Making an Impact on the Hill

The below language advancing unarmed civilian protection is contained in the explanatory statement for the Bill.*

Unarmed civilian protection—The Committee directs the Secretary of State, in consultation with the USAID Administrator, to provide funds for use of unarmed civilian protection organizations and evaluate the potential use of such organizations to provide direct physical protection to civilian populations, to strengthen the local non-violent peacekeeping capacity of communities currently experiencing or at risk of violent conflict, and to assist United States-funded stabilization efforts. The Secretary shall consult with the Committees on Appropriations on such programs.

Unarmed civilian protection—The Committee supports the allocation of funds appropriated under this heading for grants and contracts, awarded on a competitive basis, for unarmed civilian protection programs implemented by international and nongovernmental organizations. 

 *through H. Rept. 117-401

The below language advancing unarmed civilian protection is contained in the explanatory statement for the Bill.*

Unarmed civilian protection—The Committee directs the Secretary of State, in consultation with the USAID Administrator, to provide funds for use of unarmed civilian protection organizations and evaluate the potential use of such organizations to provide direct physical protection to civilian populations, to strengthen the local non-violent peacekeeping capacity of communities currently experiencing or at risk of violent conflict, and to assist United States-funded stabilization efforts. The Secretary shall consult with the Committees on Appropriations on such programs.

 *through H. Rept. 117-84

The below language advancing unarmed civilian protection is contained in the explanatory statement for the Bill.*

Unarmed civilian protection—The Committee directs the Secretary of State, in consultation with the USAID Administrator, to provide funds for use of unarmed civilian protection organizations and evaluate the potential use of such organizations to provide direct physical protection to civilian populations, to strengthen the local non-violent peacekeeping capacity of communities currently experiencing or at risk of violent conflict, and to assist United States-funded stabilization efforts. The Secretary shall consult with the Committees on Appropriations on such programs.

 *through H. Rept. 116-444

Additionally, the inclusion of the below peace processes provision was a positive and unexpected addition in the statement accompanying the Bill. It specifically lists two of the areas where NP is currently working, South Sudan and Mindanao, Philippines.

Post-Conflict/Peace Process Implementation Assessments—The agreement includes funding to continue programs within the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations that utilize independent assessments to peace accord implementation milestones in Colombia and to expand such assessments in other fragile and post-conflict settings, such as South Sudan and Mindanao, Philippines, as appropriate. 

The below language advancing unarmed civilian protection is contained in the report accompanying the Bill. 

Unarmed civilian protection—The Committee urges the Secretary of State, in consultation with the USAID Administrator, to consider the future use of unarmed civilian protection organizations and evaluate the potential use of such organizations to provide direct physical protection to civilian populations, to strengthen the local non-violent peacekeeping capacity of communities currently experiencing or at risk of violent conflict, and to assist United States-funded stabilization efforts.

Secondly, language restoring funds for the State Department that were rescinded by the Trump administration without Congressional approval is also included in the Bill. Included in the DRL funding lapse was a $1.8 million grant to Nonviolent Peaceforce that was to be used for our work in Iraq (which has since been restored, thanks to the language below).

The agreement directs the Department of State to fully restore $40,026,539 in Economic Support Fund that lapsed at the end of the fiscal year 2019 due to apportionment and obligation delays, including $35,379,246 for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL). Such programs shall be funded at not less than the previously planned levels and are in addition to any amounts identified for fiscal years 2019 and 2020 programs.