To make certain improvements to the bill.

1. 1

   Change 1: Replaces “2005” with “2006”

   ReplacesPage 1, line 6Printed page

   [struck: 2005][inserted: 2006]

   Original wording

   On page 1, line 6, strike “2005” and insert “2006”.

2. 2

   Change 2: Replaces “promoting security, peace, and prosperity in the” with “a secure, peaceful, and prosperous”

   ReplacesPage 3, line 7Printed page

   In S. 2125 · Reported to Senate

   Congress makes the following findings:

   (1) The National Security Strategy of the United States, dated September 17, 2002, concludes that "[i]n Africa, promise and opportunity sit side-by-side with disease, war, and desperate poverty. This threatens both a core value of the United States preserving human dignity and our strategic priority combating global terror. American interests and American principles, therefore, lead in the same direction: we will work with others for an African continent that lives in liberty, peace, and growing prosperity." (2) On February 16, 2005, the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency testified, "In Africa, chronic instability will continue to hamper counterterrorism efforts and pose heavy humanitarian and peacekeeping burdens." (3) According to the United States Agency for International Development, "Given its size, population, and resources, the Congo is an important player in Africa and of long-term interest to the United States." (4) The Democratic Republic of Congo is 2,345,410 square miles (approximately \1/4\ the size of the United States), lies at the heart of Africa, and touches every major region of sub- Saharan Africa. Therefore, [struck: promoting security, peace][inserted: a secure, peaceful], and [struck: prosperity in the ][inserted: prosperous ]Democratic Republic of the Congo would have a profound impact on progress throughout Africa.

   (5) A mortality study completed in December 2004 by the International Rescue Committee found that 31,000 people were dying monthly and 3,800,000 people had died in the previous 6 years because of the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and resulting disintegration of the social service infrastructure and that "improving and maintaining security and increasing simple, proven and cost-effective interventions such as basic medical care, immunizations and clean water would save hundreds of thousands of lives in the Congo. There's no shortage of evidence. It's sustained compassion and political will that's lacking." (6) The International Crisis Group concluded, "The conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo remains one of the deadliest conflicts since World War II and has resulted in the loss of nearly 4 million lives since 1998.... The international community, and the United Nations Security Council in particular, must take strong and urgent action to support the transition, establish a national army and secure lasting peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, if it is to live up to its responsibility to protect those in need." (7) According to the Department of State, "returning one of Africa's largest countries [the Democratic Republic of the Congo] to full peace and stability will require significant United States investments in support of national elections, the reintegration of former combatants, the return and reintegration of refugees and [internally displaced persons], establishment of central government control over vast territories, and promotion of national reconciliation and good governance".

   Original wording

   On page 3, beginning on line 7, strike “promoting security, peace, and prosperity in the” and insert “a secure, peaceful, and prosperous”.

3. 3

   Change 3: Rewrites page 4, line 19 through page 5, line 18

   ReplacesPrinted page

   Removes page 4, line 19 through page 5, line 18 of the printed bill. See that page

   Inserted: (9) According to the 2005 Department of State report on human rights practices in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, "In all areas of the country, the human rights record remained poor, and numerous serious abuses were committed; however, there were some improvements during the year.".

   Original wording

   Beginning on page 4, strike line 19 and all that follows through page 5, line 18, and insert the following:

4. 4

   Change 4: Replaces “fair and democratic elections within the timeframe provided by the Sun City Peace Accords” with “that the elections scheduled to be held on July 30, 2006, and future elections in the Dem…”

   ReplacesPage 6, line 4Printed page

   In S. 2125 · Reported to Senate

   It is the policy of the United States--

   (1) to promote, reinvigorate, and support the political process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in order to press all parties in the Transitional National Government to move forward with approval of an electoral law and put in place mechanisms, including national and international election observers, fair and transparent voter registration procedures, and a significant civic awareness and public education campaign, to ensure [struck: fair ][inserted: that the elections scheduled to be held on July 30, 2006, ]and [struck: democratic][inserted: future] elections [struck: within][inserted: in] the [struck: timeframe provided by][inserted: Democratic Republic of] the [struck: Sun City Peace Accords][inserted: Congo are carried out in a fair and democratic manner];

   (2) to ensure that, once a stable national government is established in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, it is committed to multiparty democracy, open and transparent governance, respect for human rights and religious freedom, ending the violence throughout the country, promoting peace and stability with its neighbors, rehabilitating the national judicial system and enhancing the rule of law, and combating corruption;

   Original wording

   On page 6, beginning on line 4, strike “fair and democratic elections within the timeframe provided by the Sun City Peace Accords” and insert “that the elections scheduled to be held on July 30, 2006, and future elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are carried out in a fair and democratic manner”.

5. 5

   Change 5: Inserts “through the provision of necessary equipment and training” after “establish”

   InsertsPage 6, line 23Printed page

   …establish[inserted: through the provision of necessary equipment and training]…

   Original wording

   On page 6, line 23, insert “through the provision of necessary equipment and training” after “establish”.

6. 6

   Change 6: Inserts “and other illegally armed groups” before the semicolon at the end

   InsertsPage 7, line 15Printed page

   Inserted: and other illegally armed groups

   Original wording

   On page 7, line 15, insert “and other illegally armed groups” before the semicolon at the end.

7. 7

   Change 7: Replaces “2005 (division D of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005; Public Law 108-447; 118 St…” with “2006 (Public Law 109-102; 119 Stat. 2218)”

   ReplacesPage 12, line 7Printed page

   In S. 2125 · Reported to Senate

   (d) Offsets.--Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State should consult with the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on Appropriations, and the Committee on the Budget of the Senate and the Committee on International Relations, the Committee on Appropriations, and the Committee on the Budget of the House of Representatives to determine appropriate reductions in funding, especially redundant or duplicative programs, to offset the increase in funding authorized in subsection (a).

   (e) Uses of Security Assistance.--Security assistance that is authorized to be appropriated under this section shall be made available consistent with section 551 of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, [struck: 2005][inserted: 2006] ([struck: division D of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005; ]Public Law [struck: 108-447; 118][inserted: 109-102; 119] Stat. [struck: 3015][inserted: 2218]) and other provisions of law related to eligibility.

   (f) Coordination With Other Donor Nations.--The United States should work with other donor nations, on a bilateral and multilateral basis, to increase international contributions to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and accomplish the policy objectives described in section 102.

   Original wording

   On page 12, beginning on line 7, strike “2005 (division D of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005; Public Law 108-447; 118 Stat. 3015)” and insert “2006 (Public Law 109-102; 119 Stat. 2218)”.

8. 8

   Change 8: Replaces “60” with “180”

   ReplacesPage 14, line 20Printed page

   [struck: 60][inserted: 180]

   Original wording

   On page 14, line 20, strike “60” and insert “180”.

9. 9

   Change 9: Inserts new text on page 15

   InsertsPrinted page

   Inserted: (c) Eligibility of Department of State Employees.--The individual designated to serve as the Special Envoy may be an employee of the Department of State with the rank of Deputy Assistant Secretary or higher.

   Original wording

   On page 15, after section (b) insert:

10. 10

    Change 10: Strikes “In General.--”

    StrikesPage 16, line 9Printed page

    Struck: In General.--

    Original wording

    On page 16, line 9, strike “In General.--”.

11. 11

    Change 11: Strikes page 19, lines 3–11

    StrikesPrinted page

    Removes page 19, lines 3–11 of the printed bill. See that page

    Original wording

    On page 19, strike lines 3 through 11.

12. 12

    Change 12: Rewrites page 20, lines 3–15

    ReplacesPrinted page

    Removes page 20, lines 3–15 of the printed bill. See that page

    Inserted: (b) Support Contingent on Progress.--If the Secretary of State determines that the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is not making sufficient progress towards accomplishing the policy objectives in section 102, the President shall consider withdrawing United States support for the assistance described in subsection (a) when future funding decisions are considered.

    Original wording

    On page 20, strike lines 3 through 15 and insert the following:

Read automatically from the Congressional Record. Check the original before relying on it.

As printed