Sending Office: Honorable Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Sent By:
Matthew.Ellison@mail.house.gov
Support Stability in Central America
SIGN ON HERE
Deadline: COB Monday, March 12
Dear Colleague:
Please join us in supporting continued funding to promote security and development in Central America in the FY 19 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations bill, which directly impacts the United States’ national security.
In the summer of 2014, thousands of unaccompanied children and adults, mostly from the Northern Triangle countries of Central America—Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras—entered the United States.
We have a national security interest to work with our international partners to find and implement a comprehensive and meaningful solution to the challenges facing Central America. To do so, we must invest in programs that attack the root causes of these
issues, including rampant violence, drug trafficking, economic stagnation, a lack of access to education and to basic services, high levels of impunity, and governance structures that do not support security for countries’ citizens.
These root causes are being addressed by funding and language in the recent appropriations bills to carry out the U.S. Strategy for Engagement in Central America in support of the Alliance for Prosperity in the Northern Triangle. Critically, to ensure the
funds are well-spent, the language has included key conditions that must be met: prior to obligation of the funds, the Secretary of State must provide details on the proposed purposes and objectives of our assistance, as well as certify that recipient governments
are promoting good governance, transparency, and accountability. We must ensure that we maintain conditions and evidence-based benchmarks critical for success and taxpayer resources.
Please join us in supporting funding and language for FY 19 to continue these efforts. We must work with our neighbors to promote security, border protection, economic development and good governance. More stable countries will foster economic growth and
development, which will not only improve the lives of individuals and communities, but ultimately benefit our entire hemisphere. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to Matthew Ellison in the office of Rep. Wasserman Schultz at
matthew.ellison@mail.house.gov, or Gabriella Boffelli in the office of Rep. Ros-Lehtinen at
gabriella.boffelli@mail.house.gov. To sign,
click here to fill out the form.
Sincerely,
Debbie Wasserman Schultz Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
Member of Congress Member of Congress
Dear Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Lowey:
As you begin consideration of the FY 19 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations bill, we write to respectfully request the inclusion of similar language for Central America as was included in the FY 18 House-passed bill, at a funding level of up to $750,000,000.
We know that this subcommittee has a strong interest in comprehensively addressing violence and instability in Central America, and the negative effect such instability has on the United States.
In the summer of 2014, tens of thousands of unaccompanied children and adults, mostly from the so-called Northern Triangle countries of Central America—Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras —entered the United States. As this subcommittee well knows, these
actions directly impact American national security, particularly our border states. The best way to ensure that children in Central America avoid the perilous trek from their home countries to the U.S.-Mexico border is to continue to provide assistance to
the subregion that addresses the root causes of child migration to the United States.
We have a national security interest to work with our international partners to find and implement a comprehensive and meaningful solution to the challenges facing Central America. To do so, we must invest in programs that attack the fundamental causes of
these issues, such as rampant violence, drug trafficking, economic stagnation, a lack of access to education and to basic services, high levels of impunity and governance structures that do not support security for countries’ citizens.
We have been pleased to see funding and language included in recent appropriations bills to implement the updated U.S. Strategy for Engagement in Central America in support of the Alliance for Prosperity in the Northern Triangle. This funding will address
the key issues in Central America, and the conditions established in the bill will also help to keep our partners in the region accountable. We must ensure that we maintain conditions and evidence-based benchmarks critical for success and taxpayer resources.
In addition, we must maintain the momentum and the pressure on our international partners to maintain their commitments. Including funding and language that will promote security, economic development and good governance is a testament to our commitment. We
therefore request the inclusion of the following language in the FY 19 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations bill:
(a) United States Engagement in Central America.—
(1) FUNDING.— Subject to the requirements of this subsection, of the funds appropriated under titles III and IV of this Act, up to $750,000,000 may be made available for assistance for countries in Central America to implement
the United States Strategy for Engagement in Central America (the Strategy) in support of the Plan of the Alliance for Prosperity in the Northern Triangle of Central America (the Plan):
Provided, That the Secretary of State and Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) shall prioritize such assistance to address the key factors in such countries contributing to the migration of unaccompanied,
undocumented minors to the United States: Provided further, That such funds shall be made available to the maximum extent practicable on a cost-matching basis.
(2) PRE-OBLIGATION REQUIREMENTS.— Prior to the obligation of funds made available pursuant to paragraph (1), the Secretary of State shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the
Senate Committee on Foreign Relations a multi-year spend plan specifying the proposed uses of such funds in each country and the objectives, indicators to measure progress, and a timeline to implement the Strategy, and the amounts made available from prior
Acts making appropriations for the Department of State, foreign operations, and related programs to support such Strategy:
Provided, That such spend plan shall also include a description of how such assistance will differ from, complement, and leverage funds allocated by each government and other donors, including international financial institutions.
(3) ASSISTANCE FOR THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENTS OF EL SALVADOR, GUATEMALA, AND HONDURAS.—Of the funds made available pursuant to paragraph (1) that are available for assistance for each of the central governments of El Salvador, Guatemala,
and Honduras, except for funds made available for the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala and Impunity in Honduras, the following amounts shall be withheld from obligation and may only be made available as follows:
(A) 25 percent may only be obligated after the Secretary of State certifies and reports to the Committees on Appropriations, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations that such government
is taking effective steps, which are in addition to those steps taken since the certification and report submitted during the prior year, if applicable, to—
(i) inform its citizens of the dangers of the journey to the southwest border of the United States;
(ii) combat human smuggling and trafficking;
(iii) improve border security, including to prevent illegal migration, human smuggling and trafficking, and trafficking of illicit drugs and other contraband; and
(iv) cooperate with United States Government agencies and other governments in the region to facilitate the return, repatriation, and reintegration of illegal migrants arriving at the southwest border of the United States who do
not qualify for asylum, consistent with international law.
(B) An additional 50 percent may only be obligated after the Secretary of State certifies and reports to the Committees on Appropriations, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations that
such government is taking effective steps, which are in addition to those steps taken since the certification and report submitted during the prior year, if applicable, to—
(i) work cooperatively with an autonomous, publicly accountable entity to provide oversight of the Plan;
(ii) combat corruption, including investigating and prosecuting current and former government officials credibly alleged to be corrupt;
(iii) implement reforms, policies, and programs to improve transparency and strengthen public institutions, including increasing the capacity and independence of the judiciary and the Office of the Attorney General;
(iv) implement a policy to ensure that local communities, civil society organizations (including indigenous and other marginalized groups), and local governments are consulted in the design, and participate in the implementation
and evaluation of, activities of the Plan that affect such communities, organizations, and governments;
(v) counter the activities of criminal gangs, drug traffickers, and organized crime;
(vi) investigate and prosecute in the civilian justice system government personnel, including military and police personnel, who are credibly alleged to have violated human rights, and ensure that such personnel are cooperating
in such cases;
(vii) cooperate with commissions against corruption and impunity and with regional human rights entities;
(viii) support programs to reduce poverty, expand education and vocational training for at-risk youth, create jobs, and promote equitable economic growth particularly in areas contributing to large numbers of migrants;
(ix) implement a plan that includes goals, benchmarks and timelines to create a professional, accountable civilian police force and end the role of the military in internal policing, and make such plan available to the Department
of State;
(x) protect the right of political opposition parties, journalists, trade unionists, human rights defenders, and other civil society activists to operate without interference;
(xi) increase government revenues, including by implementing tax reforms and strengthening customs agencies; and
(xii) resolve commercial disputes, including the confiscation of real property, between United States entities and such government.
(4) NORTHERN TRIANGLE INCENTIVE AWARD.—Amounts designated as “Northern Triangle Incentive Award” in the table under this section in the report accompanying this Act may be made available to El Salvador, Guatemala, or Honduras,
only if the Secretary of State determines and reports to the Committees on Appropriations, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations that the country has made extraordinary progress in meeting two or more of the
conditions enumerated in paragraph (3): Provided, That such award shall be made in accordance with the requirements described under this section in the report accompanying this Act.
(5) SUSPENSION OF ASSISTANCE AND PERIODIC REVIEW.—
(A) The Secretary of State shall periodically review the progress of each of the central governments of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras in meeting the requirements of paragraphs (3)(A) and (3)(B): Provided, That if
the Secretary determines that sufficient progress has not been made by a central government, the Secretary shall suspend, in whole or in part, assistance for such government for programs supporting such requirement, and shall notify the Committees on Appropriations,
the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations in writing of such action: Provided further, That the Secretary may resume funding for such programs only after the Secretary certifies to such committees that corrective
measures have been taken.
(B) The Secretary of State shall, following a change of national government in El Salvador, Guatemala, or Honduras, determine and report to the Committees on Appropriations, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Senate
Committee on Foreign Relations that any new government has committed to take the steps to meet the requirements of paragraphs (3)(A) and (3)(B): Provided, That if the Secretary is unable to make such a determination in a timely manner, assistance
made available under this subsection for such central government shall be suspended, in whole or in part, until such time as such determination and report can be made.
(6) TRANSFER OF FUNDS.—The Department of State and USAID may, following consultation with the Committees on Appropriations, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, transfer funds
made available by this Act under the heading “Development Assistance” to the Inter-American Development Bank and the Inter-American Foundation to support the Strategy.
As always, we recognize the constraints by which the Committee is bound and appreciate your consideration.
Sincerely,
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