H.R. 2583 (112th): Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2012

Introduced:
Jul 19, 2011 (112th Congress, 2011–2013)
Sponsor:
Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen [R-FL18]
Status:
Died (Reported by Committee)

The bill’s title was written by the bill’s sponsor. H.R. stands for House of Representatives bill.

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Status

This bill was introduced on July 21, 2011, in a previous session of Congress, but was not enacted.

Progress
Introduced Jul 19, 2011
Referred to Committee Jul 19, 2011
Reported by Committee Jul 21, 2011
Cosponsors
none
Committees

House Foreign Affairs

The committee chair determines whether a bill will move past the committee stage.

Full Title

To authorize appropriations for the Department of State for fiscal year 2012, and for other purposes.

Summary

No summaries available.

Text

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Last updated Sep 23, 2011.
296 pages

Primary Source

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GovTrack’s Bill Summary

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Library of Congress Summary

The summary below was written by the Congressional Research Service, which is a nonpartisan division of the Library of Congress.

9/23/2011.
Title I - Authorization of Appropriations
Section 101 -
Authorizes FY2012 appropriations for: (1) the Department of State (Department) for the administration of foreign affairs, (2) international organizations, (3) international peacekeeping, (4) international commissions, (5) migration and refugee assistance, and (6) the National Endowment for Democracy.
Title II - Department of State Authorities and Activities
Subtitle A - Basic Authorities and Activities
Section 201 -
Directs the Secretary of State (Secretary) to periodically inspect the administration of operations of each Foreign Service post and each bureau and other operating unit of the Department.
Section 202 -
Amends the the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 to permit funds won by the Department in a decision of an international tribunal to be used for the International Litigation Fund.
Section 203 -
Amends the Foreign Service Act of 1980 to transfer statutory responsibility for performing actuarial duties related to the Department's retirement systems from the Secretary of the Treasury to the Secretary.
Section 204 -
Amends the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 to authorize Department and Foreign Service special agents to investigate: (1) illegal passport or visa issuance or use, (2) Department-related identity theft and document fraud, and (3) federal offenses committed in the special maritime and territorial jurisdictions (nonmilitary) of the United States.
Section 205 -
Revises provisions regarding local guard and protective service contracts in high risk areas abroad.
Subtitle B - Consular Services and Related Matters
Section 211 -
Extends passport surcharge authority.
Section 212 -
Amends the Tibetan Policy Act of 2002 to require the President to:
(1) direct the National Security Council (NCS) to ensure that U.S. policy on Tibet is coordinated with all executive branch agencies in contact with China; and
(2) provide grants to nongovernmental organizations to support economic development, cultural and historical preservation, health care, education, and environmental projects for Tibetan communities in the Tibet Autonomous Region and in other Tibetan communities in China. Authorizes the Secretary to establish a Tibet Section within the U.S. embassy in Beijing, China, to follow political and human rights, economic, and social developments inside Tibet, including Tibetan areas of Qinghai, Sichuan, Gansu, and Yunnan provinces until a U.S. consulate in Tibet is established.
Directs the Secretary to seek to establish a U.S. consulate in Lhasa, Tibet.
Section 214 -
Revises the fee for a border crossing card for minors.
Section 215 -
Directs the Secretary to report to Congress on the resources and effectiveness of the Department's Office of Terrorism Finance and Economic Sanctions Policy.
Subtitle C - Other Matters
Section 221 -
States that it shall be U.S. policy to uphold and act in accordance with all of the reassurances provided by the President in the April 14, 2004, letter to the Prime Minister of Israel.
Section 222 -
States that it is U.S. policy that the U.S. Embassy in Israel should be established in Jerusalem not later than January 1, 2014.
Amends the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 to terminate on January 1, 2014, the President's authority to waive certain funding limitations for Department acquisition and maintenance of buildings abroad until the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem has officially opened.
Requires any official U.S. document which lists countries and their capital cities to identify Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
Obligates FY2012 funds for construction and other costs associated with the establishment in Jerusalem of the U.S. Embassy in Israel.
Title III - Organization and Personnel Authorities
Section 301 -
Authorizes the Secretary to suspend a Foreign Service member without pay when the member's security clearance is suspended or when there is reasonable cause to believe that the member has committed a crime for which a sentence of imprisonment may be imposed.
Entitles such person to:
(1) written notice stating the specific reasons for the proposed suspension,
(2) reasonable time to respond orally and in writing;
(3) representation;
(4) a final written decision, including the specific reasons for such decision; and
(5) file a grievance.
Section 302 -
Repeals the recertification requirement for Senior Foreign Service members.
Section 303 -
Authorizes a limited appointment extension for: (1) a person serving in the uniformed services whose limited appointment expires during such service; (2) up to 12 months in exceptional circumstances, and (3) a non-career employee who has served five consecutive years under a limited appointment for a subsequent limited appointment provided there is a one-year break in service.
Section 304 -
Sets maximum accrual of compensatory time off for travel status away from the employee's official duty station at 104 hours during any leave year.
Title IV - United States International Broadcasting
Section 401 -
Authorizes FY2012 appropriations for international broadcasting operations and capital improvements.
Section 402 -
Amends the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2003 to extend the International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) personal services contractor program through December 31, 2014.
Section 403 -
Amends the United States Information and Educational Exchange Act of 1948 to define for international broadcasting and related employment purposes "suitably qualified United States citizens" as U.S. citizen applicants who are equally or better qualified than alien applicants.
Title V - Reporting Requirements
Section 502 -
Directs the Secretary to report annually to Congress regarding efforts to assist Israel establish diplomatic relations.
Section 503 -
Requires that every five years, the Secretary's annual human rights report to Congress contain a report on progress to ameliorate violations of religious freedom.
Title VI - Proliferation Security Initiative
Section 601 -
Authorizes the President to utilize: (1) the Proliferation Security Initiative and other measures necessary to enforce U.S. laws and multilateral and bilateral agreements to interdict the import into or export from Iran of items, materials, equipment, goods, or technology useful for any nuclear, biological, chemical, missile, or conventional arms program; and (2) ship boarding and other interdiction agreements to accomplish such enforcement.
Title VII - Peace Corps Volunteer Service Protection
Section 701 -
Expresses the sense of Congress that the Peace Corps has begun responding to concerns related to its handling of sexual assault complaints from its volunteers, including by the hiring of a Victim's Advocate.
Section 702 -
Requires the Director of the Peace Corps to:
(1) consult with the Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security and enter into a memorandum of understanding that specifies the duties and obligations of the Peace Corps and the Bureau of Diplomatic Security regarding the protection of Peace Corps volunteers and staff members serving in foreign countries;
(2) develop sexual assault risk-reduction and response training;
(3) assign a victims advocate in Peace Corps headquarters;
(4) establish a process for volunteers to report incidents of assault, misconduct, or mismanagement that protects volunteer confidentiality and safety; and
(5) report annually to Congress regarding assaults and sexual assaults against volunteers.
Establishes in the Peace Corps a Sexual Assault Advisory Council. Requires the Director to evaluate at least every three years the allocation of resources across the countries the Peace Corps serves or is considering for service.
Section 704 -
Exempts such Inspector General of the Peace Corps and officers and employees of the Inspector General's Office from certain length of appointment, reappointment, and reassignment limitations applicable to the Foreign Service.
Section 705 -
Authorizes FY2012 appropriations for the Peace Corps, with a specified set-aside for the Office of the Inspector General.
Title VIII - Nuclear Proliferation
Section 801 -
Prohibits assistance, other than humanitarian assistance, from being provided to a country that withdraws from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Directs the United States to seek the return of transferred material, equipment, or components or special fissionable material produced through the use of such material, equipment, or components from a country that withdraws from the Treaty.
Section 802 -
Prohibits assistance under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, the Arms Export Control Act, the Food for Peace Act, the Peace Corps Act, or the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 to any country if the Secretary determines that the government of the country has repeatedly provided support for acts of proliferation of equipment, technology, or materials to support the design, acquisition, manufacture, or use of weapons of mass destruction.
Section 803 -
Requires the United States when considering the provision of assistance under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 or the Arms Export Control Act to a country that is a Treaty party to consider whether the proposed recipient has in force an Additional Protocol to its safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Title IX - Foreign Assistance
Subtitle A - General Provisions
Section 902 -
Directs the President to establish guidelines for the establishment of measurable goals, performance metrics, and monitoring and evaluation plans that can be applied to U.S. foreign assistance programs, country assistance plans, and international and multilateral assistance programs receiving U.S. financial assistance.
Section 903 -
Requires USAID to report to Congress regarding such guidelines.
Subtitle B - Authorizations of Appropriations
Section 911 -
Authorizes FY2012 appropriations to the President for bilateral economic assistance. Sets aside specified amounts for: (1) Millennium Challenge Corporation(MCC) activities, (2) USAID credit programs, and (3) democracy promotion.
Section 912 -
Authorizes FY2012 appropriations to the President for operating expenses, the Capital Investment Fund, and the Office of Inspector General of the USAID.
Section 913 -
Authorizes FY2012 appropriations to the President for: (1) nonproliferation, antiterrorism, and demining programs; and (2) international narcotics control and law enforcement programs.
Section 915 -
Authorizes the President, through USAID, to provide assistance for partnerships between businesses and postsecondary educational institutions in developing African countries to further the students' education and entrepreneurship skills in order to increase economic freedom and promote civil society.
Subtitle C - Prohibitions on Assistance
Part I - General Provisions
Section 921 -
Prohibits the United States from providing economic or development assistance to the government of a country that does not meet the MCC's corruption performance indicator.
Section 922 -
Prohibits funds under this Act from being made available to any foreign nongovernmental organization that promotes or performs abortions, except in cases of rape or incest or when the life of the mother would be endangered.
Section 923 -
Prohibits funds available to USAID from being used to carry out the Development Innovation Ventures program.
Section 924 -
Prohibits funds under this Act from being provided as bilateral economic assistance to a foreign government that voted with the United States less than 50% of the time in the U.N. General Assembly and, if the foreign government is a member of the U.N. Security Council, in the Security Council and the General Assembly during the most recent General Assembly session.
Section 925 -
Prohibits funds under this Act from being made available for the Global Climate Change Initiative.
Section 926 -
Prohibits specified assistance from being used to support the trilateral assistance program in South Africa.
Part II - Country and Organization-Specific Provisions
Section 931 -
Prohibits funds under this Act from being made available to Argentina, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Ecuador, or Bolivia.
Section 932 -
Prohibits the Secretary from making funds under this Act available to the Muslim Brotherhood.
Section 933 -
Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to prohibit assistance from being made available to the Palestinian Authority (PA) unless the President certifies that the PA: (1) has not unilaterally declared independence, (2) is engaged in peace negotiations with Israel, and (3) is not pursuing recognition of Palestinian statehood at the U.N.
Section 934 -
Prohibits assistance from being made available under this Act to Sri Lanka unless the Secretary certifies that Sri Lanka is making progress regarding: (1) accountability for those involved in violations of human rights and war crimes at the end of Sri Lanka's civil war, (2) reconciliation, (3) withdrawal of emergency regulations, and (4) freedom of the press.
Section 935 -
Prohibits the Secretary from using funds under this Act for programs that promote rallies, rhetoric, or propaganda by state-controlled agencies of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) or encourage acts by private entities likely to incite violence or hatred.
Subtitle D - Administrative Provisions
Section 941 -
Urges the President, through USAID, to transfer to the Treasury not less than 50% of all assets from the liquidation or winding up of: (1) the U.S.-Russia Investment Fund and the Western Newly Independent States Enterprise Fund, (2) The Baltic-American Enterprise Fund, and (3) the South African Enterprise Development Fund.
Section 942 -
Prohibits funds under this Act from being to maintain USAID's Office of Budget and Resource Management.
Section 943 -
Prohibits USAID from awarding more than 50% of the dollar amount of a Merida Initiative training service contract to a single company.
Section 944 -
Directs the President to establish an Internet website to make information on U.S. foreign assistance programs make publicly available.
Subtitle E - Reports and Other Matters
Section 951 -
Sets forth reporting requirements regarding: (1) aid commitments and disbursements by non-U.S. donors and international organizations, and (2) financial disclosure of certain organizations and businesses that receive U.S. foreign assistance funding.
Section 954 -
Expresses the sense of Congress regarding: (1) reducing malaria, (2) a second MCC compact with Cape Verde, and (3) U.S. support for microfinance and microenterprise development in developing countries and in sub-Saharan Africa.
Title X - Security Assistance
Security Assistance Act of 2011 -
Subtitle A - Military Assistance and Related Matters
Part I - Funding Authorizations
Section 1011 -
Authorizes FY2012 funds for grant assistance under the Arms Export Control Act. Authorizes specified assistance for Israel and Iraq. (Sec. 1011A) Authorizes specified assistance for international military education and training.
Part II - Military Assistance Authorities and Related Provisions
Section 1012 -
Increases the aggregate dollar amount of excess defense articles authorized to be transferred annually.
(Sec. 1012A) Revises annual military assistance and training report requirements.
(Sec. 1012C) Authorizes the Secretary to establish the Global Security Contingency Fund to assist countries with border and maritime security and counterterrorism operations consistent with U.S. foreign policy interests.
Terminates such authority at the close of September 30, 2015.
(Sec. 1012D) Prohibits military education and training (IMET) assistance for Chad until the Secretary certifies to Congress that progress has been made to end child soldier recruitment.
Prohibits IMET assistance for Equatorial Guinea and Somalia. Makes IMET assistance available to Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, and Zimbabwe only for peacekeeping operation training or expanded IMET.
Part III - Arms Export Control Act Amendments and Related Provisions
Section 1013 -
Amends the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 to increase the authorized uses of defense trade controls registration fees.
(Sec. 1013A) Amends the Arms Export Control Act to increase the monetary thresholds requiring congressional notification of proposed foreign military sales and commercial arms sales.
(Sec. 1013B) Authorizes, with prior Department approval, the retransfer to the United States of "significant military equipment" defense articles.
(Sec. 1013C) Requires the annual justification for proposed arms sales to include information on the extent to which such transfers advance U.S. regional security cooperation.
(Sec. 1013D) Revises specified penalty provisions under the Arms Export Control Act. (Sec. 1013E) Extends the prohibition on transactions with a state sponsor of terrorism to certain nationals of such country.
(Sec. 1013F) Exempts from the prohibition on transactions with countries supporting acts of international terrorism federal law enforcement activities against persons suspected of supporting such countries.
(Sec. 1013G) Directs the President to report annually to Congress on the foreign military financing program.
(Sec. 1013I) Expresses the sense of Congress that the President should increase U.S. diplomatic efforts to strengthen national and international arms export controls.
(Sec. 1013J) Directs the Inspector General of the Department to annually review for each of FY 2012-FY2016 the process of reviewing and reporting to Congress any misuse of U.S.-provided defense items.
(Sec. 1013K) Subjects a person who willfully exports to a Western Hemisphere country any small arm or light weapon without a license to a fine of up to $3 million and imprisonment for up to 20 years, or both.
(Sec. 1013L) Amends the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 to authorize the Secretary to pay rewards to individuals who provide information leading to an arrest or conviction for exporting small arms or light weapons to Mexico.
Subtitle B - Security Assistance and Related Matters
Part I - Israel
Section 1021 -
Directs the President to report to Congress on U.S. commitments to Israel's security and maintenance of its qualitative military edge. (Sec. 1021B) Authorizes funding for Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system.
Part II - Egypt
Section 1022 -
Prohibits funds under this title from being provided for security assistance to Egypt unless the President certifies to Congress that Egypt is: (1) not controlled by a foreign terrorist organization or its supporters, (2) implementing the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty, and (3) destroying the Egypt-Gaza smuggling network and tunnels. (Sec. 1022A) Directs the Secretary to report to Congress regarding security assistance to Egypt.
Part III - Lebanon
(Sec. 1023A) Prohibits assistance to Lebanon unless the President certifies to Congress that:
(1) no member of Hezbollah or foreign terrorist organization serves in any governmental policy position,
(2) there exists anti-terrorism vetting procedures for security personnel benefitting from U.S. security assistance programs,
(3) ministries that benefit from U.S. security assistance are financially transparent and accountable,
(4) the government is dismantling foreign terrorist organizations and is fully cooperating with the Special Tribunal for Lebanon,
(5) U.S. security assistance and programs are not utilized against Israel and will not adversely impact Israel's qualitative military edge, and
(6) Lebanon has made demonstrable progress toward assuming full control of its territory.
(Sec. 1023B) Directs the Secretary to report to Congress regarding security assistance to Lebanon.
Part IV - Palestinian Authority
Section 1024 -
Prohibits assistance to the Palestinian Authority (PA) unless the President certifies to Congress that:
(1) no member of Hamas or foreign terrorist organization serves in any PA policy position,
(2) the PA is implementing the 2005 security reorganization program,
(3) PA ministries and operations that benefit from security assistance are financially transparent and accountable,
(4) the PA is dismantling all foreign terrorist organizations and cooperating with Israel's security services,
(5) the PA is fully implementing reforms within the Ministry of Interior and the judicial sector,
(6) the PA has halted anti-Israel incitement and is promoting peace with Israel,
(7) there exists anti-terrorism vetting procedures for security personnel benefitting from U.S. security assistance, and
(8) the PA publicly acknowledges Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state.
(Sec. 1024A) Directs the Secretary to report to Congress regarding security assistance to the PA.
Part V - Pakistan
(Sec. 1025A) Amends the Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009 to direct that the certification required in order to provide security assistance to Pakistan include certifications regarding: (1) assistance in investigating the support network in Pakistan for Osama Bin Laden, (2) issuance of entry and exit visas for official U.S. visitors engaged in counterterrorism efforts, and (3) the Haqqani Network (an insurgent network operating in Pakistan and Afghanistan).
Part VI - Yemen
Section 1026 -
Prohibits security assistance to Yemen unless the President certifies to Congress that:
(1) no government ministry or instrumentality is controlled by, or affiliated with, a foreign terrorist organization;
(2) no member a foreign terrorist organization serves in any governmental policy position;
(3) there exists anti-terrorism vetting procedures for security personnel benefitting from U.S. security assistance programs; and
(4) the government is not complicit in human rights abuses.
(Sec. 1026A) Directs the Secretary to report to Congress regarding security assistance to Yemen.
Part VII - Miscellaneous Provisions
(Sec. 1027A) Directs the President to report to Congress on overseas civilian police training in countries or regions that are at risk of, in, or in transition from, conflict or civil strife. (Sec. 1027B) Directs the Secretary to cooperate with audits conducted by the Office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction.
Subtitle C - Peacekeeping Operations
Section 1031 -
Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to permit specified funds to be used to enhance the capacity of foreign civilian security forces to participate in peacekeeping operations. Authorizes specified FY2012 appropriations for peacekeeping assistance, including for international peacekeeping activities in Somalia and for a U.S. contribution to the Multinational Force Observers Mission in the Sinai.
Subtitle D - Reports
Section 1041 -
Sets forth reporting requirements regarding: (1) certain sales and financing of defense articles and defense services by NATO countries (other than the United States) to non-NATO countries, and (2) transition of the activities of the Task Force for Business and Stability Operations in Afghanistan from DOD to the Department and USAID.
Title XI - Miscellaneous Provisions
Subtitle A - General Provisions
Section 1101 -
Prohibits the Secretary from using funds under this Act to support the East-West Center. Repeals the Center for Cultural and Technical Interchange Between East and West Act of 1960.
Section 1103 -
Antiboycott Act - Sets forth findings regarding U.S. efforts to oppose the Arab League boycott of Israel. Directs the Secretary of Commerce to issue regulations prohibiting, with specified exceptions, any U.S. person from taking certain actions to support any foreign-imposed or fostered boycott against a country that is friendly to the United States and is not itself the object of any form of U.S. boycott. Sets forth civil penalties for violations of such regulations.
Section 1104 -
Requires the Department to purchase goods produced or manufactured in the United States, with specified exceptions, unless such purchase is inconsistent with the public interest or unreasonably costly.
Section 1105 -
Prohibits the Secretary from requiring potential vendors or contractors to disclose certain information regarding political contributions.
Section 1106 -
Directs the Secretary to: (1) ensure that the protection the intellectual property rights of U.S. persons in other countries is a significant component of U.S. foreign policy, and (2) appoint at least one intellectual property attache to serve in a U.S. embassy or other diplomatic in each geographic region covered by a Department regional bureau.
Section 1107 -
Urges the Secretary to develop a strategy for inter-country adoptions between the United States and foreign countries with over 100 adoptions into the United States per year.
Section 1108 -
Directs the Secretary to issue guidelines to further describe the goods, services, and technologies that will be considered "sensitive technologies" (equipment or technology for restricting the flow of unbiased information in Iran) for purposes of related sanctions under the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010.
Section 1109 -
Directs the President to annually submit to Congress a list of persons who continually disregard internationally-recognized maritime best management practices promoted by the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia.
Section 1110 -
Expresses the sense of Congress that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) should review UNHCR processing of religion-based refugee claims and thoroughly train UNHCR staff for assessing such claims.
Section 1111 -
Urges the Secretary to: (1) encourage exchanges between women legislators and civil society leaders in politics and decision-making processes; and (2) focus such exchanges on Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Liberia, and South Sudan.
Section 1112 -
Amends the Child Soldiers Prevention Act of 2008 to authorize the President to exercise the national interest waiver permitting the provision of assistance upon a certification to Congress that the government of the concerned country has taken verifiable steps to end the recruitment and use of child soldiers.
Subtitle B - Country-Specific Provisions
Section 1121 -
Authorizes: (1) the Secretary to support the Azores Cooperative Initiative Program, and (2) FY2012 appropriations from existing Department funds.
Section 1122 -
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the Department should establish embassies in Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines; (2) the U.S. Embassy in St. George's, Grenada, should serve as a model for such future U.S. embassies; and (3) as the U.S. diplomatic presence diminishes in Afghanistan and Iraq the Department should reassign five of those diplomatic billets to the five Caribbean countries.
Section 1123 -
Prohibits funds from being made available for the U.S.-China Center of Excellence on Nuclear Security unless the President determines that the provision of such funds is in the U.S. national security interest by contributing to efforts to prevent terrorists from obtaining radioactive materials.
Section 1124 -
Directs the Secretary to seek to enter into an agreement with China regarding visa issuance reciprocity for Chinese media workers and U.S. citizen or national employees of the Broadcasting Board of Governors.
Section 1125 -
Directs the Secretary to report to Congress annually for the next three years regarding China's strategic interests in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Section 1126 -
Directs the President to enforce all U.S. regulations regarding travel to Cuba as in effect on January 19, 2009, and impose the corresponding penalties against individuals in violation of such regulations.
Section 1127 -
States that it shall be U.S. policy to support Cyprus' reunification and to provide assistance to Cyprus only for programs and activities that are consistent with such policy.
Section 1128 -
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the Secretary should engage with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to resolve any outstanding claims through the Special Claims Process; and (2) failure to resolve claims should be taken into account when the United States is reviewing its relations with Saudi Arabia, including current and future trade agreements. Requires the Secretary to report to Congress detailing the status of such claims.
Section 1129 -
Prohibits any increase in non-humanitarian assistance to Vietnam in excess of such assistance provided in FY2011 unless:
(1) the U.S. government provides assistance for human rights, civil society and rule of law training, and parliamentary exchanges; and
(2) the President certifies to Congress that Vietnam has met certain human rights and religious freedom benchmarks.
States U.S. policy regarding:
(1) Vietnam's jamming of Radio Free Asia,
(2) educational and cultural exchanges with Vietnam, and
(3) refugee resettlement of Vietnamese nationals.
Subtitle C - Statements of Policy
Section 1131 -
Calls on Turkey to: (1) eliminate discrimination, particularly with respect to religion and race; (2) grant the Ecumenical Patriarchate appropriate international recognition and ecclesiastic succession and the ability to train clergy of all nationalities; and (3) respect the human and property rights of the Patriarchate.
Section 1132 -
Calls upon the President to appoint an Envoy for the Great Lakes Region of Africa to resolve the instability in Eastern Congo.
Section 1133 -
States that it is U.S. policy to: (1) eliminate the threat to civilians and regional stability posed by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA); and (2) investigate and impose sanctions against any individual or entity responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Republic of Sudan or Republic of South Sudan.
Section 1134 -
States that it is U.S. policy to: (1) urge Iraq to ensure the continued well-being of the Camp Ashraf residents and prevent their involuntary return to Iran, and (2) support U.S. commitments to ensure such residents' security.
Section 1135 -
States that it shall be U.S. policy to: (1) condemn Syria's suppression of pro-democracy protests and its extensive violations of human rights, and (2) enforce the full range of U.S. sanctions against Syria.
Section 1136 -
States that it shall be U.S. policy to strengthen bilateral economic, political, and foreign policy relations with Russia.
Section 1137 -
Supports the democratic aspirations of the Ivoirian people and welcomes former President Laurent Gbagbo's arrest. Calls upon Mr. Gbagbo to urge his supporters to contribute to peace and reconciliation in the country.
Section 1138 -
States that it shall be U.S. policy to address waterborne illnesses and conditions related to poor sanitation as priorities for U.S. global health policy.
Subtitle D - Sense of Congress Provisions
Part I - General Provisions
Section 1141 -
Expresses the sense of Congress that the Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs fosters mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.
Section 1142 -
Expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary should institute a Department code of conduct to prevent severe forms of trafficking in persons, which should include steps to ensure that Department contractors do not engage in such trafficking.
Section 1143 -
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) strengthening U.S. public diplomacy through increased private sector collaboration should be a foreign policy priority; and (2) the Secretary should consider ways to strengthen outreach efforts to key audiences in Egypt, Pakistan, Turkey, and Russia.
Section 1144 -
Expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary should ensure that human rights are incorporated, on a basis at least equal to economic and political factors, into U.S. bilateral relationships.
Section 1145 -
Expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary should discourage foreign governments from condoning murder and physical violence directed against persons because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Section 1146 -
Expresses the sense of Congress that any effort to expand international cooperation in space should not include participation by entities owned by, or located within, China.
Section 1147 -
Expresses the sense of Congress that timely reporting by the boundary, water, and fisheries commissions that sufficiently explains each commission's activities and the disposition of each such commission's resources is necessary to maintain public support for their continued funding.
Part II - Country-Specific Provisions
Section 1151 -
Expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary should promptly authorize the presidential permit for the Keystone XL pipeline.
Section 1152 -
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the United States should have a firm understanding of China's expansion in natural resource-rich, high-conflict areas of Africa; and (2) the United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission should report on China's activities in Africa.
Section 1153 -
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) China should cease its harassment of Chen Guangcheng and his family, arrange necessary medical treatment, and allow them freedom of movement; and (2) the President and the Secretary should seek diplomatic visits to Mr. Chen, raise the issue of human rights lawyers' treatment, and raise the issue of China's coercive one-child policy.
Section 1154 -
Expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary should insist that China, which has ownership interests in the companies that exported contaminated drywall to the United States, have the companies submit to U.S. court jurisdiction.
Section 1155 -
Expresses concern for the protection of religious minorities in Egypt, including Coptic Christians. States that the Department's Office of International Religious Freedom and the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor should dedicate all appropriate resources to promoting the rights of religious minorities in Egypt.
Section 1156 -
Expresses the sense of Congress that the Administration should include the protection of Coptic Christian communities as a priority in diplomatic engagements with Egypt.
Section 1157 -
Expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary should designate Eritrea as a state sponsor of terrorism.
Section 1158 -
Expresses the sense of Congress that Central and Eastern European countries should return looted and confiscated Holocaust properties to their rightful owners, or pay equitable compensation where restitution is not possible.
Section 1159 -
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) Georgia is a strategic U.S. partner; (2) the United States should support the development of democratic governance in Georgia, (3) the United States should support Georgia's efforts to join NATO and the transatlantic community; and (4) the United States should support Georgia's territorial integrity and should urge European Union (EU) countries to call for Russia's withdrawal from Georgian territory.
Section 1160 -
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the United States should seek the immediate return of U.S. citizen children wrongfully removed to, or retained in, Japan; and (2) the Secretary should take appropriate measures to assure that the left behind parents have direct access and communications with their children.
Section 1161 -
Expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary should urge the Quartet to adopt the release of Gilad Shalit as an additional condition for contact with any Palestinian government in which Hamas participates.
Section 1162 -
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) Russia should safeguard human rights and ensure that the upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections meet international standards, and (2) the President and the Secretary should make respect for democracy and human rights a priority in U.S.-Russia relations.
Section 1163 -
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the independence of the Republic of South Sudan represents a historic opportunity for peace in the region, and (2) the Darfur peace process should remain a priority in U.S. relations with Sudan.
Section 1164 -
Expresses the sense of Congress that the United States should make available to Taiwan necessary defense articles and services, including F-16 fighter jets and diesel submarines.
Section 1165 -
Expresses the sense of Congress that Turkey should: (1) end all forms of religious discrimination; (2) allow church and lay owners of Christian church properties to organize and administer religious and social activities; and (3) return to their rightful owners all Christian churches, monasteries, schools, hospitals, monuments, relics, and other religious properties, and allow their preservation and reconstruction as necessary.
Section 1166 -
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the Secretary should place Vietnam on the list of countries of particular concern for severe violations of religious freedom, and (2) Vietnam should lift restrictions on religious freedom.
Section 1167 -
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the EU should continue its ban on arms exports to China; and (2) the United States and the EU should develop a common strategy to limit sensitive technologies exported to China, seek improvement in human rights conditions in China, and an end to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile related technology from China to state sponsors of terrorism.
Title XII - Limitation on Assistance to the Palestinian Authority
Preparing the Palestinian People for Peace Act of 2011 -
Section 1202 -
Expresses the sense of Congress that the PA has not lived up to its agreements with Israel to end incitement and should do more to prepare the Palestinian people for peace with Israel. (Sec.1203) Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to prohibit assistance from being made to the PA unless the President certifies that the PA: (1) is not engaging in a pattern of incitement against Israel, and (2) is engaged in activities to promote peace with Israel.

House Republican Conference Summary

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House Democratic Caucus Summary

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The bill contains the following citations to other parts of U.S. law:

Slip Laws

Slip laws refer to enacted bills and joint resolutions in their original form as enacted by Congress, that is, before other laws amend them. Slip laws are cited as “Public Law XXX-YYY”, where XXX is the number of the Congress in which the bill or resolution was introduced.

United States Code

The United States Code is the compilation of permanent laws enacted by Congress. Temporary and other non-permanent laws do not appear in the United States Code. (About half of the United States Code is the law itself, called positive law. The other half is merely a compilation of the laws but has no legal significance.)

Statutes at Large

The United States Statutes at Large is the compilation of all laws enacted by Congress.

  • 41 Stat. 750
  • 59 Stat. 1219
  • 111 Stat. 1881
  • 114 Stat. 856
  • 114 Stat. 1470
  • 116 Stat. 1430
  • 119 Stat. 3456

Other Citations

  • 18 U.S.C. Chapter 109A