Committee Reports

111th Congress (2009-2010)

Senate Report 111-108

89-010

1st Session

111-108

--THE LORD'S RESISTANCE ARMY DISARMAMENT AND NORTHERN UGANDA RECOVERY ACT OF 2009

[To accompany S. 1067]

The Committee on Foreign Relations, having had under consideration the bill (S. 1067) to support stabilization and lasting peace in northern Uganda and areas affected by the Lord's Resistance Army and to authorize funds for humanitarian relief and reconstruction, reconciliation, and transitional justice, and for other purposes, reports favorably thereon, as amended in the nature of a substitute, and recommends that the bill do pass.

I. PURPOSE

The purpose of S. 1067 is to promote stabilization, reconstruction, and lasting peace in northern Uganda and other areas affected by the Lord's Resistance Army through support for multilateral efforts to protect civilians and to eliminate the threat posed by the Lord's Resistance Army and for economic and social reconstruction and conflict resolution activities undertaken by the Government of Uganda; and to authorize funds for humanitarian relief, reconstruction, reconciliation, and transitional justice, and for other purposes.

II. COMMITTEE ACTION

S. 1067 was introduced by Senators Feingold and Brownback on May 19, 2009. An additional 41 members subsequently cosponsored the legislation. On November 17, 2009, the committee ordered the bill, amended in the nature of a substitute, reported favorably by voice vote. Changes in the substitute included striking the original offset and including measures to clarify and streamline the bill and to emphasize that the Government of Uganda has the core responsibility to invest in the recovery of Northern Uganda, but that the United States will assist these efforts.

III. DISCUSSION

For over 20 years, the Government of Uganda engaged in armed conflict with the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) in northern Uganda. At its height, the conflict displaced two million Ugandans. The LRA is notorious for the commission of atrocities, including the abduction of children to use as child soldiers and sexual slaves. While the LRA has since been driven from northern Uganda, it remains a significant source of regional instability, preying upon civilians in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Southern Sudan, and the Central African Republic.

S. 1067 affirms that it is the policy of the United States to work with the Government of Uganda and other partners toward a comprehensive and lasting peace in northern Uganda. It calls for the provision of political, economic, military, and intelligence support for viable multilateral efforts to protect civilians from the LRA, apprehend or remove Joseph Kony and other commanders, and disarm and demobilize LRA forces as well as targeted humanitarian assistance. It further encourages efforts of the Ugandan government and civil society to promote reconstruction, reconciliation, and transitional justice measures.

The legislation requires the President to submit to Congress a strategy to guide future U.S. Government support for multilateral efforts to mitigate and eliminate the threat to civilians and regional stability posed by the LRA. This strategy is to include:

a plan to assist United Nations and other regional efforts to protect civilians and build institutions to strengthen the rule of law and prevent conflict;

an assessment of options through which the United States could support efforts to eliminate the threat posed by the LRA;

an interagency framework for diplomatic, economic, intelligence, and military elements of United States policy; and

a description of United States diplomatic engagement.

This strategy is to be submitted to Congress no later than 180 days after the enactment of this Act and may include a classified annex. One year after submission of the strategy, the Secretary of State is directed to provide the appropriate Congressional committees with a report on the progress made toward implementation. This report is to include a description and evaluation of assistance provided under this Act, as well.

This legislation also authorizes the President to provide additional assistance to the Democratic Republic of Congo, southern Sudan, and the Central African Republic to respond to the humanitarian needs of populations directly affected by LRA activity.

Additionally, this bill encourages further support for initiatives of the Ugandan government and civil society to promote reconstruction, transitional justice, and reconciliation in northern Uganda. This support should include helping the Government of Uganda and the people of Northern Uganda to:

assist internally displaced people in transition and returnees in securing durable solutions;

enhance the accountability, operational capacity, and competency of local governments, civilian police forces, and the justice system; and

establish mechanisms for reintegration and psycho-social services for former combatants and those abducted by the LRA.

The legislation expresses support for increased assistance in the future if the Government of Uganda demonstrates a commitment to transparent and accountable reconstruction in war-affected areas and states that it is the sense of Congress that future non-humanitarian bilateral assistance should be withheld if such a commitment is not demonstrated.

S. 1067 authorizes the appropriation of up to $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2011 to provide humanitarian assistance for areas outside Uganda affected by the LRA. This legislation also authorizes the appropriation of up to $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2011 through 2013 to support reconciliation and transitional justice.

IV. COST ESTIMATE

In accordance with Rule XXVI, paragraph 11(a) of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the committee provides this estimate of the costs of this legislation prepared by the Congressional Budget Office.

Hon. JOHN F. KERRY,
Chairman, Committee on Foreign Relations,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 1067, the Lord's Resistance Army Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act of 2009.

If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is John Chin.

Sincerely,

Douglas W. Elmendorf.

-

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE

S. 1067

LORD'S RESISTANCE ARMY DISARMAMENT AND NORTHERN UGANDA RECOVERY ACT OF 2009

AS ORDERED REPORTED BY THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS ON NOVEMBER 17, 2009

S. 1067 would require the President to develop a strategy to support the disarmament of the Lord's Resistance Army--a sectarian guerrilla group in central Africa. It also would authorize the appropriation of $10 million a year over the 2011-2013 period to support reconciliation between the government of Uganda and the Lord's Resistance Army. In addition, the bill would authorize the appropriation of $10 million in 2011 to provide humanitarian assistance to areas outside Uganda that have been affected by the Lord's Resistance Army.

Assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts, CBO estimates that implementing S. 1067 would cost $28 million over the 2010-2014 period, as shown in the following table. Enacting the bill would not affect direct spending or receipts.

Changes in Spending Due to S. 3169

By Fiscal Year, in Millions of Dollars

-----------------------------------------------------

                  2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2010-2014 

-----------------------------------------------------

Authorized Level     0   20   10   10    0        40 

Estimated Outlays    0    7    9    8    4        28 

-----------------------------------------------------

S. 1067 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal governments.

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is John Chin. The estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.

V. EVALUATION OF REGULATORY IMPACT

Pursuant to Rule XXVI, paragraph 11(b) of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the committee has determined that there is no regulatory impact as a result of this legislation.

VI. CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

In compliance with paragraph 12 of Rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the committee notes that no changes to existing law are made by this bill.

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