PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Mar 9, 2000
Sierra Leone Peace Support Act of 2000 - Urges the President to: (1) vigorously promote efforts to end further degradation of conditions in the Republic of Sierra Leone; (2) dramatically increase U.S. assistance to demobilization, demilitarization, and reintegration (DDR) efforts and humanitarian initiatives; (3) assist in the collection of documentation about human rights abuses by all parties; and (4) engage in diplomatic initiatives aimed at consolidating the peace and protecting human rights.(Sec. 3) Authorizes appropriations to the President for FY 2001 for certain assistance under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to the Sierra Leone DDR Trust Fund of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development for demobilization, demilitarization, and reintegration assistance in Sierra Leone (but not for stipends to ex-combatants of the civil war in that country).(Sec. 4) Authorizes appropriations to the President for FY 2001 for assistance to: (1) train political parties in Sierra Leone in democratic processes; and (2) assist with the preparation for democratic elections in Sierra Leone. Allows such assistance only to political parties whose leaders and members cooperate with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission established under this Act.Authorizes appropriations to the President for FY 2001 for assistance to: (1) rebuild and strengthen the capacity of the judiciary in Sierra Leone; and (2) assist efforts to establish the rule of law and maintain law and order there.(Sec. 5) Declares the sense of Congress in favor of a thorough and nonpartisan initiative to collect comprehensive and detailed information on human rights abuses by all parties to the conflict in Sierra Leone, including the identification of specific units, individuals, and commanders found to have been especially abusive. Calls upon the administration strongly to support: (1) an independent process of data collection on human rights abuses in Sierra Leone, for use by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission when it has been established; and (2) any future initiatives of international accountability for Sierra Leone.Authorizes the President to provide assistance for the establishment and support of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) to establish accountability for human rights abuses in Sierra Leone.Authorizes the Secretary of State, acting through the Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, to collect human rights data with respect to Sierra Leone and assist the TRC.Authorizes appropriations for FY 2001 for: (1) establishment and support of the TRC; and (2) human rights data collection.(Sec. 6) Directs the President to report to a specified congressional committee, in classified or unclassified form, information concerning: (1) intelligence estimates of arms flows into Sierra Leone, particularly detailing any role of Liberia and Burkina Faso; and (2) illicit sales of Sierra Leonean gold and diamonds through Liberia.Authorizes U.S. assistance to the Central Government of a neighboring country if such government: (1) provides demonstrated support for the peace process in Sierra Leone; and (2) does not provide training or other support for the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) and the former Sierra Leonean army (AFRC) forces, or any other forces organized against the elected government of Sierra Leone. Conditions assistance on such Government's cooperation with efforts to monitor arms flows to Sierra Leone.(Sec. 7) Declares the sense of Congress that: (1) mechanisms should be in place to provide for an increase in assistance to the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping force to enable it to protect civilians from atrocities in the event of a breakdown in the peace agreement and a return to fighting; and (2) if the governments of countries neighboring Sierra Leone are determined to be aiding insurgents in Sierra Leone and armed conflict resumes, the United States should impose sanctions against RUF-AFRC supporters in the region by denying visas to the President and other high government officials in Liberia and Burkina Faso, freezing their assets in the United States, and considering an embargo of diamonds coming from areas not under the control of the Government of Sierra Leone.(Sec. 8) Declares that Sierra Leone shall be treated as if it had been designated under the Immigration and Nationality Act a foreign state whose nationals qualify for temporary protected status in the United States. Extends such treatment until such time: (1) as the President certifies to the Congress that conditions are sufficiently improved to allow aliens to return to Sierra Leone; or (2) as the designation with respect to Sierra Leone expires and is not extended, whichever occurs later. Specifies criteria for such qualifying nationals.Directs the Attorney General to: (1) give prior consent to travel abroad under the Immigration and Nationality Act to an alien who is granted temporary protected status under this Act, if the alien establishes that emergency and extenuating circumstances beyond the alien's control require the alien to depart for a brief, temporary trip abroad; and (2) treat an alien returning to the United States in accordance with such an authorization the same as any other returning alien provided temporary protected status.
People & committees
Rep. Gejdenson, Sam [D-CT-2] · D–CT
Legislative record
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Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2428-2429)
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H2428-2429)
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3879.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2428-2432)
Mr. Gilman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights Discharged.
Subcommittee on International Economic Policy and Trade Discharged.
Referred to the Subcommittee on International Economic Policy and Trade.
Referred to the Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Africa.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims.
Referred to the Committee on International Relations, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on International Relations, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on International Relations, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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