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Title II — Advancing Peace and Mitigating Conflict

H.R. 1793 · 113th Congress · Apr 26, 2013 · Lineage

II Advancing Peace and Mitigating Conflict

Sec. 2001 Findings and statement of policy

(a)
Findings— Congress finds the following:
(1)
Peacebuilding involves the full range of approaches, processes, and stages of transforming violent conflict into stable, peaceful relationships.
(2)
Because many of the greatest threats to United States national security have emerged from failed states, it is in the national security interest of the United States to support peacebuilding efforts to stabilize and secure fragile states and states under stress.
(3)
United States peacebuilding efforts are most effective when they are undertaken in cooperation with the international community, and when they build local capacity to prevent and stop violence and mass atrocities.
(4)
In the event that prevention fails, the United States has an obligation to work both multilaterally and bilaterally to mobilize diplomatic, humanitarian, financial, and when necessary and appropriate, military resources to save lives and protect civilian populations.
(5)
Civil society organizations, including international nongovernmental organizations and local community groups, play an important role in promoting nonviolent conflict resolution, fostering harmony among religions, ethnic groups, communities, and factions, and facilitating second-track diplomacy. By coordinating with and working through such organizations, the United States can strengthen the effectiveness of its peacebuilding programs.
(b)
Statement of policy— It is the policy of the United States to promote civilian security and long-term sustainable, secure, and stable communities.

Sec. 2002 Definition

In this title, the term peacebuilding means activities to prevent armed conflict, prevent and respond to mass atrocities, stabilize weak and fragile states, protect civilians in conflict zones, mitigate crises, help countries to rebuild and recover after conflict, and support transitions to peace, stability, and democracy.

A General Authorities

Sec. 2011 Peacekeeping

(a)
Statement of policy— It is the policy of the United States to employ a variety of unilateral, bilateral, and multilateral means to respond to international conflicts and crises, placing a high priority upon timely, preventive diplomatic efforts and exercising a leadership role in promoting international efforts to end crises peacefully.
(b)
Authorization— The Secretary is authorized to provide assistance to foreign countries, international organizations, and regional arrangements, on such terms and conditions as the Secretary may determine, for peacekeeping operations in furtherance of the national security interests of the United States.
(c)
Reimbursement— Such assistance may include reimbursement for expenses incurred pursuant to section 7 of the United Nations Participation Act of 1945 (22 U.S.C. 287d–1), except that such reimbursements may not exceed $5,000,000 in any fiscal year unless a greater amount is specifically authorized by law.
(d)
Determination— If the President determines that, as the result of an unforeseen emergency, the provision of assistance under this section in amounts in excess of amounts otherwise made available for such assistance is important to the national interests of the United States, the President may—
(1)
exercise the authority of section 9602 to transfer amounts made available to carry out section 4103 for use under this section without regard to the 20 percent increase limitation contained in section 9602, except that the total amount so transferred in any fiscal year may not exceed $15,000,000; and
(2)
in the event the President also determines that such unforeseen emergency requires the immediate provision of assistance under this section, direct the drawdown of commodities and services from the inventory and resources of any agency of the United States Government of an aggregate value not to exceed $25,000,000 in any fiscal year.

Sec. 2012 Transition initiatives

(a)
Authorization— The Administrator is authorized to provide, notwithstanding any other provision of law, assistance to support the transition to peace, democracy, and sustainable development of a country or region that is at risk of, in, or in transition from, conflict or civil strife.
(b)
Use of funds— Assistance under this section includes support for the following:
(1)
Developing or strengthening democratic institutions and processes.
(2)
Short-term economic and political stabilization.
(3)
Reconstructing or revitalizing basic infrastructure.
(4)
Fostering reconciliation and the peaceful resolution of conflict.
(c)
Transfer authority— If the Secretary determines that it is important to the national interests of the United States to provide transition assistance in excess of amounts appropriated or otherwise made available under this section, up to $25,000,000 of the funds made available under this Act may be used for purposes of this section and under the authorities applicable to funds made available under this section.
(d)
Notification—
(1)
By administrator— The Administrator shall notify the appropriate congressional committees not less than 5 days before beginning a new program of assistance under this section.
(2)
By Secretary— The Secretary shall notify the appropriate congressional committee not less than 5 days before making a transfer pursuant to subsection (c).

Sec. 2013 Limit on payment to United Nations and affiliated agencies

Section 404(b) of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1994 and 1995 (Public Law 103–236; 22 U.S.C. 287e note) is amended—
(1)
by striking “Contributions.—” and all that follows through “Funds authorized” and inserting “Contributions.—Funds authorized”; and
(2)
by striking paragraph (2).

Sec. 2014 Complex Crisis, Stabilization, and Prevention Fund

(a)
Establishment of fund—
(1)
In general— The Secretary is authorized to establish a fund, to be known as the “Complex Crisis, Stabilization, and Prevention Fund” (referred to in this section as the “Fund”), to provide assistance to a country or region designated by the Secretary as a country at risk of, in, or in transition from, conflict or civil strife and for other purposes authorized in this section.
(2)
Congressional notification— The Secretary shall notify the appropriate congressional committees at least five days in advance of an obligation of funds under this section.
(3)
Waiver— The requirement for notification under paragraph (2) may be waived if—
(A)
failure to do so would pose a substantial risk to human health or welfare;
(B)
the appropriate congressional committees are notified not later than three days after an obligation of funds; and
(C)
such notification contains an explanation of the emergency circumstances necessitating such waiver.
(4)
Purpose of assistance— Assistance may be provided under this section for the following purposes:
(A)
Fostering reconstruction or stabilization.
(B)
Mitigating or responding to emerging or unforeseen complex crises, including urgent political, social, or economic challenges that threaten stability.
(C)
Addressing systemic and immediate causes of crises and conflict.
(D)
Undertaking preventive measures to reduce the risk of crises and conflict and their impact on vulnerable populations.
(b)
Limitation— The Secretary shall ensure that assistance provided under this section is not used for—
(1)
assistance of a military nature or for a military purpose; or
(2)
participation by an officer or employee of the United States in a foreign police action.
(c)
Conflict prevention— Not less than 25 percent of amounts made available to carry out this section shall be used to support programs and activities to prevent an outbreak or escalation of violence in a country at risk of, in, or in transition from, conflict or civil strife.
(d)
Transfer—
(1)
In general— The President may transfer up to $500,000,000 of amounts made available under any other provision of law to be used to implement the purposes of this section.
(2)
Additional amounts— Notwithstanding any other provision of law, up to $5,000,000 or five percent, whichever is less, of any amounts that are specifically designated by this or any other Act for particular programs or activities may be transferred to carry out the purposes of this section.
(e)
Relationship to other laws— Assistance provided from the Fund may be made available notwithstanding any other provision of law.

Sec. 2015 Addressing violence against women and girls in humanitarian relief, peacekeeping, conflict, and post-conflict settings

(a)
Activities of the Department of State and Agency—
(1)
Duties— The Secretary and the Administrator are authorized to—
(A)
provide assistance to programs carried out by international organizations, international and local nongovernmental organizations, and governments, as appropriate, that—
(i)
prevent and respond to violence against women and girls in humanitarian relief, in a country or region at risk of, in, or in transition from, conflict or civil strife;
(ii)
build the capacity of humanitarian organizations and government authorities, as appropriate, to address the special protection needs of women and children;
(iii)
support efforts to provide immediate assistance to survivors of violence and reintegrate such individuals through education, psychosocial assistance, trauma counseling, family and community reinsertion and reunification, medical assistance, and economic opportunity programs; and
(iv)
provide legal services for women and girls who are victims of violence;
(B)
work to incorporate activities to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls internationally into any multilateral or bilateral disarmament, demobilization, rehabilitation, and reintegration efforts by—
(i)
providing protection and suitable separate facilities in demobilization and transit centers for women and girls formerly involved in, or associated with, fighting forces;
(ii)
ensuring equitable reintegration activities and opportunities for such women and girls, including access to schooling, vocational training, employment, and childcare;
(iii)
providing essential medical care and psychosocial support for such women and girls who are victims of violence; and
(iv)
incorporating prevention and response to violence against women and girls into programs for former combatants;
(C)
designate and deploy specialists in violence against women and girls, as appropriate, as an integral part of the Agency’s Disaster Assistance Response Teams to ensure the integration of prevention and response to violence against women and girls internationally in strategies and programming; and
(D)
strive to ensure that all private partners and others carrying out humanitarian relief in a country or region at risk of, in, or in transition from conflict or civil strife—
(i)
train all humanitarian workers in preventing and responding to violence against women and girls, including in the use of mechanisms to report violence against women and girls;
(ii)
conduct appropriate public outreach to make known to the host community the mechanisms to report violence against women and girls; and
(iii)
promptly and appropriately respond to reports of violence against women and girls and treat survivors in accordance with best practices regarding confidentiality.
(b)
Coordination of United States Government efforts— The Secretary of Defense and the Attorney General shall coordinate with the Secretary of State and the Administrator when carrying out programs relevant to the purposes of this section.
(c)
Enhancing United States leadership and advocacy in the United Nations—
(1)
Strengthening United Nations procedures— The Secretary, in consultation with the Administrator and the United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations, is authorized to promote United Nations efforts to—
(A)
develop and implement appropriate training programs for peacekeeping and humanitarian personnel in prevention and response to violence against women and girls internationally;
(B)
meet staffing goals for women military and police peacekeepers, including all-women teams and units;
(C)
enhance the deployment of civilian women at all levels to serve in peacekeeping missions, including through innovative staffing formulas;
(D)
institute effective protection mechanisms in and around United Nations-managed refugee and internally displaced persons camps;
(E)
implement a zero tolerance policy for sexual exploitation and abuse in United Nations peacekeeping and humanitarian operations;
(F)
support countries that contribute troops and police in—
(i)
taking appropriate actions to prevent violence and abuse;
(ii)
providing materials for pre-deployment and in-theater awareness training; and
(iii)
taking other actions to promote full accountability in cases of abusive conduct involving the personnel of such countries;
(G)
continue to expand appropriate mechanisms to permit individuals to safely bring to the attention of United Nations peacekeeping commanders and heads of humanitarian missions allegations of violence against women and girls internationally; and
(H)
ensure the capacity of the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight to investigate in a timely and efficient manner all credible allegations of violence against women and girls internationally, while protecting the whistleblower.
(d)
Emergency response to violence against women and girls—
(1)
Emergency response— Not later than 45 days after receiving a credible report of serious or widespread incidents of violence against women and girls in a situation of armed conflict or civil strife, the Secretary and the Administrator shall, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, identify and implement emergency response measures.
(2)
Consultation— For the purposes of paragraph (1), the term relevant stakeholders includes, as appropriate—
(A)
affected populations;
(B)
international, multilateral, and nongovernmental organizations operating in the affected area;
(C)
the government of the country in which the violence is occurring;
(D)
governments in the region in which the violence is occurring; and
(E)
donor governments.
(3)
Congressional briefings— The Secretary shall brief the appropriate congressional committees not less than quarterly on the status of incidents of violence against women and girls in situations of armed conflict or civil strife, emergency response measures taken, and consultations with relevant stakeholders.

Sec. 2016 Demining activities

(a)
In general— The Secretary is authorized, notwithstanding any other provision of law, to provide assistance to foreign countries for demining activities, including—
(1)
clearance of unexploded ordinance;
(2)
the destruction of small arms; and
(3)
related activities.
(b)
Special authority— Subject to such terms and conditions as the Secretary may prescribe, the Secretary is authorized to make grants of demining equipment to foreign countries and international organizations, for the purposes identified in this section.

Sec. 2017 Disarmament, demobilization, reintegration, and rehabilitation activities

(a)
In general— The Secretary, in coordination with the Administrator, is authorized to carry out programs in foreign countries to assist the disarmament, demobilization, reintegration, and rehabilitation of former combatants.
(b)
Coordination— The programs referred to in subsection (a) shall be coordinated, as appropriate, with international nongovernmental organizations and the government of the country in which any such program is carried out.

B Strategies, Assessments, and Reports

Sec. 2021 Regional conflict risk assessment and conflict mitigation strategy

(a)
Findings— Congress finds the following:
(1)
Armed conflict and civil strife often stem from dynamics that transcend traditional state borders and require cross-border and regional approaches.
(2)
United States diplomacy is often conducted on a bilateral, state-centric basis that fails to address problems comprehensively or to identify and assess the full range of issues and opportunities.
(3)
A comprehensive approach towards conflict prevention is required, incorporating cross border and regional dynamics and non-state actors.
(b)
Conflict assessment— The Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights and in consultation with the Administrator, shall be responsible for ensuring that an annual regional conflict risk assessment is conducted for each geographic region represented by an Assistant Secretary. Each assessment shall include the following:
(1)
An identification of ongoing violent conflicts in the region.
(2)
An evaluation of the potential for outbreaks of violent conflict in the region.
(3)
A list of those conflicts determined to be at high risk of outbreak of escalation.
(4)
A description of new opportunities and challenges for conflict mitigation in the region.
(c)
Conflict mitigation strategy— For each conflict identified in subsection (b)(3), the relevant office or diplomatic or consular post of the Department of State, in consultation with the relevant office or overseas mission of the Agency, shall develop a conflict mitigation strategy. Such strategy shall include the following elements:
(1)
An analysis of the key drivers of potential conflict.
(2)
An analysis of the impact of current United States policies and programs on the drivers referred to in paragraph (1).
(3)
Specific objectives in mitigating conflict for the next 1- to 3-year period, including indicators and other measurements of progress.
(4)
A plan for ensuring that basic human needs are met and civilians are protected during the period of the strategy.
(5)
A description of policies and programs needed to achieve the objectives identified in paragraph (3).
(6)
A description of how such policies and programs will be coordinated with the policies and programs of local partners and the international community.
(7)
A description of the roles of each Federal agency in carrying out the conflict mitigation strategy, and the mechanisms for interagency coordination.
(8)
The requirements for human and financial resources to carry out the conflict mitigation strategy over the next 1- to 3-year period.
(d)
Consultation— In preparing each conflict mitigation strategy required under subsection (c), the relevant office or diplomatic or consular post of the Department of State shall consult with a wide range of local stakeholders, including civil society organizations.
(e)
Transmission to congress— Each conflict mitigation strategy required under subsection (c) shall be transmitted to the appropriate congressional committees.

Sec. 2022 Data on costs incurred in support of United Nations peacekeeping operations

(a)
Quarterly reports— The Secretary of Defense shall submit, on a quarterly basis, to the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate, the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a report setting forth all costs (including incremental costs) incurred by the Department of Defense during the preceding quarter in implementing or supporting resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, including any such resolution calling for international sanctions, international peacekeeping operations, or humanitarian missions undertaken by the Department of Defense. Each quarterly report shall include an aggregate of all such Department of Defense costs by operation or mission.
(b)
United States costs— The President shall annually transmit to the Secretary General of the United Nations the information required under subsection (a).
(c)
United Nations Member State costs— The President shall direct the permanent representative of the United States to the United Nations to request that the United Nations compile and publish information concerning costs incurred by United Nations Member States in support of the resolutions described in subsection (a).

Sec. 2023 Peace on Cyprus and in the Eastern Mediterranean

(a)
Policy and principles— United States policy regarding Cyprus, Greece, and Turkey shall be directed toward the maintenance of a stable and peaceful atmosphere in the Eastern Mediterranean region and shall therefore be governed by the following principles:
(1)
The United States shall actively support the resolution of differences through negotiations and internationally established peaceful procedures, shall encourage all parties to avoid provocative actions, and shall strongly oppose any attempt to resolve disputes through force or threat of force.
(2)
The United States will accord full support and high priority to efforts, particularly those of the United Nations, to bring about a prompt, peaceful settlement on Cyprus.
(3)
All defense articles provided by the United States to countries in the Eastern Mediterranean region will be used only in accordance with the requirements of this Act and the agreements under which those defense articles were provided.
(4)
The United States will provide security assistance for Greece and Turkey only when providing that assistance is intended solely for defensive purposes, including when necessary to enable the recipient country to fulfill its responsibilities as a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and shall be designed to ensure that the present balance of military strength among countries of the region, including between Greece and Turkey, is preserved. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to prohibit the transfer of defense articles to Greece or Turkey for legitimate self defense or to enable Greece or Turkey to fulfill their North Atlantic Treaty Organization obligations.
(5)
The United States shall use its influence to ensure the continuation of the ceasefire on Cyprus until an equitable negotiated settlement is reached.
(6)
The United States shall use its influence to achieve the withdrawal of Turkish military forces from Cyprus in the context of a solution to the Cyprus problem.
(b)
Quarterly report—
(1)
Review— Because progress toward a Cyprus settlement is a high priority of United States policy in the Eastern Mediterranean, the President and the Congress shall continually review that progress and shall determine United States policy in the region accordingly.
(2)
Report— To facilitate such a review the President shall, not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act and at the end of each succeeding 90-day period, transmit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a report on progress made toward the conclusion of a negotiated solution of the Cyprus problem. Such transmissions shall include any relevant reports prepared by the Secretary General of the United Nations for the Security Council.
(c)
Certification— In order to ensure that United States assistance is provided consistent with the policies established in this section, the President shall, whenever transmitting a certification pursuant to section 4382 for Greece or Turkey, include in that certification a full explanation of how such assistance will be consistent with the policy and principles set forth in subsection (a).
(d)
Prohibition on transfer of military equipment to cyprus—
(1)
In general— Any agreement for the sale or provision of any article on the United States Munitions List (established pursuant to section 4301) entered into by the United States after the date of the enactment of this Act shall expressly state that the article is being provided by the United States only with the understanding that it will not be transferred to Cyprus or otherwise used to further the severance or division of Cyprus.
(2)
Report— The President shall submit to Congress a report on any substantial evidence that equipment provided under any such agreement has been used in a manner inconsistent with the purposes of this subsection.

C Organizations and Personnel

Sec. 2031 Atrocities Prevention Board

(a)
Findings— Congress makes the following findings:
(1)
Non-combatants comprise most of the casualties in modern conflict.
(2)
In many cases, civilian deaths are the result of belligerents deliberately targeting civilians on a wide scale.
(3)
Civilians are vulnerable both during interstate conflict and intrastate situations, such as civil wars, insurgencies, and anarchic conditions associated with failed states.
(4)
There are common variables to situations giving rise to atrocities, including past history of such occurrences, persistence of articulated and non-articulated tensions, and poor or malevolent leadership.
(5)
Most tellingly, atrocities—including genocide—often occur when displaced persons attempt to flee conflict.
(6)
The United States is committed to working with our allies, and to strengthening our own internal capabilities, in order to ensure that the United States and the international community are proactively engaged in a strategic effort to prevent mass atrocities and genocide. In the event that prevention fails, the United States will work both multilaterally and bilaterally to mobilize diplomatic, humanitarian, financial, and—in certain instances—military means to prevent and respond to genocide and mass atrocities.
(7)
Preventing mass atrocities and genocide is a core national security interest and a core moral responsibility of the United States.
(8)
United States security is affected when masses of civilians are slaughtered, refugees flow across borders, and murderers wreak havoc on regional stability and livelihoods.
(9)
Governmental engagement on atrocities and genocide too often arrives too late, when opportunities for prevention or low-cost, low-risk action have been missed.
(10)
Ensuring that a full range of options is available to senior policy makers requires a level of governmental organization that matches the methodical organization characteristic of mass killings.
(b)
Establishment of Interagency Atrocities Prevention Board— The President shall establish an Interagency Atrocities Prevention Board (in this section referred to as the “Board”) with the following responsibilities:
(1)
Coordinate and synchronize a whole of government approach to preventing mass atrocities.
(2)
Integrate the early warning systems of national security agencies, including intelligence agencies, with respect to incidents of mass atrocities and coordinate the policy response to such incidents.
(3)
Conduct gaming and contingency planning exercises regarding atrocities prevention and response.
(4)
Oversee the development and implementation of comprehensive atrocities prevention and response strategies.
(5)
Identify available resources and policy options necessary to prevent the emergence or escalation of mass atrocities, including—
(A)
foreign assistance;
(B)
diplomatic initiatives;
(C)
deployment of civilian expertise;
(D)
use of sanctions; and
(E)
military options.
(6)
Identify and close gaps in expertise, readiness, and planning for atrocities prevention and early action across Federal agencies.
(7)
Ensure that risk assessments and policies to mitigate identified risks are communicated in a timely fashion to the relevant Federal agencies and integrated into activities.
(c)
Leadership—
(1)
In general— The Board shall be headed by a senior director selected by the President, and who shall report to the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (commonly referred to as the “National Security Advisor”).
(2)
Responsibilities— The senior director shall have primary responsibility for promoting United States Government policies to protect individuals affected by conflict and atrocities and carrying out the responsibilities identified in subsection (b).
(d)
Composition— The Board shall be composed of representatives from the following agencies, and such others as the President determines appropriate:
(1)
The Department of Defense.
(2)
The United States Agency for International Development.
(3)
The Department of State.
(4)
The Department of Justice.
(5)
The Department of the Treasury.
(6)
The Department of Homeland Security.
(7)
The Central Intelligence Agency.
(8)
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
(9)
The United States Mission to the United Nations.

Sec. 2032 Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights

(a)
In general— Section 1(b) of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2651a(b)) is amended—
(1)
by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (5); and
(2)
by inserting after paragraph (3) the following new paragraph:

“(4) Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights—There shall be in the Department of State, among the Under Secretaries authorized by paragraph (1), an Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights, who shall have primary responsibility to assist the Secretary and the Deputy Secretary in the formation and implementation of policy, activities, and oversight related to crisis prevention and response, democracy, human rights, and labor, and refugees and migration. The Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights shall—

“(A) coordinate and implement civilian responses to conflict, including deployment of the Civilian Response Corps;

“(B) oversee the full spectrum of conflict-related policies and programs in the Department of State;

“(C) conduct strategic planning and budgeting for conflict-related activities within the Department of State;

“(D) manage prevention and response to refugee and humanitarian crises, including support for major international organizations involved in aid to conflict affected populations; and

“(E) advance human rights and democratic values.”

(b)
Abolition— The position of Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs is hereby abolished.
(c)
Transfer— Responsibilities for the position of Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs shall be transferred to the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights, as appropriate. The individual serving in the capacity of Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs as of the date of the enactment of this Act may continue serve in the capacity of the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights.
(d)
Conforming amendment— Section 2113(a) of the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (22 U.S.C. 8213(a); Public Law 110–53) is amended by striking “Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs” and inserting “Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights”.

Sec. 2033 Conflict and stabilization operations

(a)
In general— Section 62 of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2734) is amended to read as follows:

“62. Conflict and stabilization operations

“(a) Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations

“(1) Establishment—There is established within the Department of State the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations.

“(2) Assistant Secretary for Conflict and Stabilization Operations—The head of the Bureau shall be the Assistant Secretary for Conflict and Stabilization Operations. The Assistant Secretary shall report directly to the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights.

“(3) Functions—The functions of the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations shall include the following:

“(A) Training, equipping, and deploying the Civilian Response Corps described in subsection (b)(1).

“(B) Developing, at the request of a Chief of Mission, a strategy or plan, and designing relevant programming, for stabilization and reconstruction, as appropriate to the local context.

“(C) At the request of a Chief of Mission, mobilizing and deploying members of the Civilian Response Corps as needed.

“(D) Entering into appropriate arrangements with agencies to carry out activities under this section and the Reconstruction and Stabilization Civilian Management Act of 2008 (title XVI of the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009; Public Law 110–417).

“(E) Identifying and recruiting personnel in State and local governments, including law enforcement personnel, and in the private sector who are available to participate in the Reserve Corps established under subsection (b)(1)(B) or to otherwise participate in or contribute to reconstruction and stabilization activities.

“(F) Taking steps to ensure that training and education of civilian personnel to perform such reconstruction and stabilization operations is adequate and is carried out, as appropriate, with other offices in the Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development involved with reconstruction and stabilization activities.

“(G) Maintaining the capacity to field on short notice an evaluation team consisting of personnel from all relevant agencies to undertake on-site needs assessment.

“(H) Maintaining a staff of experts to provide technical support for crisis mitigation, including mediation and negotiation support teams.

“(I) Establishing and maintaining a cadre of deployable personnel to conduct contingency acquisition support.

“(J) Establishing and maintaining on active status a contingency contracting office for the purpose of procuring goods, equipment, and services for use in contingency operations and for assistance to support reconstruction and stabilization activities.

“(b) Civilian Response Corps

“(1) In general—The Secretary of State shall establish and maintain a Civilian Response Corps (referred to in this section as the “Corps”) to provide assistance in support of reconstruction and stabilization activities 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 reserve components.

“(A) Active Corps

“(i) In general—The Active Corps shall be composed of not more than 200 positions identified by the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Administrator, based on the skillsets identified by the Coordinator.

“(ii) Membership—The Active Corps shall consist of United States Government personnel, including employees of the Department of State, the United States Agency for International Development, and other agencies.

“(iii) Duties—Members of the Active Corps shall—

“(I) serve as liaisons between the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations and regional bureaus of the Department of State;

“(II) unless deployed abroad, be employed by the Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights; and

“(III) deploy, within 72 hours, anywhere outside the United States where the Secretary of State directs.

“(iv) Surge—Members of the Active Corps may be detailed by the Assistant Secretary for Conflict and Stabilization Operations to regional bureaus of the Department of State to augment crisis and conflict planning and response.

“(B) Reserve Corps

“(i) In general—The Reserve Corps shall consist of United States Government personnel, individuals employed by State or local governments, or other experts who have the skills necessary for supporting reconstruction and stabilization activities, or who shall be trained and employed to carry out such activities, and who have volunteered for such purpose.

“(ii) List—The Secretary shall maintain and continually update a database composed of personnel who have volunteered for the Reserve Corps.

“(iii) Duties—Members of the Reserve Corps shall—

“(I) on a voluntary basis, deploy within 72 hours, anywhere outside the United States, where the Secretary of State directs; and

“(II) maintain appropriate skills and conditioning to deploy to assist in reconstruction and stabilization activities.

“(2) Mitigation of domestic impact—The establishment and deployment of any Reserve Corps shall be undertaken in a manner that avoids substantively impairing the capacity and readiness of the Federal Government or any State or local government from which Reserve Corps personnel may be drawn.

“(3) Existing training and education programs—The Secretary of State shall ensure that personnel of the Department of State, and, in coordination with the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, that personnel of USAID, have access to and make use of the relevant existing training and education programs offered within the Federal 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.

“(4) In general

“(A) Appointments to Foreign Service—Individuals who serve in the Civilian Response Corps shall be eligible to be appointed as a member of the Foreign Service pursuant to section 303 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 3943) for a term of up to three years.

“(B) Deployment—Not less than 60 percent of the Active Corps should be deployed outside of the United States at any one time.

“(C) Promotion—Individuals who are career members of the Foreign Service shall be considered for promotion on the same basis as individuals who are assigned to diplomatic or consular posts with one-year tours of duty.

“(D) Chain-of-command—Once deployed abroad, a member of the Civilian Response Corps shall report to and serve under the operational control of the chief of mission of the country or region in which such member is deployed.

“(E) Limitation on deployment—The Secretary of State is authorized to deploy to a foreign country members of the Active Corps for a period of not longer than one year. Such period may be extended on a voluntary basis.

“(5) Temporary appointments for certain individuals—The Secretary of State, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Conflict and Stabilization Operations, is authorized to appoint individuals with acquisition backgrounds to the Active or Reserve Corps on a one-year basis to implement contracts for contingency operations.

“(c) Employment for contingency operations

“(1) Foreign Service limited positions—Pursuant to the authority of section 309 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 3949), and notwithstanding the limitation specified in section 305 of such Act (22 U.S.C. 3945), the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) may appoint to the Senior Foreign Service up to ten individuals to be assigned to or support contingency operations.

“(2) Waiver—The provisions of section 8344 or 8468 of title 5, United States Code, may be waived on a case-by-case basis by—

“(A) the Administrator of USAID, with respect to the employment in USAID, or

“(B) the Inspector General of USAID, with respect to the employment in the Office of Inspector General,

“(3) Procedures—If the authority referred to in paragraph (1) is delegated, the Administrator of USAID or the Inspector General of USAID, as appropriate, shall prescribe criteria and procedures for the exercise of any authority under this section.

“(4) Status of employment—A Federal employee for whom a waiver under this section is in effect shall not be considered an employee for purposes of subchapter III of chapter 83, or chapter 84 of title 5, United States Code.

“(d) Exception

“(1) In general—The Secretary of State may select and appoint employees to carry out conflict and stabilization activities without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointment in the competitive service and may fix the basic compensation of such employees without regard to chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of such title.

“(2) Delegation—The Secretary of State may authorize the head of any agency to exercise the authority described in paragraph (1).

“(3) Definition—For the purpose of this subsection, the term employees means individuals who qualify as an employee as defined in section 2105 of title 5, United States Code, and who are appointed on a time-limited basis solely to carry out reconstruction and stabilization activities under or consistent with this section.”

(b)
Special authority— Notwithstanding any other provision of law, including section 304(c) of the Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Antiterrorism Act of 1986 (22 U.S.C. 4834(c); Public Law 99–399), personnel designated by the Secretary, including members of the Civilian Response Corps, shall not be bound by the regulations and guidance provided by the Bureau of Diplomatic Security and shall deploy at the direction of the Secretary.
(c)
Personnel— The Reconstruction and Stabilization Civilian Management Act of 2008 (title XVI of Public Law 110–417) is amended—
(1)
in section 1603 (22 U.S.C. 2734a note), by amending paragraph (5) to read as follows:

“(5) Personnel—The term personnel means—

“(A) individuals serving in any service described in section 2101 of title 5, United States Code, other than in the legislative or judicial branch;

“(B) individuals employed by personal services contract, including individuals employed pursuant to—

“(i) section 2(c) of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2669(c)); or

“(ii) section 636(a)(3) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2396(a)(3));

“(C) individuals appointed under section 303 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 3943); and

“(D) locally employed staff who are employed by participating agencies.”

(2)
in section 1606(b) (22 U.S.C. 2734a(b)), by inserting “and to provide any related support” after “assign personnel of such agency”.

Sec. 2034 Danger pay

Section 151 of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1990 and 1991 (5 U.S.C. 5928 note; Public Law 101–246) is amended—
(1)
by striking “or” after “Drug Enforcement Administration” and inserting “, the”; and
(2)
inserting “, or the Civilian Response Corps” after “Federal Bureau of Investigation”.

Sec. 2035 Stability policing coordinator

The State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 is amended by adding after section 62 (as amended by 2031 of this Act) the following new section:

“63. Office of the Stability Policing Coordinator

“(a) Establishment—There is established within the Department of State the Office of the Stability Policing Coordinator (in this section referred to as the “Office”).

“(b) Coordinator for police training—The head of the Office shall be the Coordinator for Stability Policing (in this section referred to as the “Coordinator”). The Coordinator shall report directly to the Assistant Secretary for Conflict and Stabilization Operations.

“(c) Responsibilities—The Coordinator shall be responsible for developing a unified, coherent, comprehensive, and effective program of law enforcement assistance in support of reconstruction and stabilization activities in countries or regions that are at risk of, in, or are in transition from, conflict or civil strife. Such program shall include the following elements:

“(1) Developing and overseeing curricula for police training specifically oriented towards reconstruction and stabilization activities.

“(2) Developing and implementing policies and procedures to ensure that human rights, and in particular those of women and girls, are protected.

“(3) In coordination with the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, as appropriate, recruiting, vetting, and training personnel to serve as police trainers.

“(4) Ensuring proper direction and oversight of contractors hired to implement police training programs under this section.

“(5) Establishing benchmarks to measure the progress of police training programs conducted under this section.

“(6) Coordinating assistance carried out by the Office with similar assistance provided by other Federal agencies and international donors.

“(7) Overseeing procurement and delivery of supplies and equipment, and monitoring the end use of such supplies and equipment.

“(8) Providing policy guidance and program support to the United States diplomatic and consular missions in the country or region undertaking police training operations.

“(9) Providing guidance to the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations regarding the selection and training of law enforcement and judicial personnel for the Readiness Response Corps.

“(d) Relationship to global rule of law policy committee—The Coordinator shall ensure that the activities of the Office are consistent with the coordination plan established pursuant to section 3202 of the Global Partnerships Act of 2013.”

Sec. 2036 Training in conflict management and mitigation

Section 708 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 4028) is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a)—
(A)
in paragraph (2), by striking “and” at the end;
(B)
in paragraph (3), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; and”; and
(C)
by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

“(4) instruction on methods for conflict management and mitigation and on the necessary skills to be able to function successfully in countries or regions that are at risk of, in, or are in transition from, conflict or civil strife, including—

“(A) recognizing patterns of escalation and early warning signs of potential atrocities or violence, including gender-based violence; and

“(B) methods of early action, prevention, and response.”

(2)
by adding at the end the following new subsection:

“(d) The training described in subsection (a)(4) shall be mandatory for all Foreign Service officers assigned to a position, or otherwise made available for service, in the department or agency or at a post overseas with responsibilities in the subject matters described in such subsection. Training opportunities should include, as appropriate for the department and agency, respectively, fellowships, details, and exchanges with relevant Federal agencies, international organizations, and nongovernmental organizations.”