[Senate Report 115-93]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 123
115th Congress} { Report
SENATE
1st Session } { 115-93
======================================================================
WOMEN, PEACE, AND SECURITY ACT OF 2017
_______
June 8, 2017.--Ordered to be printed
Mr. Corker, from the Committee on Foreign Relations,
submitted the following
REPORT
[To accompany S. 1141]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Foreign Relations, having had under
consideration the bill (S. 1141) to ensure that the United
States promotes the meaningful participation of women in
mediation and negotiation processes seeking to prevent,
mitigate, or resolve violent conflict, having considered the
same, reports favorably thereon without amendment, and
recommends that the bill do pass.
CONTENTS
Page
I. Purpose..........................................................1
II. Committee Action.................................................1
III. Discussion.......................................................2
IV. Cost Estimate....................................................3
V. Evaluation of Regulatory Impact..................................4
VI. Changes in Existing Law..........................................4
I. Purpose
The purpose of S. 1141 is to ensure that the United States
promotes the meaningful participation of women in mediation and
negotiation processes seeking to prevent, mitigate, or resolve
violent conflict.
II. Committee Action
S. 1141 was introduced on May 16, 2017, by Senator Shaheen
and co-sponsored by Senator Capito. On May 25, 2015, the
committee considered S. 1141 and reported favorably by voice
vote, without amendments.
III. Discussion
A summary of the key provisions of S. 1141 follows:
Section 1
Section 1 provides that the short title of the bill: the
``Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017.''
Section 2
Section 2 states Congressional findings regarding women,
peace, and security.
Section 3
Section 3 provides a sense of Congress regarding the
participation of women in peace and security efforts.
Section 4
Section 4 declares that it is the policy of the United
States to promote the meaningful participation of women in all
aspects of overseas conflict prevention, management, and
resolution through a variety of diplomatic efforts and
programs.
Section 5
Section 5 requires the President, in consultation with the
heads of relevant federal departments and agencies, to
establish and submit to Congress, within one year of enactment,
a single government-wide strategy, known as the Women, Peace,
and Security Strategy to fulfill the policy objectives outlined
in section 4.
The legislation tasks the President, rather than the
Secretary of State, with submitting the strategy due to the
practical concern about the ability of the Secretary of State
to appropriately and effectively task other agencies. The
Committee intends to support the State Department in its
leadership role on these issues. The Committee expects that the
President will task and rely on the heads of the relevant
departments and agencies in developing and implementing the
strategy, and intends to conduct appropriate oversight of the
implementation of this legislation by the Department of State,
the Department of Defense, USAID for their respective
responsibilities under the legislation as tasked by the
President.
The strategy will include a specific implementation plan
from each of the relevant federal departments and agencies that
includes the anticipated contributions and efforts of the
department or agency. Section 5 further states that the
President should consult and coordinate with international
partners and stakeholders, particularly when direct engagement
by the United States is not advised or appropriate. Section 5
also expresses the sense of Congress regarding various steps
that the President should take in implementing the strategy.
Section 6
Section 6 requires the Secretary of State, the
Administrator of the United States Agency for International
Development, and the Secretary of Defense to ensure that
certain personnel receive training regarding the participation
of women in conflict prevention and peace building.
Section 7
Section 7 allows the Secretary of State and Administrator
of the United States Agency for International Development to
establish guidelines or take additional steps to ensure that
overseas United States personnel are consulting with
appropriate stakeholders regarding participation of women in
security and peace building efforts.
Section 7 also instructs the Secretary of State to work
with international, regional, national, and local organizations
to increase the meaningful participation of women in
international peacekeeping operations.
Section 8
Section 8 requires that no later than one year after the
submission of a strategy under Section 5, that the Secretary of
State, Administrator of the United States Agency for
International Development, and the Secretary of Defense brief
the appropriate congressional committees on training efforts
carried out pursuant to Section 6.
Section 8 also requires that, no later than two years after
the submission of each strategy under Section 5, the President
submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees
that summarizes and evaluates the implementation of the
strategy, describes the coordination among federal departments,
outlines monitoring and evaluation tools, and describes the
training carried out pursuant to Section 6.
Section 9
Section 9 defines the terms ``appropriate congressional
committees,'' ``relevant federal departments and agencies,''
and ``stakeholders.''
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.
United States Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, May 25, 2017.
Hon. Bob Corker,
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. 1141, the Women,
Peace, and Security Act of 2017.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Sunita
D'Monte.
Sincerely,
Keith Hall.
Enclosure
cc: Hon. Benjamin L. Cardin,
Ranking Member
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate
May 25, 2017.
S. 1141
Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017
AS ORDERED REPORTED BY THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS ON MAY
25, 2017
S. 1141 would require the President to develop a strategy
to promote the participation of women abroad in conflict
prevention, management, resolution, and recovery. In addition,
the bill would require the Departments of Defense (DoD) and
State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
to train personnel in such matters. Finally, the bill would
require the Department of State and USAID to provide their
staff with guidelines on consulting with appropriate
stakeholders and to report at intervals to the Congress on the
implementation of the bill.
In 2011, President Obama issued Executive Order 13595
instituting a national action plan to promote the inclusion of
women in advancing peace and security in areas with significant
conflict. Based on the efforts of DoD, the Department of State,
and USAID under that action plan, CBO concludes that many of
the bill's requirements are being satisfied under current law.
CBO estimates that any additional efforts and the required
reports would in total cost less than $500,000 over the 2018-
2022 period; such spending would be subject to the availability
of appropriated funds.
Enacting S. 1141 would not affect direct spending or
revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. CBO
estimates that enacting S. 1141 would not increase net direct
spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four consecutive
10-year periods beginning in 2028.
S. 1141 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 Sunita D'Monte.
The estimate was approved by H. Samuel Papenfuss, 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 Rule XXVI, paragraph 12 of the Standing
Rules of the Senate, the committee has determined that there
are no changes in existing law made by this legislation.
[all]