[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1580 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1580
To enhance stabilization of conflict-affected areas and prevent
violence and fragility globally, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 7, 2019
Mr. Engel (for himself, Mr. McCaul, Mr. Smith of Washington, Mrs.
Wagner, Mr. Keating, and Mr. Rooney of Florida) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs,
and in addition to the Committee on Appropriations, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To enhance stabilization of conflict-affected areas and prevent
violence and fragility globally, 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. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) According to the United Nations, an unprecedented 68.5
million people around the world, the highest level ever
recorded, are currently forcibly displaced from their homes.
(2) According to the World Bank, violence and violent
conflict are now the leading causes of displacement and food
insecurity worldwide, driving 80 percent of humanitarian needs,
with the same conflicts accounting for the majority of forcibly
displaced persons every year since 1991.
(3) According to the Institute for Economics and Peace,
violence containment costs the global economy $14.76 trillion a
year, or 12.4 percent of the world's GDP.
(4) Violence and violent conflict underpin many of the
United States Government's key national security challenges.
Notably, violent conflicts allow for environments in which
terrorist organizations recruit and thrive, while the
combination of violence, corruption, poverty, poor governance,
and underdevelopment often enables transnational gangs and
criminal networks to wreak havoc and commit atrocities
worldwide.
(5) According to research by the University of Maryland and
University of Pittsburgh, exposure to violence increases
support for violence and violent extremism. Research
increasingly finds exposure to violence as a predictor of
future participation in violence, including violent extremism.
(6) United States foreign policy and assistance efforts in
highly violent and fragile states remain governed by an
outdated patchwork of authorities that prioritize responding to
immediate needs rather than solving the problems that cause
them.
(7) Lessons learned over the past 20 years, documented by
the 2013 Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction
Lessons Learned Study, the 2016 Fragility Study Group report,
and the 2018 Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Lessons
Learned Study on Stabilization, show that effective, sustained
United States efforts to reduce violence and stabilize fragile
and violence-affected states require clearly defined goals and
strategies, adequate long-term funding, rigorous and iterative
conflict analysis, coordination across the United States
Government, including strong civil-military coordination,
attention to the problem of corruption, and integration with
and leadership from national and sub-national partners,
including local civil society organizations, traditional
justice systems, and local governance structures.
(8) The ``Stabilization Assistance Review'' released in
2018 by the Departments of State and Defense and the United
States Agency for International Development states, ``The
United States has strong national security and economic
interests in reducing levels of violence and promoting
stability in areas affected by armed conflict.''. The Review
further states, ``Stabilization is an inherently political
endeavor that requires aligning U.S. Government efforts -
diplomatic engagement, foreign assistance, and defense - toward
supporting locally legitimate authorities and systems to
peaceably manage conflict and prevent violence.''.
SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY.
It is the policy of the United States to--
(1) ensure that all relevant Federal departments and
agencies coordinate to achieve coherent, long-term goals for
programs designed to stabilize conflict-affected areas and
prevent violence and fragility globally, including when
implementing the Global Fragility Initiative established
pursuant to section 6;
(2) seek to improve global, regional, and local
coordination of relevant international and multilateral
development and donor organizations regarding efforts to
stabilize conflict-affected areas and prevent violence and
fragility globally, and, where practicable and appropriate,
align such efforts with multilateral goals and indicators;
(3) expand and enhance the effectiveness of United States
foreign assistance programs and activities to stabilize
conflict-affected areas and prevent violence and fragility
globally;
(4) support the research and development of effective
approaches to stabilize conflict-affected areas and prevent
violence and fragility globally, and data collection efforts
relevant to such approaches; and
(5) improve the tools and authorities for assessment,
monitoring, and evaluation needed to enable learning and
adaptation by such relevant Federal departments and agencies
working to stabilize conflict-affected areas and prevent
violence and fragility globally.
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) Stabilization and Prevention Fund.--
(1) In general.--
(A) Establishment.--There is established in the
Treasury of the United States a fund to be known as the
``Stabilization and Prevention Fund'' (in this
subsection referred to as the ``Fund''), to be
administered by the Department of State and the United
States Agency for International Development (USAID),
and consisting of amounts authorized to be--
(i) transferred pursuant to subparagraph
(B); and
(ii) appropriated pursuant to paragraph
(2).
(B) Transfer authorization.--There is authorized to
be transferred to the Fund the unobligated balance of
any amounts in the Relief and Recovery Fund (including
amounts provided in section 7071 of division F of the
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019; Public Law 116-
6) as of the date of the enactment of this Act.
Pursuant to the completion of such transfer, the Relief
and Recovery Fund is hereby abolished, and any
reference to the Relief and Recovery Fund in any law,
regulation, rule, or other document of the United
States Government shall be deemed to be a reference to
the Fund.
(2) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to the Fund $200,000,000 for each of the
five fiscal years beginning with the first fiscal year that
begins after the date of the enactment of this Act. Amounts
authorized to be appropriated pursuant to this paragraph are
authorized to remain available until expended.
(3) Purposes of the fund.--
(A) In general.--Amounts authorized to be
appropriated to the Fund shall be used for any of the
following:
(i) To support stabilization of conflict-
affected areas and prevent violence and
fragility globally, including through the
Global Fragility Initiative established
pursuant to section 6.
(ii) 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.
(B) Addition.--Amounts authorized to be
appropriated to the Fund are in addition to any amounts
otherwise made available for the purposes described in
subparagraph (A).
(4) Congressional notification.--Funds may not be obligated
under this section unless the congressional committees
specified in section 634A of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961
(22 U.S.C. 2394-1) are notified of the amount and nature of
such proposed obligation at least 15 days in advance of such
proposed obligation, in accordance with the procedures
applicable to notifications regarding reprogrammings pursuant
to such section.
(b) Complex Crises Fund.--
(1) Establishment.--There is established in the Treasury of
the United States a fund to be known as the ``Complex Crises
Fund'' (in this subsection referred to as the ``Fund''), to be
administered by USAID.
(2) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to the Fund $30,000,000 for each of the five
fiscal years beginning with the first fiscal year that begins
after the date of the enactment of this Act. Amounts authorized
to be appropriated pursuant to this paragraph are authorized to
remain available until expended.
(3) Purposes of the fund.--
(A) In general.--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 foreign challenges
and complex crises overseas, including through the
Global Fragility Initiative established pursuant to
section 6.
(B) Addition.--Amounts authorized to be
appropriated to the Fund are in addition to any amounts
otherwise made available for the purposes described in
subparagraph (A).
(4) Limitations.--
(A) In general.--Amounts in the Fund may not be
expended for lethal assistance or to respond to natural
disasters.
(B) Administrative expenses.--Not more than five
percent of amounts in the Fund may be used for
administrative expenses.
(5) 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--
(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the
Senate;
(B) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
(C) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House
of Representatives; and
(D) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives.
(6) Waiver.--Notification in accordance with paragraph (5)
may be waived if--
(A) notification by the deadline specified in such
paragraph would pose a substantial risk to human health
or welfare; and
(B) the congressional committees specified in such
paragraph--
(i) are notified not later than three days
after an obligation of amounts from the Fund;
and
(ii) are provided with an explanation of
the emergency circumstances that necessitated
such waiver.
(c) Other Funding and Cost Matching.--The Global Fragility
Initiative established pursuant to section 6--
(1) may be supported by funds other than funds authorized
to be appropriated pursuant to this section; and
(2) shall seek to leverage funds from sources other than
the United States Government in order to promote coordination
and cost-matching to the maximum extent practicable.
SEC. 5. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING ASSISTANCE FOR THE GLOBAL FRAGILITY
INITIATIVE.
It is the sense of Congress that the President, the Secretary of
State, the Administrator of USAID, the Secretary of Defense, and the
heads of other relevant Federal departments and agencies should work
with the appropriate congressional committees to provide sufficient
types and levels of funding to--
(1) allow for more adaptive and responsive policy and
program planning, implementation, and scaling under the Global
Fragility Initiative established pursuant to section 6,
including through more flexible funding mechanisms and
exemptions from specific and minimum funding levels when such
exemptions would make such programs better able to respond to
local needs, the results of monitoring and evaluation, or
changed circumstances in relevant countries;
(2) better integrate the initiative and other conflict and
violence reduction objectives and activities into other policy
and program areas, where appropriate; and
(3) support transparent and accountable multilateral funds,
initiatives, and strategies to enhance and better coordinate
both private and public efforts to stabilize conflict-affected
areas and prevent violence and fragility globally.
SEC. 6. GLOBAL FRAGILITY INITIATIVE.
(a) In General.--
(1) Establishment.--The Secretary of State, in coordination
with the Administrator of the United States Agency for
International Development (USAID), the Secretary of Defense,
the Atrocities Prevention Board (or any successor entity), and
the heads of other relevant Federal departments and agencies,
shall, in accordance with subsection (b), establish an
interagency initiative, to be referred to as the ``Global
Fragility Initiative'', to stabilize conflict-affected areas
and prevent violence and fragility globally.
(2) Stakeholder consultation.--The Global Fragility
Initiative required under this subsection shall be developed in
consultation with representatives of local civil society and
national and local governance entities, as well as relevant
international development organizations with experience
implementing programs in fragile and violence-affected
communities, multilateral organizations and donors, and
relevant private, academic, and philanthropic entities, as
appropriate.
(b) Establishment Plan.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in coordination with
the Administrator of USAID, the Secretary of Defense, the Atrocities
Prevention Board (or any successor entity), and the heads of other
relevant Federal departments and agencies, shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees an interagency plan regarding the
establishment of the Global Fragility Initiative pursuant to subsection
(a) that includes the following:
(1) Identification of the roles and responsibilities of
each participating Federal department or agency, while ensuring
that--
(A) the Department of State is the overall lead
department for establishing United States foreign
policy and advancing diplomatic and political efforts;
(B) USAID is the lead implementing agency for
development, humanitarian, and related non-security
program policy;
(C) where appropriate, the Department of Defense
may support the activities of the Department of State
and USAID by providing requisite security and support
to civilian efforts with the joint-formulation,
coordination, and concurrence of the Secretary of State
and Administrator of USAID; and
(D) other Federal departments and agencies support
the activities of the Department of State and USAID as
appropriate, with the concurrence of the Secretary of
State and Administrator of USAID.
(2) 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, as
the case may be, will be responsible for overseeing and leading
the initiative.
(3) Identification of the authorities, staffing, and other
resource requirements needed to effectively implement the
initiative.
(4) Descriptions of the organizational steps the Secretary
of State, the Administrator, the Secretary of Defense, and the
head of each other relevant Federal department or agency will
take to improve planning, coordination, implementation,
assessment, monitoring, evaluation, adaptive management, and
iterative learning with respect to the programs carried out
under the initiative.
(5) Descriptions of the steps the Secretary of State, the
Administrator, the Secretary of Defense, and the head of each
other relevant Federal department or agency will take to ensure
appropriate host-country ownership and to improve coordination
and collaboration under the initiative with international
development organizations, international donors, multilateral
organizations, and the private sector.
(6) Descriptions of potential areas of improved public and
private sector research and development, including with
academic, philanthropic, and civil society organizations, on
data collection efforts and more effective approaches to
stabilize conflict-affected areas and prevent violence and
fragility globally.
(7) Descriptions of the processes for regularly evaluating
and updating the initiative on an iterative basis, including
regarding priority country and regional plans described in
subsection (d).
(8) A list of priority countries and regions selected
pursuant to subsection (c), including descriptions of the
rationale for such selections.
(c) Selection of Priority Countries and Regions.--The Secretary of
State, in coordination with the Administrator of USAID and the
Secretary of Defense, and in consultation with the appropriate
congressional committees, shall select certain countries as ``priority
countries'' and certain regions as ``priority regions'' for the Global
Fragility Initiative--
(1) on the basis of--
(A) clearly defined indicators of the levels of
violence or fragility in such country or region, such
as the country or region's--
(i) ranking on recognized global fragility
lists, such as the Organization for Economic
Co-operation and Development States of
Fragility report, the Fund for Peace Fragile
States Index, the World Bank Harmonized List of
Fragile Situations, the Institute for Economics
and Peace Global Peace Index, and Holocaust
Museum Early Warning Project Risk Assessment;
(ii) ranking on select United States
Government conflict and atrocity early warning
watch lists; and
(iii) levels of violence, such as violence
committed by armed groups, violent extremist
organizations, gender-based violence, and
violence against children and youth; and
(B) an assessment of--
(i) the capacity and commitment of national
and sub-national government entities and civil
society partners in such country or region to
work with Federal departments and agencies on
the initiative; and
(ii) the likelihood that selection as a
priority country or priority region would allow
the initiative to measurably stabilize
conflict-affected areas or prevent violence and
fragility in such country or region; and
(2) in a manner that ensures that--
(A) not fewer than three countries or regions are
designated as ``Stabilization Countries'' or
``Stabilization Regions'', as the case may be, in which
current levels of violence are among the highest in the
world;
(B) not fewer than three countries or regions are
designated as ``Prevention Countries'' or ``Prevention
Regions'', as the case may be, in which current levels
of violence are lower than such levels in Stabilization
Countries or Stabilization Regions but risk factors for
violence or fragility are significant;
(C) countries and regions selected are in the areas
of responsibility of at least three geographic bureaus
of the Department of State; and
(D) regions, rather than individual countries, are
selected where the threat or spillover of violence,
conflict, or fragility threatens multiple countries
within a single geographic region.
(d) Country and Regional Plans.--Not later than one year after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in
coordination with the Administrator of USAID, the Secretary of Defense,
the Atrocities Prevention Board (or any successor entity), 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 Initiative required under
subsection (a) all relevant diplomatic, development, security
assistance and cooperation, and other relevant activities of the United
States Government with respect to each of the countries and regions
selected pursuant to subsection (c). Each such country and regional
plan shall include the following:
(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
or region, 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 and preventing violence
and fragility in each such country or region.
(4) Descriptions of how and when the relevant goals,
objectives, plans, and benchmarks for each such country or
region will be incorporated into relevant United States country
plans and strategies, including Department of State Integrated
Country Strategies, USAID Country Development Cooperation
Strategies, and Department of Defense Campaign Plans,
Operational Plans, and Regional Strategies, as well as any
equivalent or successor plans or strategies.
(5) Interagency plans to ensure that appropriate local
actors, including government and civil society entities and
organizations led by women, youth, or under-represented
communities, have an appropriate ownership stake in developing,
implementing, assessing, monitoring, evaluating, and updating
relevant activities under each such plan.
(6) Interagency plans to integrate existing and planned
security assistance and cooperation programs in each such
country or region with the initiative and to maximize positive
outcomes and 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
subsection (a)(2), with clear, date-certain metrics for each
such country or region, as well as interagency plans for using
such frameworks to adapt such activities on a regular and
iterative basis.
(8) Descriptions of available policy tools and how such
tools will be used to stabilize conflict-affected areas or
prevent violence and fragility in each such country or region.
(9) A description of how planning and implementation for
each such country or region 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 in cases in which an individual
country is selected and such country is affected by or at risk
of regional fragility or violence.
(11) A component outlining plans to address national-level
factors at the individual country level in cases in which a
region is selected and such region is affected by or at risk of
fragility or violence as a result of such national-level
factors.
(e) Implementation.--The Secretary of State, in coordination with
the Administrator of USAID, the Secretary of Defense, and the heads of
other relevant Federal departments and agencies, and in consultation
with the Atrocities Prevention Board (or any successor entity),
relevant United States ambassadors, USAID mission directors, geographic
combatant commanders, and other relevant individuals with
responsibility over activities in each priority country or region
selected pursuant to subsection (c), shall ensure that--
(1) the Global Fragility Initiative required under
subsection (a), including each of the country and regional
plans under subsection (d), is implemented, updated, and
coordinated on a regular and iterative basis; and
(2) such initiative is used to guide United States
Government policy at a senior level and incorporated into
relevant strategies and plans across the United States
Government such that the activities of all Federal departments
and agencies are consistent with such initiative.
SEC. 7. 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 Secretary of State,
in coordination with the Administrator of USAID, the Secretary of
Defense, the Atrocities Prevention Board (or any successor entity), and
the heads of other relevant Federal departments and agencies, shall
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 Global Fragility Initiative
established pursuant to section 6, including each country and regional
plan required as part of such initiative, including the following:
(1) Descriptions of steps taken to incorporate the
initiative and such country and regional plans into relevant
strategies and plans that affect such countries and regions.
(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 the goals and
objectives established for each such country and region,
including progress made towards achieving specific targets,
metrics, and indicators.
(4) Descriptions of updates made during the previous two
years to the goals, objectives, plans of action, and other
elements described in each such country and regional plan, as
well as any changes made to programs based on the results of
assessment, monitoring, and evaluation.
(b) Congressional Consultation.--The Secretary of State, the
Administrator of USAID, and the Secretary of Defense shall provide to
any appropriate congressional committee upon the request of any such
committee regular briefings on the implementation of this Act.
SEC. 8. GAO REVIEW.
(a) In General.--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 Comptroller General
of the United States shall consult with the Chairman and Ranking Member
of the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee
on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives regarding
opportunities for independent review of the activities under the Global
Fragility Initiative established pursuant to section 6, including
opportunities to--
(1) assess the extent to which United States Government
activities in each country and region selected as part of the
initiative are being implemented in accordance with the
initiative and the relevant country or regional plan under the
initiative;
(2) assess the processes and procedures for coordinating
among and within each relevant Federal department or agency
when implementing the initiative and each such country and
regional plan;
(3) assess the monitoring and evaluation efforts under the
initiative and each such country and regional plan, including
assessments of the progress made and lessons learned with
respect to each such plan, as well as any changes made to
activities based on the results of such monitoring and
evaluation;
(4) recommend changes necessary to better implement United
States Government activities in accordance with the initiative,
as well as recommendations for any changes to the initiative;
and
(5) assess such other matters as the Comptroller General
determines appropriate.
(b) Availability of Information.--The heads of all 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.
SEC. 9. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committees on Foreign Relations, Armed
Services, and Appropriations of the Senate; and
(B) the Committees on Foreign Affairs, Armed
Services, and Appropriations of the House of
Representatives.
(2) Relevant federal department or agency.--The term
``relevant Federal department or agency'' means the Department
of the Treasury and any other Federal department or agency the
President determines is relevant to carry out the purposes of
this Act.
<all>