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108th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 742
To authorize assistance for individuals with disabilities in foreign
countries, including victims of warfare and civil strife, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 27, 2003
Mr. Brownback (for himself, Mrs. Clinton, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. Smith, Mrs.
Feinstein, Mrs. Murray and Mr. Bingaman) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize assistance for individuals with disabilities in foreign
countries, including victims of warfare and civil strife, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``International Disability and Victims
of Warfare and Civil Strife Assistance Act of 2003''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) Findings.--Congress makes the following finding:
(1)(A) According to the International Committee of the Red
Cross, there are tens of millions of landmines in over 60
countries around the world, and it has estimated that as many
as 24,000 people are maimed or killed each year by landmines,
mostly civilians, resulting in amputations and disabilities of
various kinds.
(B) While the United States Government invests more than
$100,000,000 in mine action programs annually, including
funding for mine awareness and demining training programs, only
about ten percent of these funds go to directly aid landmine
victims.
(C) The Patrick Leahy War Victims Fund, administered by the
United States Agency for International Development, has
provided essential prosthetics and rehabilitation for landmine
and other war victims in developing countries who are disabled
and has provided long-term sustainable improvements in quality
of life for victims of civil strife and warfare, addressing
such issues as barrier-free accessibility, reduction of social
stigmatization, and increasing economic opportunities.
(D) Enhanced coordination is needed among Federal agencies
that carry out assistance programs in foreign countries for
victims of landmines and other victims of civil strife and
warfare to make better use of interagency expertise and
resources.
(2) According to a review of Poverty and Disability
commissioned by the World Bank, ``disabled people have lower
education and income levels than the rest of the population.
They are more likely to have incomes below poverty level than
the non-disabled population, and they are less likely to have
savings and other assets . . . [t]he links between poverty and
disability go two ways--not only does disability add to the
risk of poverty, but conditions of poverty add to the risk of
disability.''.
(3) Numerous international human rights conventions and
declarations recognize the need to protect the rights of
individuals regardless of their status, including those
individuals with disabilities, through the principles of
equality and non-discrimination.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to authorize assistance
for individuals with disabilities, including victims of landmines and
other victims of civil strife and warfare.
SEC. 3. INTERNATIONAL DISABILITIES AND WAR VICTIMS ASSISTANCE.
The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.) is
amended by inserting after section 134 the following:
``SEC. 135. INTERNATIONAL DISABILITIES AND WAR VICTIMS ASSISTANCE.
``(a) Authorization.--The President is authorized to furnish
assistance to individuals with disabilities, including victims of civil
strife and warfare, in foreign countries.
``(b) Activities.--The programs established pursuant to subsection
(a) may include programs, projects, and activities such as the
following:
``(1) Development of local capacity to provide medical and
rehabilitation services for individuals with disabilities,
including victims of civil strife and warfare, in foreign
countries, such as--
``(A) support for and training of medical
professionals, including surgeons, nurses, and physical
therapists, to provide effective emergency and other
medical care and for the development of training
manuals relating to first aid and other medical
treatment;
``(B) support for sustainable prosthetic and
orthotic services; and
``(C) psychological and social rehabilitation of
such individuals, together with their families as
appropriate, for the reintegration of such individuals
into local communities.
``(2) Support for policy reform and educational efforts
related to the needs and abilities of individuals with
disabilities, including victims of civil strife and warfare.
``(3) Coordination of programs established pursuant to
subsection (a) with existing programs for individuals with
disabilities, including victims of civil strife and warfare, in
foreign countries.
``(4) Support for establishment of appropriate entities in
foreign countries to coordinate programs, projects, and
activities related to assistance for individuals with
disabilities, including victims of civil strife and warfare.
``(5) Support for primary, secondary, and vocational
education, public awareness and training programs and other
activities that help prevent war-related injuries and assist
individuals with disabilities, including victims of civil
strife and warfare, with their reintegration into society and
their ability to make sustained social and economic
contributions to society.
``(c) Priority.--To the maximum extent feasible, assistance under
this section shall be provided through nongovernmental organizations,
and, as appropriate, through governments to establish appropriate
norms, standards, and policies related to rehabilitation and issues
affecting individuals with disabilities, including victims of civil
strife and warfare.
``(d) Funding.--Amounts made available to carry out the other
provisions of this part (including chapter 4 of part II of this Act)
and the Support for East European Democracy (SEED) Act of 1989 are
authorized to be made available to carry out this section and are
authorized to be provided notwithstanding any other provision of
law.''.
SEC. 4. RESEARCH, PREVENTION, AND ASSISTANCE RELATED TO INTERNATIONAL
DISABILITIES AND LANDMINE AND OTHER WAR VICTIMS.
(a) Authorization.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Health and Human
Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, is authorized--
(A) to conduct programs in foreign countries
related to individuals with disabilities, including
victims of landmines and other victims of civil strife
and warfare;
(B) to provide grants to nongovernmental
organizations for the purpose of carrying out research,
prevention, public awareness and assistance programs in
foreign countries related to individuals with
disabilities, including victims of landmines and other
victims of civil strife and warfare.
(2) Approval of secretary of state.--Activities under
programs established pursuant to paragraph (1) may be carried
out in foreign countries only in coordination with the
Administrator of the United States Agency for International
Development, and upon approval for such activities in such
countries by the Secretary of State.
(b) Activities.--Programs established pursuant to subsection (a)
may include the following activities:
(1) Research on trauma, physical, psychological, and social
rehabilitation, and continuing medical care related to
individuals with disabilities, including victims of landmines
and other victims of civil strife and warfare, including--
(A) conducting research on psychological and social
factors that lead to successful recovery;
(B) developing, testing, and evaluating model
interventions that reduce post-traumatic stress and
promote health and well-being;
(C) developing basic instruction tools for initial
medical response to traumatic injuries; and
(D) developing basic instruction manuals for
patients and healthcare providers, including for
emergency and follow-up care, proper amputation
procedures, and reconstructive surgery.
(2) Facilitation of peer support networks for individuals
with disabilities, including victims of landmines and other
victims of civil strife and warfare, in foreign countries,
including--
(A) establishment of organizations at the local
level, administered by such individuals, to assess and
address the physical, psychological, economic and
social rehabilitation and other needs of such
individuals, together with their families as
appropriate, for the purpose of economic and social
reintegration into local communities; and
(B) training related to the implementation of such
peer support networks, including training of outreach
workers to assist in the establishment of organizations
such as those described in subparagraph (A) and
assistance to facilitate the use of the networks by
such individuals.
(3) Sharing of expertise from limb-loss and disability
research centers in the United States with similar centers and
facilities in war-affected countries, including promoting
increased health for individuals with limb loss and limb
deficiency and epidemiological research on secondary medical
conditions related to limb loss and limb deficiency.
(4) Developing a database of best practices to address the
needs of the war-related disabled through comprehensive
examination of support activities related to such disability
and access to medical care and supplies.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out
this section such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years
2003 through 2004.
SEC. 5. EXPERTISE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs is authorized--
(1) to provide advice and expertise on prosthetics,
orthotics, physical and psychological rehabilitation and
treatment, and disability assistance to other Federal
departments and agencies, including providing for temporary
assignment on a non-reimbursable basis of appropriate
Department of Veterans Affairs personnel, with respect to the
implementation of programs to provide assistance to victims of
landmines and other victims of civil strife and warfare in
foreign countries and landmine research and health-related
programs, including programs established pursuant to section
135 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (as added by section
3 of this Act) and programs established pursuant to section 4
of this Act; and
(2) to provide technical assistance to private voluntary
organizations on a reimbursable basis with respect to the
planning, development, operation, and evaluation of such
landmine assistance, research, and prevention programs.
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