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[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5971 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5971

   To facilitate lasting peace, rule of law, democracy, and economic 
                         recovery in Zimbabwe.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 29, 2010

 Mr. Payne (for himself, Ms. Lee of California, Mr. Rush, Mr. Conyers, 
    Mr. Meeks of New York, Mr. Rangel, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Mrs. 
 Christensen, Ms. Waters, Mr. Towns, Mr. Watt, Mr. Bishop of Georgia, 
   Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, Mr. Hastings of Florida, Mr. 
 Thompson of Mississippi, Ms. Jackson Lee of Texas, Mr. Cummings, Mr. 
  Scott of Virginia, Mr. Clay, Ms. Clarke, Mr. Carson of Indiana, Mr. 
Ellison, Mr. Scott of Georgia, Ms. Edwards of Maryland, Mr. Al Green of 
   Texas, Mr. Butterfield, Ms. Moore of Wisconsin, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. 
  Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Faleomavaega, Ms. Woolsey, and Ms. Watson) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
    Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Financial 
Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
   each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the 
                jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
   To facilitate lasting peace, rule of law, democracy, and economic 
                         recovery in Zimbabwe.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE AND TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Zimbabwe Renewal 
Act of 2010''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title and table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings and sense of Congress.
Sec. 3. Statement of policy.
Sec. 4. Assistance to strengthen the rule of law and human rights in 
                            Zimbabwe.
Sec. 5. Assistance for sustainable development, health care, education, 
                            agriculture, clean water, and emergency 
                            vocational work program for youth in 
                            Zimbabwe.
Sec. 6. Assistance to promote reconciliation efforts in Zimbabwe and 
                            support full implementation of the Global 
                            Political Agreement.
Sec. 7. Technical assistance for Zimbabwe.
Sec. 8. Debt relief for Zimbabwe.
Sec. 9. Review of targeted sanctions in support of peace and democracy 
                            in Zimbabwe.
Sec. 10. Report.
Sec. 11. Other provisions of law superseded.
Sec. 12. Authorization of appropriations.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) In September 2008, the Zimbabwean African National 
        Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF), led by President Robert 
        Mugabe, the Movement for the Democratic Change (MDC), and the 
        Movement for Democratic Change-Mutambara, reached an accord, 
        the Global Political Agreement (GPA), after months of 
        negotiations.
            (2) In February 2009, MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai was 
        sworn in as the prime minister of the Transitional Inclusive 
        Government, while President Robert Mugabe kept his position as 
        agreed to by the three parties.
            (3) Since the formation of the coalition government 
        important progress has been made, although serious challenges 
        remain. Moreover, some members of ZANU-PF continue to undermine 
        and obstruct the peace agreement and the coalition government.
            (4) Despite the GPA, civil society, labor unions, human 
        rights advocates, journalists, and opposition members continue 
        to face harassment and intimidation by security forces, which 
        are still under the control of the ruling ZANU-PF.
            (5) While, due to difficult economic and security 
        conditions, an estimated 3,000,000 Zimbabweans have fled to 
        South Africa and other neighboring countries.
            (6) While recent measures taken by the coalition government 
        have improved economic conditions, significantly reducing the 
        inflation rates, millions of Zimbabweans continue to face 
        serious difficulties.
            (7) On May 10, 2010, the Zimbabwe High Court acquitted MDC-
        T Treasurer, Roy Bennett. The Zimbabwe Attorney General 
        announced two days later that he would appeal the ruling.
            (8) In May 2010, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai met with 
        senior Administration officials, including Secretary of State 
        Hillary Clinton and was recognized with the Democracy Award by 
        the National Democratic Institute (NDI).
            (9) Formal unemployment rates in Zimbabwe have increased to 
        more than 90 percent and youth make up more than two-thirds of 
        the unemployed.
            (10) Many poor Zimbabwe youth drop out of school without 
        the education and training necessary for employment and become 
        vulnerable to criminal activity, poor health, and disease.
            (11) It is estimated that as many as 29,000 youth are 
        currently members of youth militias known to intimidate persons 
        and groups for political purposes in exchange for cash, food, 
        clothes, and shelter.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that providing 
job opportunities of practical national value for youth in Zimbabwe 
designed to divert young people away from idleness and undesirable 
activity also would help alleviate poverty, restore the economy, 
contribute to the reconstruction of Zimbabwe, and give such youth 
income and a sense of achievement and self-worth in an otherwise 
hopeless environment.

SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY.

    It shall be the policy of the United States Government to--
            (1) support a transition to democratic and economic 
        recovery in Zimbabwe that reflects the new political conditions 
        and opportunities created by the Global Political Agreement 
        (GPA);
            (2) support the advancement of human rights, labor rights, 
        democracy, rule of law, independence of the judiciary, freedom 
        of the press, and economic development in Zimbabwe;
            (3) support full implementation of the GPA and seek the 
        unconditional release of all political prisoners and prisoners 
        of conscience;
            (4) foster stability, democracy, and economic development 
        in the region;
            (5) help end poverty and support economic recovery by 
        expanding United States assistance programs in Zimbabwe;
            (6) promote a sustained relationship with Zimbabwe in order 
        to strengthen democracy, human rights, security, economic 
        growth, and the alleviation of poverty;
            (7) help end human rights abuses and violence against 
        civilians by the security forces of Zimbabwe and hold those 
        engaged in these abuses accountable;
            (8) maintain targeted sanctions against individuals who 
        continue to undermine the democratic processes and review and 
        update existing sanctions to reflect changing conditions on the 
        ground;
            (9) create programs designed to provide job opportunities 
        of practical national value for youth in Zimbabwe to help 
        alleviate poverty, restore the economy, contribute to the 
        reconstruction of Zimbabwe, and give such youth income and a 
        sense of achievement and self-worth in an otherwise hopeless 
        environment;
            (10) contribute to the African Development Bank-
        administered Zimbabwe Multi-Donor Trust Fund;
            (11) press for full compliance with the Kimberley Process 
        diamond certification scheme;
            (12) support credible efforts to conduct a comprehensive, 
        transparent, and nonpartisan land audit as a critical step 
        toward establishing accountability and security of tenure;
            (13) engage international partners and regional governments 
        to develop a coordinated strategy to prepare for future 
        elections in Zimbabwe, particularly to help reduce the risk of 
        violence and other election-related abuses; and
            (14) strengthen the relationship with Zimbabwe based on the 
        policy objectives specified in paragraphs (1) through (11) and 
        to engage the talents and skills of the Zimbabwean Diaspora 
        towards that end.

SEC. 4. ASSISTANCE TO STRENGTHEN THE RULE OF LAW AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN 
              ZIMBABWE.

    (a) Authorization of Assistance.--The Secretary of State is 
authorized to provide assistance to strengthen the rule of law and 
human rights in Zimbabwe.
    (b) Activities Supported.--Activities that may be supported by 
assistance under subsection (a) include--
            (1) providing assistance to strengthen local government, 
        councils, parliament, and the judiciary in Zimbabwe;
            (2) providing assistance for urban, peri-urban, and rural 
        programs focused on reconciliation efforts in order to address 
        past abuses and pave the way for peaceful political 
        participation;
            (3) providing training and funding for civil society and 
        human rights groups in election monitoring, human rights 
        related activities, and democratic institution building;
            (4) providing support for training, monitoring, and 
        evaluation of the security sector that is consistent with the 
        Southern Africa Development Community Protocol on Politics, 
        Defense, and Security Co-operation, which requires that 
        security forces ``shall at all times promote the peaceful 
        settlement of disputes by negotiation, conciliation, mediation, 
        or arbitration'';
            (5) helping strengthen the independent press;
            (6) supporting local and national human rights groups and 
        other relevant civil society organizations to help strengthen 
        human rights monitoring and regular reporting on human rights 
        conditions in Zimbabwe;
            (7) supporting victims of political violence, with priority 
        to victims of sexual violence, trade unionists, survivors of 
        the Gukurahundi Campaign, and the victims of the 2005 Operation 
        Murambatsvina, particularly micro-entrepreneurs and informal 
        sector traders, and such assistance shall be implemented by a 
        new Zimbabwe Human Rights Trust Fund or through a locally 
        administered and implemented rural human rights program similar 
        to the Zimbabwe Alliance;
            (8) strengthening the independence of the judiciary 
        through--
                    (A) providing training and material support to 
                court personnel and civil society groups; and
                    (B) instituting and expanding exchange programs 
                between United States and Zimbabwean jurists, law 
                schools, and other groups in the legal sector;
            (9) establishing a program in consultation with Zimbabwean 
        civil society, human rights groups, and other relevant groups 
        for a judicial monitoring process by local, national, and 
        international groups, to monitor judicial proceedings 
        throughout Zimbabwe focused on politically motivated government 
        intervention on judicial matters; and
            (10) supporting anti-corruption programs, including 
        reporting on national incomes and the development of a national 
        transparency framework.

SEC. 5. ASSISTANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH CARE, EDUCATION, 
              AGRICULTURE, CLEAN WATER, AND EMERGENCY VOCATIONAL WORK 
              PROGRAM FOR YOUTH IN ZIMBABWE.

    (a) Sustainable Development.--The President, in consultation with 
other donors, is authorized to provide assistance, as needed, for 
sustainable development in Zimbabwe.
    (b) Health Care Assistance.--The President is authorized to provide 
assistance for the health care sector in Zimbabwe and provide material 
support to hospitals, clinics, and health care centers in Zimbabwe.
    (c) Education Assistance.--The President is authorized to provide 
assistance to strengthen the education sector in Zimbabwe, including by 
providing teacher training, refurbishment of education facilities, and 
material support.
    (d) Agriculture Assistance.--
            (1) Authorization of assistance.--The President is 
        authorized to provide expanded assistance for the agriculture 
        sector in Zimbabwe to enable self-sufficiency, support for 
        irrigation and water harvesting systems, and provide funding 
        for necessary agricultural supplies.
            (2) Activities supported.--Activities that may be supported 
        by assistance under paragraph (1) include--
                    (A) supporting market-based mechanisms for the 
                provision of credit and access to the inputs necessary 
                for agricultural production and for the handling, 
                marketing, storage, and processing of agricultural 
                commodities;
                    (B) encouraging policies that provide incentives 
                for agricultural production; and
                    (C) supporting institutions that provide technical 
                assistance and financial support to the agriculture 
                sector.
    (e) Clean Water.--The President is authorized to provide assistance 
for the rehabilitation of the water treatment facilities and sewer 
systems in Zimbabwe.
    (f) Emergency Vocational Work Program for Youth.--The President 
shall develop an emergency vocational work program for youth in 
Zimbabwe with cash payments for the construction and repair of public 
works of benefit to the entire population of Zimbabwe.
    (g) Delegation of Functions to USAID.--The functions of the 
President under this section shall be carried out by the Administrator 
of the United States Agency for International Development.

SEC. 6. ASSISTANCE TO PROMOTE RECONCILIATION EFFORTS IN ZIMBABWE AND 
              SUPPORT FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GLOBAL POLITICAL 
              AGREEMENT.

    (a) Authorization of Assistance.--The President is authorized to 
provide economic assistance for Zimbabwe in an effort to support 
democracy, the rule of law, respect for human rights, economic self-
sufficiency, build civil authority, provide support in education and 
health care, enhance judicial and legal frameworks to promote 
reconciliation efforts in Zimbabwe and support full implementation of 
the Global Political Agreement (GPA).
    (b) Congressional Notification.--Assistance may not be provided 
under subsection (a) until 15 days after the date on which the 
President notifies and certifies to Congress that progress is being 
made in the implementation of the Global Political Agreement.
    (c) Support for Land Reform and Agricultural Development.--
            (1) Findings.--Congress finds that--
                    (A) sanctions on financial institutions that 
                provide lines of credit and other financial services to 
                vast numbers of communal farmers in Zimbabwe have 
                severely harmed the ability of such farmers and small 
                businesses to sustain their livelihoods;
                    (B) sanctions on financial institutions that 
                provide branch networks in Zimbabwe and other financial 
                services to civil servants, pensioners, and the people 
                of Zimbabwe have severely harmed such civil servants, 
                pensioners, and the people of Zimbabwe; and
                    (C) sanctions described in subparagraphs (A) and 
                (B) have resulted in suppressed earnings for the 
                National Social Security Authority, the entity 
                established by the Government of Zimbabwe to administer 
                social security schemes in Zimbabwe, and consequently 
                the Authority has not been able to competitively 
                remunerate its pensioners.
            (2) Sense of congress.--If the requirements described in 
        paragraph (3) are met, it is the sense of Congress that--
                    (A) sanctions described in paragraph (1) (A) and 
                (B) should be lifted in order to allow financial 
                institutions described in such paragraph to assist 
                communal farmers, civil servants, pensioners, and the 
                people of Zimbabwe; and
                    (B) technical assistance should be provided to such 
                financial institutions to rebuild their capacity to 
                gain access to international capital.
            (3) Requirements.--The requirements referred to in 
        paragraph (2) are the following:
                    (A) The Finance Ministry of Zimbabwe does not 
                politicize lending or extending credit.
                    (B) No individual who is subject to United States 
                or European Union sanctions serves as a board member, 
                advisor, or employee of any financial institution in 
                Zimbabwe.
                    (C) No funds provided to Zimbabwe are made 
                available to Zimbabwe's Reserve Bank.

SEC. 7. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR ZIMBABWE.

    The Secretary of the Treasury, acting through the Office of 
Technical Assistance, is authorized to provide technical assistance to 
the Zimbabwean Ministry of Finance and line ministries, as appropriate, 
relating to activities to improve the Ministry Finance's ability to 
capture, manage, and expend resources transparently to address public 
and private sector needs in Zimbabwe.

SEC. 8. DEBT RELIEF FOR ZIMBABWE.

    (a) Debt Relief.--The Secretary of the Treasury shall--
            (1) forgive the debt of Zimbabwe held by any agency of the 
        United States Government; and
            (2) in consultation with the Secretary of State, gather 
        information on--
                    (A) the debt of Zimbabwe held by international 
                financial institutions and private financial 
                institutions; and
                    (B) the feasibility and advisability of 
                restructuring, rescheduling, or eliminating such debt 
                in the future.
    (b) International Financial Institutions.--The Secretary of the 
Treasury shall direct the United States Executive Director at each 
international financial institution of which the United States is a 
member to vote in favor of programs proposed or being considered by the 
institution for Zimbabwe.
    (c) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) International financial institution.--The term 
        ``international financial institution'' means each multilateral 
        development bank and the International Monetary Fund.
            (2) Multilateral development bank.--The term ``multilateral 
        development bank'' means--
                    (A) the International Bank for Reconstruction and 
                Development;
                    (B) the International Development Association;
                    (C) the International Finance Corporation;
                    (D) the Inter-American Development Bank;
                    (E) the Asian Development Bank;
                    (F) the Inter-American Investment Corporation;
                    (G) the African Development Bank;
                    (H) the African Development Fund;
                    (I) the European Bank for Reconstruction and 
                Development; and
                    (J) the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency.

SEC. 9. REVIEW OF TARGETED SANCTIONS IN SUPPORT OF PEACE AND DEMOCRACY 
              IN ZIMBABWE.

    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, restrictions against 
any person that are imposed pursuant to Executive Order 13288 (68 Fed. 
Reg. 11457-11461; relating to blocking property of persons undermining 
democratic processes or institutions in Zimbabwe) shall be removed when 
the President certifies to Congress that such person--
            (1) has taken significant steps to help strengthen 
        democracy, respect human rights, and the rule of law in 
        Zimbabwe; and
            (2) has played a constructive role in the implementation of 
        the Global Political Agreement.

SEC. 10. REPORT.

    Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the President shall transmit to Congress a report on the 
implementation of this Act, including a description of a comprehensive 
plan to address issues of human rights, democratization, and economic 
conditions in Zimbabwe.

SEC. 11. OTHER PROVISIONS OF LAW SUPERSEDED.

    Each of the authorities contained in sections 3 through 8 of this 
Act may be carried out notwithstanding any other provision of law.

SEC. 12. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated such sums 
as may be necessary to carry out this Act.
    (b) Availability.--Amounts appropriated pursuant to the 
authorization of appropriations under subsection (a) are authorized to 
remain available until expended.
                                 <all>
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