To require a regional strategy to address the threat posed by Boko Haram.

Summary: This bill requires:   the Department of State and the Department of Defense to develop jointly and submit to Congress a five-year strategy to help Nigeria, members of the Multinational Joint Task Force to Combat Boko Haram, and relevant partners to counter Boko Haram, and to assist Nigeria and its neighbors to address legitimate grievances of vulnerable populations in areas affected by Boko Haram; and   the Director of National Intelligence to assess the willingness and capability Nigeria and regional partners to implement such strategy.    It is the sense of Congress that lack of economic opportunity and access to education, justice, and other social services contributes to Boko Haram's ability to radicalize and recruit individuals.

SECTION 1. REGIONAL STRATEGY TO ADDRESS THE THREAT POSED BY BOKO HARAM.

    (a) Strategy Required.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State and the 
        Secretary of Defense shall jointly develop and submit to the 
        appropriate committees of Congress a 5-year strategy to help 
        enable the Government of Nigeria, members of the Multinational 
        Joint Task Force to Combat Boko Haram (MNJTF) authorized by the 
        African Union, and relevant partners to counter the regional 
        threat of Boko Haram and assist the Government of Nigeria and 
        its neighbors to accept and address legitimate grievances of 
        vulnerable populations in areas affected by Boko Haram.
            (2) Elements.--At a minimum, the strategy shall address the 
        following elements:
                    (A) Enhance, pursuant to existing authorities and 
                restrictions, the institutional capacity, including 
                military capabilities, of the Government of Nigeria and 
                partner nations in the region, as appropriate, to 
                counter the threat posed by Boko Haram.
                    (B) Provide humanitarian support to civilian 
                populations impacted by Boko Haram's activity.
                    (C) Specific activities through which the United 
                States Government intends to improve and enhance the 
                capacity of MNJTF member nations to investigate and 
                prosecute human rights abuses by security forces and 
                promote respect for the rule of law within the 
                military.
                    (D) A means for assisting Nigeria, and as 
                appropriate, MNJTF member nations, to counter violent 
                extremism, including efforts to address underlying 
                societal factors shown to contribute to the ability of 
                Boko Haram to radicalize and recruit individuals.
                    (E) A plan to strengthen and promote the rule of 
                law, including by improving the capacity of the 
                civilian police and judicial system in Nigeria, 
                enhancing public safety, and responding to crime 
                (including gender-based violence), while respecting 
                human rights and strengthening accountability measures, 
                including measures to prevent corruption.
                    (F) Strengthen the long-term capacity of the 
                Government of Nigeria to enhance security for schools 
                such that children are safer and girls seeking an 
                education are better protected, and to combat gender-
                based violence and gender inequality.
                    (G) Identify and develop mechanisms for 
                coordinating the implementation of the strategy across 
                the interagency and with the Government of Nigeria, 
                regional partners, and other relevant foreign partners.
                    (H) Identify the resources required to achieve the 
                strategy's objectives.
    (b) Assessment.--The Director of National Intelligence shall 
submit, to the appropriate committees of Congress, an assessment 
regarding--
            (1) the willingness and capability of the Government of 
        Nigeria and regional partners to implement the strategy 
        developed under subsection (a), including the capability gaps, 
        if any, of the Government and military forces of Nigeria that 
        would need to be addressed to enable the Government of Nigeria 
        and the governments of its partner countries in the region--
                    (A) to counter the threat of Boko Haram; and
                    (B) to address the legitimate grievances of 
                vulnerable populations in areas affected by Boko Haram; 
                and
            (2) significant United States intelligence gaps concerning 
        Boko Haram or on the willingness and capacity of the Government 
        of Nigeria and regional partners to implement the strategy 
        developed under subsection (a).
    (c) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that lack of 
economic opportunity and access to education, justice, and other social 
services contributes to the ability of Boko Haram to radicalize and 
recruit individuals.
    (d) Appropriate Committees of Congress Defined.--In this section, 
the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
            (1) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on 
        Foreign Relations, the Committee on Appropriations, and the 
        Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate; and
            (2) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on 
        Foreign Affairs, the Committee on Appropriations, and the 
        Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of 
        Representatives.