I 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2299

To authorize assistance through eligible nongovernmental organizations to 

remove and dispose of unexploded ordnance in agriculturally-valuable 

lands in developing countries. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 2, 2003

Ms. WOOLSEY (for herself, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. KUCINICH, Mr. 

MCDERMOTT, Ms. LEE, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California, Mr. OWENS, and Mr. GONZALEZ) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on International Relations 

A BILL

To authorize assistance through eligible nongovernmental organizations to remove and dispose of unexploded ordnance in agriculturally-valuable lands in developing countries.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Roots of Peace Act 

5 of 2003’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress makes the following findings: 
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1 (1) There are more than an estimated 

2 70,000,000 landmines in 70 countries—more than 

3 one-third of all countries in the world. 

4 (2) Landmines are indiscriminate weapons of 

5 mass destruction, detonating on the sandal of a child 

6 just as easily as on the boot of a soldier. 

7 (3) Every 22 minutes someone steps on a land8 mine. 

9 (4) More than 10,000 women and children are 

10 maimed or killed by landmines each year. 

11 (5) Many landmines are in developing countries 

12 that are working to build the governmental and so13 cial institutions that are necessary for social sta14 bility. 

15 (6) Many landmines are in agriculturally rich 

16 areas, such as Afghanistan’s Shomali Valley, that, 

17 were it not for the risk to farmers wishing to cul18 tivate the land, would provide food for the local peo19 ple and contribute to the national economy. 

20 (7) The United Nations estimates that more 

21 than 700 square kilometers in Afghanistan are lit22 tered with 5,000,000 to 7,000,000 landmines. 

23 (8) More than 300 innocent people step on 

24 landmines each month in Afghanistan as they try to 

25 repatriate and farm their lands. 
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1 (9) The Shomali Valley, now awash with land2 mines, was once considered the ‘‘breadbasket’’ of Af3 ghanistan and is roughly the size of the San 

4 Juaquin Valley in California. 

5 (10) The United States Humanitarian 

6 Demining Program has organized crucial aid to Af7 ghanistan and other nations for the removal of land8 mines and rehabilitation of the people and land af9 fected by them. 

10 (11) Expanding the United States Humani11 tarian Demining Program to include assistance to 

12 nongovernmental organizations that carry out both 

13 demining activities and activities to restore agri14 culturally-valuable lands after such demining activi15 ties would strengthen the mission of the Program. 

16 (12) Nongovernmental organizations, like Roots 

17 for Peace, do critical work to remove landmines and 

18 help local populations redevelop that land for agri19 culture. 

20 (13) These organizations often have critical 

21 funding shortages that hamper their efforts to assist 

22 civilians worldwide. 

23 (14) Facilitating nongovernmental assistance to 

24 countries such as Afghanistan will foster goodwill 
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1 among the local population, thereby promoting the 

2 national interest of the United States. 

3 SEC. 3. DEMINING ASSISTANCE FOR REVITALIZATION OF 

4 AGRICULTURALLY-VALUABLE LANDS IN DE5 VELOPING COUNTRIES. 

6 (a) ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary of State shall estab7 lish a program to provide grants to eligible nongovern8 mental organizations described in subsection (b) to remove 

9 and dispose of unexploded ordnance in agriculturally-valu10 able lands in developing countries. 

11 (b) ELIGIBLE NGOS.—

12 (1) IN GENERAL.—A nongovernmental organi13 zation is eligible to receive assistance under this sec14 tion if the primary function of the organization is to 

15 facilitate the removal and disposal of unexploded 

16 ordnance in agriculturally-valuable lands and to de17 velop such lands after the removal and disposal of 

18 such ordnance. 

19 (2) ROOTS OF PEACE NGO.—Not less than 

20 $2,000,000 of the amount appropriated pursuant to 

21 the authorization of appropriations under subsection 

22 (e) is authorized to be made available for assistance 

23 under this section to the Roots of Peace nongovern24 mental organization in order to carry out activities 
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1 described in subsection (a) in the Shomali Valley of 

2 Afghanistan. 

3 (c) LIMITATION.—The Secretary of State shall en4 sure that not more than an appropriate percentage of the 

5 amount of a grant provided under this section is used by 

6 a nongovernmental organization for administrative costs 

7 in carrying out activities for which the grant was provided. 

8 (d) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 

9 of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall 

10 prepare and submit to Congress a report that describes 

11 projects and activities carried out by nongovernmental or12 ganizations using assistance received pursuant to sub13 section (a). 

14 (e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—

15 (1) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be 

16 appropriated to the Secretary of State to carry out 

17 this Act $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2004. 

18 (2) AVAILABILITY.—Amounts appropriated pur19 suant to the authorization of appropriations under 

20 paragraph (1) are authorized to remain available 

21 until expended.

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