations, curb
extremist ideology, and make society less vulnerable to the
spread of extremism and violence;
(3) encourage and empower local and national actors to
address the concerns of their citizens, including in vulnerable
communities, and build community resilience against violence
and extremism;
(4) address the long-term underlying causes of fragility
and violence through participatory, locally led programs,
empowering marginalized groups such as youth and women,
inclusive dialogues and conflict resolutions processes, justice
sector reform, good governance across all sectors, community
policing and civilian security, and accountable and fair
service delivery;
(5) describe approaches that ensure national leadership
where appropriate and participatory engagement by civil society
and local partners in the design implementation and monitoring
of programs;
(6) assign roles for relevant Federal agencies to avoid
duplication of efforts, while ensuring that--
(A) the Department of State is responsible for
leading the strategy, establishing United States
foreign policy, advancing diplomatic and political
efforts, and guiding security assistance and related
civilian security efforts;
(B) USAID is responsible for overseeing prevention
programs, and is the lead implementing agency for
development, humanitarian, and related non-security
program policy;
(C) activities undertaken or supported by the
Department of Defense in relation to the Global
Fragility Strategy are established through joint
formulation and with the concurrence of the Secretary
of State; and
(D) other Federal agencies support the activities
of the Department of State and USAID as appropriate,
with the concurrence of the Secretary of State and the
Administrator of the United States Agency for
International Development;
(7) describe programs that agencies will undertake to
achieve the stated objectives, including descriptions of
existing programs and funding by fiscal year and account;
(8) identify mechanisms to improve coordination between the
United States, foreign governments, and international
organizations, including the World Bank, the United Nations,
regional organizations, and private sector organizations;
(9) address efforts to expand public-private partnerships
and leverage private sector resources;
(10) describe the criteria, metrics, and mechanisms for
monitoring and evaluation of programs and objectives in the
strategy;
(11) describe how the strategy will ensure that programs
are country-led and context-specific; and
(12) identify mechanisms or activities to reduce the risk
that the programs, policies, or resources of the United States
and its partners will facilitate corruption, empower or abet
repressive local actors, or be exploited by extremists to gain
support for their cause.
(b) Report.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 270 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the President shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees a report setting forth the
strategy described in subsection (a), which shall be submitted
in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex if
necessary.
(2) Report contents.--The report required under paragraph
(1) shall include the elements described in paragraph (3), and
may include additional elements relevant to the strategy
described in subsection (a).
(3) Report elements.--The elements referred to in paragraph
(2) are as follows:
(A) The objectives, general and specific, of the
strategy.
(B) An identification of the relevant Federal
agencies that will be involved and the assignment of
priorities to such agencies.
(C) A description of the compact-based partnerships
that will be established to ensure local leadership of
strategies, policy, and programs, as well as mutual
accountability for results and resources needed to
support such partnerships.
(D) Identification of the authorities, staffing,
and other requirements needed to effectively implement
the Global Fragility Strategy.
(E) A description of the ways in which United
States leadership will be used to enhance overall
international prevention efforts, including through
increasing the engagement of the member states of the
Group of Eight and Group of Twenty.
(F) Identification of which officials of the
Department of State, USAID, and the Department of
Defense, with a rank not lower than Assistant Secretary
or Assistant Administrator, will be responsible for
overseeing and leading the strategy.
(G) A list of priority countries selected pursuant
to section 102, including descriptions of the rationale
for such selections.
(c) Stakeholder Consultation.--The Global Fragility Strategy
required under this section shall be developed in consultation with
representatives of civil society and national and local governance
entities in countries described in section 103, as well as relevant
international development organizations with experience implementing
programs in fragile countries, multilateral organizations and donors,
relevant private, academic, and philanthropic entities, and the
appropriate congressional committees.
SEC. 102. SELECTION OF PRIORITY COUNTRIES.
The President, in coordination with the Secretary of State, the
Administrator of the United States Agency for International
Development, and the Secretary of Defense, and in consultation with the
appropriate congressional committees, shall select certain countries as
``priority countries'' for the purpose of implementing the strategy
required under section 101(a)--
(1) on the basis of--
(A) the national security interest of the United
States;
(B) clearly defined indicators of the levels of
violence or fragility in such, such as the country's--
(i) ranking on recognized global fragility
lists;
(ii) ranking on select United States
Government conflict and atrocity early warning
watch lists; and
(iii) levels of violence, including
violence committed by armed groups, state
actors, and violent extremist organizations,
gender-based violence, and violence against
children and youth; and
(C) an assessment of the commitment and capacity of
national and sub-national government entities and civil
society partners in such country to work with Federal
departments and agencies on the Global Fragility
Strategy, including by demonstrating commitment to--
(i) improving inclusive, transparent, and
accountable power structures, including
effective, legitimate, and resilient national
and sub-national institutions; and
(ii) ensuring strong foundations for human
rights, rule of law, and equal access to
justice; and
(2) in a manner that ensures that not fewer than five
countries are selected, and such countries are in the areas of
responsibility of at least three geographic bureaus of the
Department of State.
SEC. 103. PRIORITY COUNTRY PLANS.
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this
Act, the President, in coordination with the Secretary of State, the
Administrator of the United States Agency for International
Development, the Secretary of Defense, and the heads of other relevant
Federal departments and agencies, shall submit to the appropriate
congressional committees ten-year plans to align and integrate under
the Global Fragility Strategy established pursuant to section 101 all
diplomatic, development, security assistance and cooperation, and other
relevant activities of the United States Government with respect to
each of the countries selected pursuant to section 102. Each such
country plan shall include the following elements:
(1) Specific multi-year interagency plans for coordination
and implementation under each such plan.
(2) An up-to-date baseline analysis for each such country,
including an analysis of power dynamics, impacts of violence,
and conditions that contribute to violence and fragility.
(3) Prioritized descriptions of the goals and objectives
for stabilizing conflict-affected areas, reducing fragility,
and preventing the spread of extremism and violence in each
such country.
(4) Descriptions of how and when the relevant goals,
objectives, plans, and benchmarks for each such country will be
incorporated into relevant United States country plans and
strategies.
(5) Interagency plans to ensure that appropriate local
actors, including government and civil society entities, have
an appropriate ownership stake in relevant activities under
each such plan.
(6) Interagency plans to integrate existing and planned
security assistance and cooperation programs in each such
country with the strategy, and to mitigate risks associated
with such programs, including risks related to corruption,
governance, and human rights.
(7) Assessment, monitoring, and evaluation frameworks for
diplomatic, development, and security activities, which shall
be informed by consultations with the stakeholders specified in
section 101(c), with clear, date-certain metrics for each such
country.
(8) Descriptions of available policy tools and how such
tools will be used to reduce fragility, prevent the spread of
extremism and violence, and stabilize conflict-affected areas
in each such country.
(9) A description of how planning and implementation for
each such country will be coordinated to ensure such planning
and implementation are conducted in partnership between the
United States Government and--
(A) governments of such countries;
(B) international development organizations;
(C) relevant international donors;
(D) multilateral organizations; and
(E) the private sector.
(10) A regional component outlining plans to address
relevant transnational issues and how such country is affected
by or at risk of regional fragility or violence.
SEC. 104. IMPLEMENTATION.
The President, in coordination with the Secretary of State, the
Administrator of the United States Agency for International
Development, the Secretary of Defense, the heads of other relevant
Federal agencies, relevant United States ambassadors, USAID mission
directors, geographic combatant commanders, and other relevant
individuals with responsibility over activities in each priority
country selected pursuant to section 102, shall ensure that--
(1) the Global Fragility Strategy required under section
101, including each of the country plans developed under
section 103, is implemented, updated, and coordinated on a
regular and iterative basis; and
(2) the strategy is used to guide United States Government
policy and incorporated into relevant strategies and plans
across the United States Government such that the activities of
all Federal agencies are consistent with the strategy.
SEC. 105. BIENNIAL REPORTS AND CONGRESSIONAL CONSULTATION.
(a) Biennial Reports.--Not later than two years after the date of
the enactment of this Act, and every two years thereafter until the
date that is ten years after such date of enactment, the President, the
Secretary of State, the Administrator of the United States Agency for
International Development, the Secretary of Defense, and the heads of
other relevant Federal departments and agencies shall jointly submit to
the appropriate congressional committees an unclassified report, which
may include a classified annex, on progress made and lessons learned
with respect to the implementation of the Global Fragility Strategy
established pursuant to section 101. The report shall include the
following elements:
(1) Descriptions of steps taken to incorporate the strategy
into any relevant, existing country and regional plans or
strategies.
(2) Accountings of all funding received and obligated to
implement each such country and regional plan during the
previous two years, as well as funding requested, planned, and
projected for the following two years.
(3) Descriptions of progress made towards achieving
specific targets, metrics, and indicators for each priority
country.
(4) Descriptions of any changes made to programs based on
the results of assessment, monitoring, and evaluation for each
priority country.
SEC. 106. GAO REVIEW.
(a) In General.--Not later than two years after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States
shall consult with the appropriate congressional committees regarding
opportunities for independent review of the activities implemented
under the Global Fragility Strategy established pursuant to section
101.
(b) Availability of Information.--The heads of relevant Federal
departments and agencies shall ensure that all relevant data,
documents, and other information is made available to the Comptroller
General of the United States for purposes of conducting independent
reviews pursuant to this section.
TITLE II--AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS
SEC. 201. STABILIZATION AND PREVENTION FUND.
(a) Establishment.--There is authorized a fund to be known as the
``Prevention and Stabilization Fund'' (in this section referred to as
``The Fund''), which shall replace the Relief and Recovery Fund.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated such sums as may be necessary for the Prevention and
Stabilization Fund to support stabilization of conflict-affected areas
and mitigate fragility, including through the Global Fragility
Strategy.
(c) Purposes of the Fund.--
(1) In general.--Amounts authorized to be appropriated to
the Fund shall be used--
(A) to support stabilization of conflict-affected
areas and prevent global fragility, including through
the Global Fragility Strategy established pursuant to
section 101; and
(B) to provide assistance to areas liberated or at
risk from, or under the control of, the Islamic State
of Iraq and Syria, other terrorist organizations, or
violent extremist organizations, including for
stabilization assistance for vulnerable ethnic and
religious minority communities affected by conflict.
(2) Amounts in addition.--Amounts authorized to be
appropriated to the Fund under this section are in addition to
any funds otherwise made available for the purposes described
in paragraph (1).
SEC. 202. COMPLEX CRISES FUND.
(a) Establishment.--There is authorized a fund, which shall be
known as the ``Complex Crises Fund'' (in this subsection referred to as
the ``Fund''), to be administered by the United States Agency for
International Development, to support programs and activities to
prevent or respond to emerging or unforeseen events overseas.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated such sums as may be necessary for the Fund, including to
support the Global Fragility Strategy, which shall remain available
remain available until expended.
(c) Purposes of Assistance.--Notwithstanding any other provision of
law, except section 620M of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22
U.S.C. 2378d), amounts in the Fund may be used to carry out the
provisions of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et
seq.) to support programs and activities to prevent or respond to
emerging or unforeseen events overseas, including through support to
the Global Fragility Strategy.
(d) Limitations.--
(1) In general.--Amounts in the Fund may not be expended
for lethal assistance or to respond to natural disasters.
(2) Administrative expenses.--Not more than five percent of
the amounts in the Fund may be used for administrative
expenses.
(e) Congressional Notification.--Not later than five days before
amounts from the Fund are obligated, the Administrator of the United
States Agency for International Development shall submit notification
of such obligation to the appropriate congressional committees.
(f) Waiver.--The notification requirement under subsection (e) be
may be waived if--
(1) notification by the deadline specified in such
paragraph would pose a substantial risk to human health or
welfare; and
(2) the appropriate congressional committees--
(A) are notified not later than three days after an
obligation of amounts from the Fund; and
(B) are provided with an explanation of the
emergency circumstances that necessitated such waiver.
TITLE III--PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT FUND
SEC. 301. ESTABLISHMENT OF FUND.
(a) Negotiations for Establishment of Fund.--The Secretary of
State, in consultation with the Administrator of the United States
Agency for International Development and the heads of other relevant
Federal agencies, shall seek to enter into negotiations with key
bilateral and multilateral donors, including the World Bank, and with
developing countries where fragility threatens to exacerbate violent
extremism and undermine development, including members of the g7+,
toward the establishment, in accordance with the provisions of this
title, of the Partnership Development Fund.
(b) Purposes.--The purposes of the Partnership Development Fund
shall be to use contributed funds--
(1) to assist in addressing the sources of fragility in
priority countries selected pursuant to section 102 of this Act
or otherwise determined by the Partnership Development Fund;
and
(2) to strengthen national and local good governance and
conflict resolution capacity over the long-term, moving beyond
uncoordinated, short-term investments by improving
international coordination and enabling support for
comprehensive, compact-based agreements that support country-
led strategies.
SEC. 302. CONSULTATIONS AND PROGRAMS.
(a) Establishment of Partnership Development Fund.--Not later than
90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of
State shall consult with the appropriate congressional committees on
plans for the establishment of the Partnership Development Fund,
including the mechanism though which donor funds will be received and
distributed, the makeup and composition of a Board of Directors,
qualifications of such Board members, composition of a secretariat, and
mechanisms for oversight and accountability. The Board shall consist of
representatives of participating donor countries, fragility- and
conflict-affected countries, civil society, and multilateral and
nongovernmental organizations. The President shall, with the advice and
consent of the Senate, appoint a United States Board member and an
alternate member for a four-year term.
(b) Partnership Development Fund Grants.--The Partnership
Development Fund shall provide grants to support policies and programs
that assist recipient countries in achieving lasting stability,
resilience to violent extremism, and development, including by building
capacity in national and local government, civil society, and the
private sector. The Fund shall include criteria for candidate
governments and nongovernmental entities to receive grants through
multi-year, compact-based agreements, established through inclusive and
open processes and that are linked to a national development plan and
based on joint analysis and strategic planning.
SEC. 303. CONGRESSIONAL REPORTS AND DISCLOSURE ON THE PARTNERSHIP
DEVELOPMENT FUND.
(a) Reports to Congress.--
(1) Annual reports by the fund.--
(A) In general.--Not later than one year after the
date of the enactment of this Act, and annually
thereafter for the duration of the Fund, the United
States representative to the Fund shall provide to the
appropriate congressional committees a report on the
Fund.
(B) Report elements.--The report required under
subparagraph (A) shall include a description of--
(i) the goals of the Fund;
(ii) the programs, projects, and
activities, including approaches to scaling
programs, supported by the Fund;
(iii) private and governmental
contributions to the Fund;
(iv) the criteria for determining the
programs and activities that should be assisted
by the Fund, and the metrics for the monitoring
and evaluation of such programs and activities;
and
(v) the country-level processes established
to support compact-based agreements and promote
international coordination.
(2) GAO report on fund effectiveness.--Not later than three
years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees a report evaluating the
effectiveness of the Fund, including--
(A) the effectiveness of the programs, projects,
and activities described in paragraph (1)(B)(ii) in
violence reduction and mitigating fragility as a root
cause; and
(B) an assessment of the merits of continued United
States financial contributions to the Fund.
(b) Public Disclosure of Activities.--Not later than 90 days after
the end of each fiscal quarter, the Fund should make available to the
public the following information with respect to awarded grants:
(1) The name of each entity to which assistance is
provided.
(2) The amount of assistance provided to the entity.
(3) A description of the compact-based agreement, including
a detailed description of the objectives and measures for
results of the program or project, which should continue to be
monitored in the years following the end of the grant period to
determine the enduring impact of the grant.
SEC. 304. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
In addition to any other funds authorized to be appropriated for
multilateral or bilateral programs related to conflict prevention,
countering violent extremism, stabilization, or economic development,
there is authorized to be appropriated to the Department of State such
sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2020 through 2022 for
contributions to the Partnership.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported with an amendment favorably.
Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Risch with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Risch with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 155.
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