H.R. 1084 would amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956, and the Foreign Service Act of 1980 to build operational readiness in civilian agencies.
Detailed Summary
<b>(This measure has not been amended since it was reported to the House on March 4, 2008. The summary of that version is repeated here.)</b>
Reconstruction and Stabilization Civilian Management Act of 2008 - (Sec. 4) Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize the President, if in the U.S. national interest, to furnish assistance to assist in stabilizing and reconstructing a country or region that is in, or is in transition from, conflict or civil strife. Requires specified pre-notification by the President before making assistance available.
Limits: (1) program authority to FY2008-FY2010; and (2) annual fiscal year expenditures to $100 million.
(Sec. 5) Amends the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 to establish within the Department of State an Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization.
Sets forth Office functions.
Authorizes the Secretary of State to establish: (1) a Response Readiness Corps (containing an active and standby component consisting of trained U.S. government personnel, including Department and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) employees) to provide stabilization and reconstruction activities in foreign countries or regions that are at risk, in, or are in transition from, conflict or civil strife; and (2) a volunteer Civilian Reserve Corps (authorizes such individuals' employment and training). Authorizes FY2007-FY2010 appropriations.
Prohibits the establishment and deployment of any Civilian Reserve Corps from substantively impairing state and local capacity and readiness.
Directs the Secretary to ensure the use of existing Department and USAID training and education programs.
(Sec. 6) Authorizes: (1) the Secretary or the head of any U.S. agency, with respect to agency personnel, to extend to any individual assigned or deployed under this Act certain death gratuity, training, and travel benefits that are provided to Foreign Service members; and (2) the Secretary to accept detailees or assignments from other agencies and state or local employees on a reimbursable or non-reimbursable basis.
(Sec. 7) Directs the Secretary to develop an interagency strategy to respond to reconstruction and stabilization operations.
Sets forth strategy contents.
(Sec. 8) Directs the Secretary to report annually (for six years) to the appropriate congressional committees respecting implementation of this Act.
Sets forth report requirements.
Status of the Legislation
Latest Major Action: 3/7/2008: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 609.
Points in Favor
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Points Against
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Visitor Comments
MHP
So am I to understand, based upon the opposition to this provision being similar in degree to the opposition to the war in Iraq, that the issue is entirely fiscal and selfishly motivated, and not at all based upon moral objections? Or might I go further, to say that the support for the invasion that lead to thousands of civilian deaths is greater than the desire of persons to give up US$2 to help clean up some of the messes U.S. foreign policy has previously exacerbated?