I 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1570 

To provide for the establishment of a global affairs strategy and assistance 

for people of African descent, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 16, 2017 

Mr. HASTINGS (for himself, Mr. RICHMOND, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON

of Texas, Mr. BUTTERFIELD, Ms. NORTON, Mr. COHEN, Ms. LEE, Ms. 

JACKSON LEE, Mr. MCGOVERN, Ms. PLASKETT, Ms. BASS, Mr. BROWN

of Maryland, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. SERRANO, and Mr. RUSH) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 

Affairs 

A BILL 

To provide for the establishment of a global affairs strategy 

and assistance for people of African descent, and for 

other purposes. 

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 ‘‘African Descent Af5 fairs Act of 2017’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) The struggle to end discrimination against 

2 people of African descent is a global challenge, and 

3 one that is central to the United States commitment 

4 to human rights. 

5 (2) Targeted exclusion, violence, and discrimi6 nation against people of African descent continues 

7 around the world. 

8 (3) Issues range from the fight for ancestral 

9 lands in Latin America, hate crimes resulting in in10 jury and death in Europe, to profiling and excessive 

11 use of force by law enforcement in the United 

12 States, and continuing global disparities in health, 

13 education, employment, housing, and other sectors. 

14 (4) It is imperative that the world actively ad15 dress the vestiges of slavery and colonialism that 

16 have long hindered racial equality and justice and 

17 prevented the recognition of the important contribu18 tions of people of African descent to the world. 

19 (5) The International Decade for People of Af20 rican Descent, from January 1, 2015, to December 

21 31, 2025, offers an opportunity to address these 

22 issues domestically and globally through coordinated 

23 government and civil society strategies, that include 

24 the private sector. 


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1 SEC. 3. ACTIVITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE. 

2 (a) OFFICE OF GLOBAL AFRICAN DESCENT AF3 FAIRS.—Title I of the State Department Basic Authorities 

4 Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2651a et seq.) is amended by add5 ing at the end the following new section: 

6 ‘‘SEC. 64. OFFICE OF GLOBAL AFRICAN DESCENT AFFAIRS. 

7 ‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICE.—Not later than 

8 60 days after the date of enactment of this section, the 

9 Secretary of State shall establish within the Department 

10 of State an Office of Global African Descent Affairs (in 

11 this section referred to as the ‘Office’) in the Bureau of 

12 Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. 

13 ‘‘(b) HEAD OF OFFICE.— 

14 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The head of the Office 

15 shall be the Director and Special Advisor to the Sec16 retary on Global African Descent Affairs (in this 

17 section referred to as the ‘Special Advisor’). 

18 ‘‘(2) APPOINTMENT.—The Director shall be ap19 pointed by the Secretary. 

20 ‘‘(c) OTHER PERSONNEL.—The Office shall be sup21 ported by two senior Foreign Service officers. 

22 ‘‘(d) FUNCTIONS.—The functions of the Office shall 

23 include the following: 

24 ‘‘(1) Advise the Secretary and direct activities, 

25 policies, programs, and funding relating to the 

26 human rights and the advancement of people of AfVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:52 Mar 21, 2017 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1570.IH H1570

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1 rican descent internationally, for all bureaus and of2 fices of the Department of State and shall lead the 

3 coordination, monitoring, and evaluation of relevant 

4 international programs for all other Federal agen5 cies. 

6 ‘‘(2) Represent the United States in diplomatic 

7 matters relevant to the human rights of people of 

8 African descent in contacts with foreign govern9 ments, intergovernmental organizations, and special10 ized agencies of the United Nations, the Organiza11 tion for Security and Cooperation in Europe, other 

12 international organizations of which the United 

13 States is a member, and relevant multilateral con14 ferences and meetings. 

15 ‘‘(3) Lead efforts to promote an international 

16 focus on racial equality more broadly, including 

17 through diplomatic initiatives with other countries 

18 and partnerships and regular and enhanced coordi19 nation with international and nongovernmental orga20 nizations and the private sector. 

21 ‘‘(4) Develop and manage the Fund for African 

22 Descent Affairs, established under section 3(c) of 

23 the African Descent Affairs Act of 2017, for the 

24 purpose of investing in efficient and innovative solu25 tions to combat racial discrimination and create ecoVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:52 Mar 21, 2017 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1570.IH H1570

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1 nomic and other opportunities for people of African 

2 descent internationally. 

3 ‘‘(5) Develop a uniform set of indicators and 

4 standards for monitoring and evaluating foreign pol5 icy assistance for people of African descent in Fed6 eral agencies. 

7 ‘‘(6) Direct, as appropriate, United States Gov8 ernment resources to respond to needs for protec9 tion, integration, resettlement, and empowerment of 

10 people of African descent in United States Govern11 ment policies and international programs, including 

12 to prevent and respond to discrimination and vio13 lence against people of African descent internation14 ally. 

15 ‘‘(7) Develop and coordinate United States Gov16 ernment international efforts related to the imple17 mentation of the International Decade for People of 

18 African Descent and submit annual reports to Con19 gress on these efforts. 

20 ‘‘(8) Work in collaboration with the Race, Eth21 nicity, and Social Inclusion Unit in the Western 

22 Hemisphere Bureau and consult with the Bureau of 

23 African Affairs. 

24 ‘‘(9) Compile an annual report on activities of 

25 the United States Government relating to people of 


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1 African descent to fulfill the requirements of this 

2 section and the African Descent Affairs Act of 2017. 

3 ‘‘(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

4 ‘‘(1) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT5 TEES.—The term ‘appropriate congressional com6 mittees’ means— 

7 ‘‘(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations 

8 and the Committee on Appropriations of the 

9 Senate; and 

10 ‘‘(B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

11 and the Committee on Appropriations of the 

12 House of Representatives. 

13 ‘‘(2) PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT.—The 

14 term ‘people of African descent’ has the meaning 

15 given the term in section 5 of the African Descent 

16 Affairs Act of 2017.’’. 

17 (b) ANNUAL HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT.— 

18 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Foreign Assistance Act 

19 of 1961 is amended— 

20 (A) in section 116 (22 U.S.C. 2151n), by 

21 adding at the end the following new subsection: 

22 ‘‘(h) STATUS OF PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT.— 

23 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The report required under 

24 subsection (d) shall include, for countries in the 

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1 scription of the status of people of African descent 

2 in each such country. 

3 ‘‘(2) DEFINITION.—In this subsection, the term 

4 ‘people of African descent’ has the meaning given 

5 the term in section 5 of the African Descent Affairs 

6 Act of 2017.’’; and 

7 (B) in section 502B (22 U.S.C. 2304)— 

8 (i) by redesignating the second sub9 section (i) (as added by section 1207(b)(2) 

10 of Public Law 113–4) as subsection (j); 

11 and 

12 (ii) by adding at the end the following 

13 new subsection: 

14 ‘‘(k) STATUS OF PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT.— 

15 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The report required under 

16 subsection (b) shall include, for countries in the 

17 Americas, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, a de18 scription of the status of people of African descent 

19 in each such country. 

20 ‘‘(2) DEFINITION.—In this subsection, the term 

21 ‘people of African descent’ has the meaning given 

22 the term in section 5 of the African Descent Affairs 

23 Act of 2017.’’. 

24 (2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made 

25 by this subsection take effect on the date of the enVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:52 Mar 21, 2017 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1570.IH H1570

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1 actment of this Act and apply with respect to re2 ports required to be submitted under sections 116 

3 and 502B of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as 

4 amended by this subsection, on or after such date of 

5 enactment. 

6 (c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

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

8 appropriated to the Secretary of State $5,000,000 

9 for each of the fiscal years 2018 through 2028 to 

10 carry out this section and the amendments made by 

11 this section. 

12 (2) PRIVATE CONTRIBUTIONS.—Notwith13 standing any other provision of law, the Secretary of 

14 State is authorized to accept private contributions to 

15 carry out this section and the amendments made by 

16 this section. 

17 (3) DESIGNATION.—Amounts appropriated pur18 suant to the authorization of appropriations under 

19 paragraph (1) and private contributions accepted 

20 under paragraph (2) may be referred to as the 

21 ‘‘Fund for African Descent Affairs’’. 

22 SEC. 4. ACTIVITIES OF THE UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR 

23 INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT. 

24 (a) SENIOR ADVISOR.— 


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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the 

2 United States Agency for International Development 

3 shall appoint within the immediate office of the Ad4 ministrator a Senior Advisor to the Administrator on 

5 Global African Descent Affairs (in this section re6 ferred to as the ‘‘Senior Advisor’’). 

7 (2) APPOINTMENT.—The Senior Advisor shall 

8 be appointed by the Administrator. 

9 (b) FUNCTIONS.—The functions of the Senior Advi10 sor shall include the following: 

11 (1) Advise the Administrator and direct activi12 ties, policies, programs, and funding relating to the 

13 human rights and advancement of people of African 

14 descent internationally for all bureaus and offices of 

15 the Agency. 

16 (2) Develop a racial and ethnic equality and 

17 empowerment policy, strategy, and action plan for 

18 the Agency, in consultation with civil society, that 

19 includes a focus on people of African descent. 

20 (3) Serve as the Agency liaison to the Depart21 ment of State’s Office of Global African Descent Af22 fairs. 

23 (4) Develop a uniform set of indicators and 

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1 sistance for people of African descent in Federal 

2 agencies. 

3 (c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

4 authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator 

5 $3,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2018 through 2028 

6 to carry out this section. 

7 SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS. 

8 In this Act: 

9 (1) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT10 TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com11 mittees’’ means— 

12 (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations 

13 and the Committee on Appropriations of the 

14 Senate; and 

15 (B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and 

16 the Committee on Appropriations of the House 

17 of Representatives. 

18 (2) PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT.—The term 

19 ‘‘people of African descent’’ means persons of Afri20 can origin who are residents of countries of the 

21 Americas, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. 

22 SEC. 6. BRIEFINGS AND ASSESSMENTS. 

23 Not later than 180 days after the date of the enact24 ment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Director 

25 and Special Advisor to the Secretary on Global African 


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1 Descent Affairs (appointed under section 64 of the State 

2 Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (as added by 

3 section 3 of this Act))— 

4 (1) shall brief the appropriate congressional 

5 committees on the status of the human rights, social 

6 inclusion, equality, and empowerment of people of 

7 African descent internationally, as well as the status 

8 of programs and response strategies to address dis9 crimination and violence against people of African 

10 descent internationally; and 

11 (2) shall submit to the appropriate congres12 sional committees an assessment of human and fi13 nancial resources necessary to fulfill the purposes 

14 and duties of this Act and the amendments made by 

15 this Act. 

16 SEC. 7. UNITED STATES POLICY TO PREVENT AND RE17 SPOND TO DISCRIMINATION AND VIOLENCE 

18 AGAINST PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT. 

19 (a) GLOBAL STRATEGY REQUIREMENT.—Not later 

20 than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, 

21 and annually thereafter for 10 years, the Director and 

22 Special Advisor to the Secretary on Global African De23 scent Affairs shall develop or update a United States glob24 al strategy to empower, prevent, and respond to discrimi25 nation and violence against people of African descent. The 


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1 strategy shall be transmitted to the appropriate congres2 sional committees and, if practicable, made available to 

3 the public. 

4 (b) COLLABORATION AND COORDINATION.—In devel5 oping the strategy under subsection (a), the Director and 

6 Special Advisor to the Secretary on Global African De7 scent Affairs shall consult with— 

8 (1) the heads of relevant Federal agencies; and 

9 (2) representatives of civil society, multilateral, 

10 and private sector organizations. 

11 SEC. 8. SUNSET. 

12 This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall 

13 terminate on October 1, 2028. 

Æ 


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