S.Amdt. 2667

SA 2667. Mr. RISCH submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill S. 4638, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2025 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy,
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the end of subtitle A of title XII, add the following:

SEC. 1216. A PLAN TO ENGAGE COUP COUNTRIES IN THE SAHEL AND
CENTRAL AND WEST AFRICA TO RETURN TO CIVILIAN
DEMOCRATIC RULE.

(a) Plan Required.--Not later than 90 days after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in
consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall submit to
the appropriate committees of Congress a plan to engage with
coup countries in the Sahel, Central Africa, and West Africa
to promote the return to civilian democratic rule.
(b) Matters To Be Included.--The plan required by
subsection (a) shall include the following:

[[Page S4979]]

(1) An assessment of the country-specific and overarching
themes and contributing factors to the coup d'etats in
countries in the Sahel and Central and West Africa,
including--
(A) the policies and practices of the United States and
United States partners and allies that may have contributed
to the erosion of democratic institutions and public trust in
civilian governments of coup countries; and
(B) the actions taken by the militaries of the coup
countries.
(2) An identification of United States national security
priorities in each coup country in the Sahel, Central Africa,
and West Africa.
(3) An assessment of efforts by Russia, Iran, the People's
Republic of China, and other global and regional malign
actors to undermine the return to civilian democratic rule in
coup countries in the Sahel, Central Africa, and West Africa,
along with a plan to counter such efforts through United
States public and private diplomacy and assistance programs.
(4) A description of planned public and private diplomatic
engagements to support efforts by civilians, civil society,
and the governments of coup countries in the Sahel, Central
Africa, and West Africa to return to civilian democratic
rule.
(5) A description of interagency coordination mechanisms
and efforts to develop and execute a unified strategy and
response by the United States Government to support the
return to civilian democratic rule in coup countries in the
Sahel, Central Africa, and West Africa.
(6) An identification of United States assistance and
programs aimed at supporting the return to civilian
democratic rule in coup countries in the Sahel, Central
Africa, and West Africa.
(7) A description of how United States assistance programs
have been used to address the needs of civilians, civil
society, and political groups, as well as the commitments by
the governments of coup countries in the Sahel, Central
Africa, and West Africa to return to civilian democratic
rule, including an assessment of the challenges and
opportunities for engagement and support by the United States
and United States partners and allies.
(8) A description of the application of coup-related
restrictions (including the authority to resume assistance
under section 7008 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act,
2022 (Public Law 117-103; 136 Stat. 593)) to coup countries
in the Sahel, Central Africa, and West Africa, including an
assessment of the effectiveness and challenges in using such
restrictions and authorities, as well as a strategy for
applying the authority under such section 7008 to each such
country to encourage or hold accountable the efforts by the
governments of such countries to return to civilian
democratic rule.
(9) A description of plans to coordinate United States
efforts with France, the European Union, the United Nations,
the African Union, the Economic Community of West African
States (ECOWAS), and partner nations in the region to support
the return to civilian democratic rule in coup countries in
the Sahel, Central Africa, and West Africa.
(10) A description of efforts undertaken by coup countries
in the Sahel, Central Africa, and West Africa to return to
civilian democratic rule, including unmet commitments and
opportunities for engagement by the United States and United
States partners and allies.
(11) Any other matters that the Secretary considers to be
relevant.
(c) Form.--The plan required by subsection (a) shall be
submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified
annex.
(d) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term
``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on
Armed Services of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on
Armed Services of the House of Representatives.
(2) Coup country.--The term ``coup countr y''--
(A) means any country within the Sahel, West Africa, or
Central Africa regions in which the duly elected head of
government has been removed from office by a military coup
d'etat, decree, or any similar action in which the military
played a decisive role (within the meaning of the terms under
section 7008 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022
(Public Law 117-103; 136 Stat. 593); and
(B) includes--
(i) Burkina Faso;
(ii) Gabon;
(iii) Guinea;
(iv) Mali; and
(v) Niger.
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