SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘United States-Northern Triangle Enhanced Engagement 
Act’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Report on drivers of migration from the Northern Triangle to the 
United States. 
Sec. 3. Actions to promote inclusive economic growth and development in the 
Northern Triangle. 
Sec. 4. Actions to combat corruption in the Northern Triangle. 
Sec. 5. Actions to strengthen democratic institutions in the Northern Triangle. 
Sec. 6. Actions to improve security conditions in the Northern Triangle. 
Sec. 7. Authorization of appropriations for assistance to Central America. 
Sec. 8. Conditions on assistance to the Northern Triangle. 
Sec. 9. Enhancing engagement with the Government of Mexico on the Northern 
Triangle. 
Sec. 10. Targeting assistance to address migration from communities in the 
Northern Triangle. 
Sec. 11. Targeted sanctions to fight corruption in the Northern Triangle. 
Sec. 12. Requirement to provide advance notification to Congress of security 
assistance to Northern Triangle countries. 
Sec. 13. Definitions. 
Sec. 14. Determination of budgetary effects. 
SEC. 2. REPORT ON DRIVERS OF MIGRATION FROM THE 
NORTHERN 
TRIANGLE 
TO 
THE 
UNITED 
STATES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, 
in coordination with the Administrator of the United 
States Agency for International Development and the 
heads of other relevant Federal agencies, shall submit to 
the appropriate congressional committees a report on the 
drivers of migration from each of the Northern Triangle
countries and the progress United States foreign assist-
ance is making in addressing such drivers. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The report required under sub-
section (a) shall include the following elements for each 
of 
the 
Northern 
Triangle 
countries, 
with 
data 
disaggregated by municipality, age, and gender, as nec-
essary: 
(1) Information and data on all criminal activi-
ties, including drug trafficking, extortion, trafficking 
in persons, and gender-based violence, with par-
ticular emphasis on such activities carried out by 
criminal gangs and transnational criminal organiza-
tions such as MS–13 and the 18th Street Gang. 
(2) Data on the extent to which criminal activi-
ties referred to in paragraph (1) are reported to gov-
ernment authorities and the number of perpetrators 
investigated, apprehended, prosecuted, or convicted, 
versus the number of known perpetrators who are 
not so investigated, apprehended, prosecuted, or con-
victed. 
(3) Data on children and young adults forcibly 
recruited for criminal activities referred to in para-
graph (1), including the extent to which government 
authorities received reports of forced recruitment.
(4) Data on internal displacement due to crimi-
nal activities referred to in paragraph (1), and serv-
ices, including temporary shelters, provided to those 
displaced by violence. 
(5) Data on gender-based violence by region 
and municipality and descriptions of gender-based 
violence and domestic violence trends, including gen-
der-based violence against indigenous women, and 
correlation to outward migration. 
(6) Descriptions of the obstacles (including ca-
pacity gaps within the criminal justice systems) to 
resolving gender-based violence cases and deterring 
violence against women and children. 
(7) Information on the availability of trauma- 
informed legal and social services, including in shel-
ters, for victims of gender-based violence. 
(8) Data on the number of police officers, pros-
ecutors, court personnel, and specialized units 
trained in violence against women and children, in-
cluding data on the number of female police officers 
in each of the Northern Triangle countries. 
(9) Data on reported cases of abuse, including 
extrajudicial executions, torture, forced disappear-
ance, and arbitrary detention, allegedly committed 
by members of the security forces, and collusion be-
tween members of such security forces and gangs 
and other criminal groups, including transnational 
criminal organizations, and the number of perpetra-
tors investigated, apprehended, prosecuted, or con-
victed, versus the number of known perpetrators not 
so investigated, apprehended, prosecuted, or con-
victed. 
(10) Descriptions of the strategies being imple-
mented to guarantee the rights of indigenous and 
rural communities. 
(11) Descriptions of the strategies being imple-
mented to address forced recruitment of children 
and youth by gangs, transnational criminal organiza-
tions, and other criminal groups, and how such 
strategies are complemented by United States ef-
forts. 
(12) Descriptions of the strategies being imple-
mented by the governments of each of the Northern 
Triangle countries to address corruption and orga-
nized crime and how such strategies are com-
plemented by United States efforts. 
(13) Data on the effectiveness of anti-corrup-
tion strategies, including through bilateral and mul-
tilateral anti-corruption assistance.
(14) An assessment of the extent of corruption, 
including regarding narcotics trafficking and illicit 
campaign financing, a description of steps taken and 
to be taken to impose sanctions pursuant to the 
Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act 
(22 U.S.C. 2656 note), and a list of senior officials 
who are known or credibly alleged to have committed 
or facilitated such corruption, not including individ-
uals who have already been sentenced to crimes in 
criminal courts. 
(15) Descriptions of operating conditions for 
civil society organizations and independent media in 
each of the Northern Triangle countries, and data 
on harassment and attacks on civil society and inde-
pendent media from political and criminal actors. 
(16) An assessment of information sharing re-
garding known or suspected terrorists and other in-
dividuals and groups that pose a potential threat to 
United States national security that are crossing 
through or residing in the Northern Triangle. 
(17) Descriptions of the obstacles (including ca-
pacity gaps within the criminal justice systems) to 
resolving criminal cases and corruption and deter-
ring violence.
(18) Data on the capacity of child welfare sys-
tems in each Northern Triangle country to protect 
unaccompanied children, including runaways and 
refugee returnees. 
(19) Data on the governance capacity of North-
ern Triangle country governments at the local and 
national level, including ability to deliver basic cit-
izen services, including tax collection and citizen se-
curity. 
(20) Data on the rates of extortion, the impact 
of extortion on local businesses and economies, and 
the number of extortion cases investigated, pros-
ecuted, or convicted. 
(21) Data on the extent to which the Northern 
Triangle governments are promoting economic 
growth and educational opportunities, improving 
health outcomes, and addressing the underlying 
causes of poverty and inequality through public poli-
cies. 
(22) Data on the activities of China and Rus-
sia, an assessment of the threat of such activities to 
United States interests, and the impact of such ac-
tivities on irregular migration. 
(23) An analysis of the manner and extent to 
which assistance made available to the Northern Tri-
angle countries in fiscal years 2015 through 2017 
were expended, particularly including— 
(A) the extent to which funds made avail-
able to private and nongovernmental entities to 
provide such assistance were subsequently ex-
pended on activities conducted within such 
countries; and 
(B) the manner in which such funds were 
expended on activities in other countries. 
(24) Data on the geographic regions where 
highest incidence of violence occurs against women 
and children. 
(25) An evaluation of the extent to which 
women and children who are victims of violence have 
access to protection and justice. 
(26) An evaluation of the capacity of the justice 
system in each Northern Triangle country to re-
spond to reports of femicide, sexual assault, domes-
tic violence, trafficking, or child abuse and neglect, 
and to hold perpetrators of such crimes accountable. 
(c) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY.—The report required 
under subsection (a) shall be made publicly available on 
the website of the Department of State.
SEC. 3. ACTIONS TO PROMOTE INCLUSIVE ECONOMIC 
GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE NORTH-
ERN TRIANGLE. 
(a) SECRETARY
OF STATE PRIORITIZATION.—The 
Secretary of State shall prioritize economic development 
in the Northern Triangle countries by carrying out the fol-
lowing initiatives: 
(1) Supporting market-based solutions to elimi-
nate constraints to inclusive economic growth, in-
cluding through support for increased digital 
connectivity and the use of financial technology, and 
private sector and civil society-led efforts to create 
jobs and foster economic prosperity. 
(2) Addressing underlying causes of poverty 
and inequality, including by improving nutrition and 
food security, providing health resources and access 
to clean water, sanitation, hygiene, and shelter, and 
improving livelihoods. 
(3) Responding to immediate humanitarian 
needs by increasing humanitarian assistance, includ-
ing through access to clean water, sanitation, hy-
giene, and shelter, improving livelihoods, and by pro-
viding health resources and improving nutrition and 
food security.
(4) Supporting conservation and community re-
silience and strengthening community preparedness 
for natural disasters and other external shocks. 
(5) Identifying, as appropriate, a role for the 
United States International Development Finance 
Corporation, the Millennium Challenge Corporation 
(MCC), the United States Agency for International 
Development, and the United States private sector 
in supporting efforts to increase private sector in-
vestment and strengthen economic prosperity. 
(6) Expanding comprehensive reintegration 
mechanisms for repatriated individuals once re-
turned to their countries of origin and supporting ef-
forts by the private sector to hire and train eligible 
returnees. 
(7) Establishing monitoring and verification 
services to determine the well-being of repatriated 
children in order to determine if United States pro-
tection and screening functioned effectively in identi-
fying persecuted and trafficked children. 
(8) Supporting efforts to increase domestic re-
source mobilization, including through strengthening 
of tax collection and enforcement and legal arbitra-
tion mechanisms. 
(b) STRATEGY.—
(1) ELEMENTS.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of State, in coordination with the Administrator of 
the United States Agency for International Develop-
ment, the President and Chief Executive Officer of 
the Inter-American Foundation, the Director of the 
United States Trade and Development Agency, the 
Chief Executive Officer of the United States Inter-
national Development Finance Corporation, and the 
heads of other relevant Federal agencies, shall sub-
mit to the appropriate congressional committees a 5- 
year strategy to support inclusive economic growth 
and development in the Northern Triangle countries 
by carrying out the initiatives described in sub-
section (a). 
(2) CONSULTATION.—In developing the strat-
egy required under paragraph (1), the Secretary of 
State shall consult with nongovernmental organiza-
tions in the Northern Triangle countries and the 
United States. 
(3) 
BENCHMARKS.—The 
strategy 
required 
under paragraph (1) shall include annual bench-
marks to track the strategy’s progress in curbing ir-
regular migration from the Northern Triangle to the 
United States.
(4) PUBLIC
DIPLOMACY.—The strategy re-
quired under paragraph (1) shall include a public di-
plomacy strategy for educating citizens of the North-
ern Triangle countries about United States assist-
ance and its benefits to them, and informing such 
citizens of the dangers of illegal migration to the 
United States. 
(5) ANNUAL
PROGRESS
UPDATES.—Not later 
than 1 year after the submission of the strategy re-
quired under paragraph (1) and annually thereafter 
for 4 years, the Secretary of State shall provide the 
appropriate congressional committees with a written 
description of progress made in meeting the bench-
marks established in the strategy. 
(6) PUBLIC
AVAILABILITY.—The strategy re-
quired under paragraph (1) shall be made publicly 
available on the website of the Department of State. 
(c) REPORT
ON ESTABLISHING
AN INVESTMENT 
FUND FOR THE NORTHERN TRIANGLE COUNTRIES AND 
SOUTHERN MEXICO.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Chief Executive Of-
ficer of the United States International Development Fi-
nance Corporation shall submit to the appropriate con-
gressional committees a detailed report assessing the fea-
sibility, costs, and benefits of the Corporation establishing
an investment fund to promote economic and social devel-
opment in the Northern Triangle countries and southern 
Mexico. 
SEC. 4. ACTIONS TO COMBAT CORRUPTION IN THE NORTH-
ERN TRIANGLE. 
(a) SECRETARY
OF STATE PRIORITIZATION.—The 
Secretary of State shall prioritize efforts to combat cor-
ruption in the Northern Triangle countries by carrying out 
the following initiatives: 
(1) Supporting anti-corruption efforts, includ-
ing by strengthening national justice systems and at-
torneys general, providing technical assistance to fi-
nancial institutions to identify money laundering and 
other financial crimes, breaking up financial hold-
ings of organized criminal syndicates, including ille-
gally acquired lands and proceeds from illegal activi-
ties, and supporting independent media and inves-
tigative reporting. 
(2) Supporting anti-corruption efforts through 
bilateral assistance and complementary support 
through multilateral anti-corruption mechanisms 
when necessary. 
(3) Encouraging cooperation agreements be-
tween the Department of State and relevant United
States Government agencies and attorneys general 
to fight corruption. 
(4) Supporting efforts to strengthen special 
prosecutorial offices and financial institutions to 
combat corruption, money laundering, financial 
crimes, extortion, human rights crimes, asset for-
feiture, and criminal analysis. 
(5) Supporting initiatives to advance judicial in-
tegrity and improve security for members of the ju-
dicial sector. 
(6) Supporting transparent, merit-based selec-
tion processes for prosecutors and judges and the 
development of professional and merit-based civil 
services. 
(7) Supporting the establishment or strength-
ening of methods, procedures, and expectations for 
internal and external control mechanisms for the se-
curity and police services and judiciary. 
(8) Supporting the adoption of appropriate 
technologies to combat corruption in public finance. 
(b) STRATEGY.— 
(1) ELEMENTS.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of State, in coordination with the Administrator of 
the United States Agency for International Develop-
ment and the heads of other relevant Federal agen-
cies, shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
committees a 5-year strategy to combat corruption 
in the Northern Triangle countries by carrying out 
the initiatives described in subsection (a). 
(2) CONSULTATION.—In developing the strat-
egy required under paragraph (1), the Secretary of 
State shall consult with nongovernmental organiza-
tions in the Northern Triangle countries and the 
United States. 
(3) 
BENCHMARKS.—The 
strategy 
required 
under paragraph (1) shall include annual bench-
marks to track the strategy’s progress in curbing ir-
regular migration from the Northern Triangle to the 
United States. 
(4) PUBLIC
DIPLOMACY.—The strategy re-
quired under paragraph (1) shall include a public di-
plomacy strategy for educating citizens of the North-
ern Triangle countries about United States assist-
ance and its benefits to them, and informing such 
citizens of the dangers of illegal migration to the 
United States. 
(5) ANNUAL
PROGRESS
UPDATES.—Not later 
than 1 year after the submission of the strategy re-
quired under paragraph (1) and annually thereafter
for 4 years, the Secretary of State shall provide the 
appropriate congressional committees with a written 
description of progress made in meeting the bench-
marks established in the strategy. 
(6) PUBLIC
AVAILABILITY.—The strategy re-
quired under paragraph (1) shall be made publicly 
available on the website of the Department of State. 
(c) DESIGNATION OF A SENIOR RULE OF LAW ADVI-
SOR FOR THE NORTHERN TRIANGLE IN THE BUREAU OF 
WESTERN HEMISPHERE AFFAIRS.—The Secretary of 
State shall designate in the Bureau of Western Hemi-
sphere Affairs of the Department of State a Senior Rule 
of Law Advisor for the Northern Triangle who shall lead 
diplomatic engagement with the Northern Triangle coun-
tries in support of democratic governance, anti-corruption 
efforts, and the rule of law in all aspects of United States 
policy towards the countries of the Northern Triangle, in-
cluding carrying out the initiatives described in subsection 
(a) and developing the strategy required under subsection 
(b). The individual designated in accordance with this sub-
section shall be a Department of State employee in the 
Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs.
SEC. 5. ACTIONS TO STRENGTHEN DEMOCRATIC INSTITU-
TIONS IN THE NORTHERN TRIANGLE. 
(a) SECRETARY
OF STATE PRIORITIZATION.—The 
Secretary of State shall prioritize strengthening demo-
cratic institutions, good governance, human rights, and 
the rule of law in the Northern Triangle countries by car-
rying out the following initiatives: 
(1) Providing support to strengthen government 
institutions and actors at the local and national lev-
els to provide services and respond to citizen needs 
through transparent, inclusive, and democratic proc-
esses. 
(2) Supporting efforts to strengthen access to 
information laws and reform laws that currently 
limit access to information. 
(3) Financing efforts to build the capacity of 
independent media with a specific focus on profes-
sional investigative journalism. 
(4) Ensuring that threats and attacks on jour-
nalists and human rights defenders are fully inves-
tigated and perpetrators are held accountable. 
(5) Developing the capacity of civil society to 
conduct oversight and accountability mechanisms at 
the national and local levels. 
(6) Training political actors committed to 
democratic principles.
(7) Strengthening electoral institutions and 
processes to ensure free, fair, and transparent elec-
tions. 
(8) Advancing conservation principles and the 
rule of law to address multiple factors, including the 
impacts of illegal cattle ranching and smuggling as 
drivers of deforestation. 
(b) STRATEGY.— 
(1) ELEMENTS.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of State, in coordination with the Administrator of 
the United States Agency for International Develop-
ment and the heads of other relevant Federal agen-
cies, shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
committees a strategy to support democratic govern-
ance in the Northern Triangle countries by carrying 
out the initiatives described in subsection (a). 
(2) CONSULTATION.—In developing the strat-
egy required under paragraph (1), the Secretary of 
State shall consult with nongovernmental organiza-
tions in the Northern Triangle countries and the 
United States. 
(3) 
BENCHMARKS.—The 
strategy 
required 
under paragraph (1) shall include annual bench-
marks to track the strategy’s progress in curbing ir-
regular migration from the Northern Triangle to the 
United States. 
(4) PUBLIC
DIPLOMACY.—The strategy re-
quired under paragraph (1) shall include a public di-
plomacy strategy for educating citizens of the North-
ern Triangle countries about United States assist-
ance and its benefits to them, and informing such 
citizens of the dangers of illegal migration to the 
United States. 
(5) ANNUAL
PROGRESS
UPDATES.—Not later 
than 1 year after the submission of the strategy re-
quired under paragraph (1) and annually thereafter 
for 4 years, the Secretary of State shall provide the 
appropriate congressional committees with a written 
description of progress made in meeting the bench-
marks established in the strategy. 
(6) PUBLIC
AVAILABILITY.—The strategy re-
quired under paragraph (1) shall be made publicly 
available on the website of the Department of State. 
SEC. 6. ACTIONS TO IMPROVE SECURITY CONDITIONS IN 
THE NORTHERN TRIANGLE. 
(a) SECRETARY
OF STATE PRIORITIZATION.—The 
Secretary of State shall prioritize security in the Northern 
Triangle countries by carrying out the following initiatives:
(1) Implementing the Central America Regional 
Security Initiative of the Department of State. 
(2) 
Continuing 
the 
vetting 
and 
professionalization of security services, including the 
civilian police and military units. 
(3) Supporting efforts to combat the illicit ac-
tivities of criminal gangs and transnational criminal 
organizations, including MS–13 and the 18th Street 
Gang, through support to fully vetted elements of at-
torneys general offices, appropriate government in-
stitutions, and security services. 
(4) Supporting training for fully vetted civilian 
police and appropriate security services in criminal 
investigations, best practices for citizen security, and 
human rights. 
(5) Providing capacity-building to relevant secu-
rity services and attorneys general to support coun-
ternarcotics efforts and combat human trafficking, 
forcible recruitment of children and youth by gangs, 
gender-based violence, and other illicit activities, in-
cluding trafficking of wildlife, and natural resources. 
(6) Encouraging collaboration with regional and 
international partners in implementing security as-
sistance, including by supporting cross-border infor-
(b) STRATEGY.— 
(1) ELEMENTS.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of State, in coordination with the Administrator of 
the United States Agency for International Develop-
ment and the heads of other relevant Federal agen-
cies, shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
committees a 5-year strategy to prioritize the im-
provement of security in the Northern Triangle 
countries by carrying out the initiatives described in 
subsection (a). 
(2) CONSULTATION.—In developing the strat-
egy required under paragraph (1), the Secretary of 
State shall consult with nongovernmental organiza-
tions in the Northern Triangle countries and the 
United States. 
(3) 
BENCHMARKS.—The 
strategy 
required 
under paragraph (1) shall include annual bench-
marks to track the strategy’s progress in curbing ir-
regular migration from the Northern Triangle to the 
United States. 
(4) PUBLIC
DIPLOMACY.—The strategy re-
quired under paragraph (1) shall include a public di-
plomacy strategy for educating citizens of the North-
ern Triangle countries about United States assist-
ance and its benefits to them, and informing such 
citizens of the dangers of illegal migration to the 
United States. 
(5) ANNUAL
PROGRESS
UPDATES.—Not later 
than 1 year after the submission of the strategy re-
quired under paragraph (1) and annually thereafter 
for 4 years, the Secretary of State shall provide the 
appropriate congressional committees with a written 
description of progress made in meeting the bench-
marks established in the strategy. 
(6) PUBLIC
AVAILABILITY.—The strategy re-
quired under paragraph (1) shall be made publicly 
available on the website of the Department of State. 
(c) WOMEN
AND CHILDREN PROTECTION COM-
PACTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The President, in consulta-
tion with the Secretary of State, the Administrator 
of the United States Agency for International Devel-
opment, and the heads of other relevant Federal de-
partments or agencies, is authorized to enter into bi-
lateral agreements with one or more of the Govern-
ments of El Salvador, Guatemala, or Honduras to 
provide United States assistance for the purposes 
of—
(A) strengthening the capacity of the jus-
tice systems in such countries to protect women 
and children fleeing domestic, gang, or drug vi-
olence and to serve victims of domestic violence, 
sexual assault, trafficking, or child abuse or ne-
glect, including by strengthening the capacity of 
such systems to hold perpetrators accountable; 
and 
(B) creating, securing, and sustaining safe 
communities and schools in such countries, by 
building on current approaches to prevent and 
deter violence against women and children in 
such communities or schools. 
(2) REQUIREMENTS.—An agreement under the 
authority provided by paragraph (1)— 
(A) shall establish a 3- to 6-year plan to 
achieve the objectives described in subpara-
graphs (A) and (B) of such paragraph; 
(B) shall include measurable goals and in-
dicators with respect to such objectives; 
(C) may not provide for any United States 
assistance to be made available directly to any 
of the governments of El Salvador, Guatemala, 
or Honduras; and
(D) may be suspended or terminated with 
respect to a country or an entity receiving as-
sistance pursuant to the agreement, if the Sec-
retary of State determines that such country or 
entity has failed to make sufficient progress to-
wards the goals of the Compact. 
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR ASSIST-
ANCE TO CENTRAL AMERICA. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appro-
priated to the President $577,000,000 for fiscal year 2020 
to carry out the United States Strategy for Engagement 
in Central America in accordance with subsection (b). 
Funds authorized to be appropriated to carry out this sec-
tion shall be used only for the purposes set forth in sub-
section (b). 
(b) USE OF FUNDS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Amounts authorized to be 
appropriated pursuant to subsection (a) shall be 
made available for assistance to Central American 
countries to implement the United States Strategy 
for Engagement in Central America, including ef-
forts to carry out sections 3, 4, 5, and 6. 
(2) EFFECTIVE TARGETING OF ASSISTANCE.— 
The Secretary of State shall ensure that, to the ex-
tent practicable, assistance provided to Central
American countries to carry out this Act is obligated 
and expended on projects, programs, or activities 
within such countries, in order to better support in-
clusive economic growth and development, combat 
corruption, strengthen democratic institutions, and 
improve security conditions in such countries. 
(c) INTER-AMERICAN FOUNDATION.—Not less than 
$10,000,000 of the funds authorized to be appropriated 
pursuant to subsection (a) shall be made available to the 
Inter-American Foundation to address the root causes of 
migration from Central America. 
(d) 
NORTHERN
TRIANGLE.—Not 
less 
than 
$490,000,000 of the funds authorized to be appropriated 
pursuant to subsection (a) shall be made available for pro-
gramming in the Northern Triangle counties. 
(e) WOMEN
AND CHILDREN PROTECTION COM-
PACTS.—Not less than $20,000,000 of the funds author-
ized to be appropriated pursuant to subsection (a) shall 
be made available to provide assistance pursuant to agree-
ments authorized by section 6(c). 
SEC. 8. CONDITIONS ON ASSISTANCE TO THE NORTHERN 
TRIANGLE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Of the funds authorized to be ap-
propriated to the President by this Act that are made 
available for assistance for each of the central govern-
ments of the Northern Triangle countries, 50 percent of 
such funds for each such central government may only be 
obligated with respect to each such country after the Sec-
retary of State certifies and reports to the appropriate 
congressional committees that such central government is 
meeting the following conditions: 
(1) Informing its citizens of the dangers of the 
journey to the southwest border of the United 
States. 
(2) Combating all human smuggling and traf-
ficking entities. 
(3) Countering the trafficking of illicit drugs, 
firearms, wildlife, natural resources, and other con-
traband. 
(4) Combating corruption, including inves-
tigating and prosecuting current and former govern-
ment officials credibly alleged to be corrupt. 
(5) Implementing reforms, policies, and pro-
grams to increase transparency and strengthen pub-
lic institutions and the rule of law. 
(6) Countering the activities of criminal gangs, 
drug traffickers, and transnational criminal organi-
zations. 
(7) Ensuring that human rights are respected 
by national security forces.
(8) Investigating and prosecuting in the civilian 
justice system government personnel who are 
credibly alleged to have violated human rights. 
(9) Cooperating with commissions against cor-
ruption and impunity and with regional human 
rights entities. 
(10) Supporting programs to reduce poverty, 
expand education and vocational training for at-risk 
youth, create jobs, and promote equitable economic 
growth, particularly in areas contributing to large 
numbers of migrants. 
(11) Creating a professional, accountable civil-
ian police force and ending the role of the military 
in internal policing. 
(12) Protecting the right of political opposition 
parties and other members of civil society to operate 
without interference. 
(13) Implementing tax reforms, ensuring prop-
erty rights, and supporting increased private invest-
ment in the region. 
(14) Resolving commercial disputes. 
(b) REPROGRAMMING.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Funds withheld pursuant to 
the limitation described in subsection (a) shall be 
made available for programs in the Northern Tri-
angle that do not directly support the central gov-
ernments of such countries. 
(2) EXCEPTION.—The limitation described in 
subsection (a) does not apply to funds authorized to 
be appropriated by this Act for humanitarian assist-
ance or global food security programs. 
SEC. 9. ENHANCING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE GOVERN-
MENT OF MEXICO ON THE NORTHERN TRI-
ANGLE. 
(a) ENHANCED ENGAGEMENT WITH THE GOVERN-
MENT OF MEXICO ON THE NORTHERN TRIANGLE.—The 
Secretary of State shall collaborate with the Government 
of Mexico to— 
(1) enhance development, particularly in col-
laboration with the Administrator of the United 
States Agency for International Development, the 
President and Chief Executive Officer of the Inter- 
American Foundation, the Chief Executive Officer of 
the United States International Development Fi-
nance Corporation, and the heads of other relevant 
Federal agencies, in southern Mexico; and 
(2) strengthen security cooperation at Mexico’s 
shared border with Guatemala and Belize. 
(b) STRATEGY.—
(1) ELEMENTS.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of State shall submit to the appropriate congres-
sional committees a strategy to carry out the col-
laboration described in subsection (a). 
(2) CONSULTATION.—In developing the strat-
egy required under paragraph (1), the Secretary of 
State shall consult with nongovernmental organiza-
tions in Mexico, Belize, the Northern Triangle coun-
tries, and the United States. 
(3) PUBLIC
AVAILABILITY.—The strategy re-
quired under paragraph (1) shall be made publicly 
available on the website of the Department of State. 
SEC. 10. TARGETING ASSISTANCE TO ADDRESS MIGRATION 
FROM COMMUNITIES IN THE NORTHERN TRI-
ANGLE. 
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act and annually thereafter for each of the three 
succeeding years, the Comptroller General of the United 
States shall submit to the appropriate congressional com-
mittees a report that contains the following: 
(1) Raw data from Federal agencies on the 
number of migrants coming to the United States 
from each community or geographic area in the 
Northern Triangle countries, with a specific focus on
communities targeted by United States foreign as-
sistance. 
(2) An assessment of whether United States 
foreign assistance to the Northern Triangle coun-
tries is effectively reaching the communities from 
which individuals are migrating. 
(3) An assessment of the extent to which 
United States foreign assistance is mitigating North-
ern Triangle migration to the United States, includ-
ing a breakdown of effectiveness by project and im-
plementer. 
(4) An assessment of the extent to which the 
Department of State and the United States Agency 
for International Development are adjusting foreign 
assistance programming in the Northern Triangle 
countries as migration patterns shift. 
(5) An assessment of how the Department of 
State, the United States Agency for International 
Development, and other implementers of United 
States foreign assistance in the Northern Triangle 
are measuring the impact of programs on migration 
trends. 
(6) An assessment of how the Department of 
State, the United States Agency for International 
Development, and other implementers of United
States foreign assistance in the Northern Triangle 
are implementing a public diplomacy strategy that is 
widely informing local citizens about United States 
Government assistance and the dangers of illegal mi-
gration to the United States, including an assess-
ment of the effectiveness of such strategy on curbing 
such illegal migration. 
(7) An assessment of the extent to which the 
governments of the Northern Triangle countries are 
addressing drivers of migration, including efforts to 
increase economic prosperity, citizen security, anti- 
corruption efforts, democratic principles, and rule of 
law. 
(8) An assessment of how the Northern Tri-
angle countries are educating their citizens about 
the dangers of illegal migration to the United States 
and the effectiveness of such educational efforts on 
curbing such illegal migration. 
SEC. 11. TARGETED SANCTIONS TO FIGHT CORRUPTION IN 
THE NORTHERN TRIANGLE. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) corruption in the Northern Triangle coun-
tries by private citizens and select officials in local, 
regional, and federal governments significantly dam-
ages the economies of such countries and deprives 
citizens of opportunities; 
(2) corruption in the Northern Triangle is fa-
cilitated and carried out not only by private citizens 
and select officials from those countries but also in 
many instances by individuals from third countries; 
and 
(3) imposing targeted sanctions on individuals 
from throughout the world and particularly in the 
Western Hemisphere who are engaged in acts of sig-
nificant corruption that impact the Northern Tri-
angle countries will benefit the citizens and govern-
ments of such countries. 
(b) IMPOSITION OF SANCTIONS.—The President shall 
impose the sanctions described in subsection (c) with re-
spect to a foreign person who the President determines 
on or after the date of the enactment of this Act to have 
knowingly engaged in significant corruption in a Northern 
Triangle country, including the following: 
(1) Corruption related to government contracts. 
(2) Bribery and extortion. 
(3) The facilitation or transfer of the proceeds 
of corruption, including through money laundering. 
(c) SANCTIONS DESCRIBED.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The sanctions described in 
this subsection are the following: 
(A) ASSET BLOCKING.—The blocking, in 
accordance with the International Emergency 
Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), 
of all transactions in all property and interests 
in property of a foreign person if such property 
and interests in property are in the United 
States, come within the United States, or are or 
come within the possession or control of a 
United States person. 
(B) INELIGIBILITY FOR VISAS AND ADMIS-
SION TO THE UNITED STATES.—In the case of 
a foreign person who is an individual, such for-
eign person is— 
(i) inadmissible to the United States; 
(ii) ineligible to receive a visa or other 
documentation to enter the United States; 
and 
(iii) otherwise ineligible to be admitted 
or paroled into the United States or to re-
ceive any other benefit under the Immigra-
tion and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et 
seq.). 
(C) CURRENT VISAS REVOKED.—
(i) IN
GENERAL.—The issuing con-
sular officer or the Secretary of State, (or 
a designee of the Secretary of State) shall, 
in accordance with section 221(i) of the 
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1201(i)), revoke any visa or other entry 
documentation issued to a foreign person 
regardless of when the visa or other entry 
documentation is issued. 
(ii) EFFECT OF REVOCATION.—A rev-
ocation under clause (i) shall— 
(I) take effect immediately; and 
(II) automatically cancel any 
other valid visa or entry documenta-
tion that is in the foreign person’s 
possession. 
(2) PENALTIES.—A person that violates, at-
tempts to violate, conspires to violate, or causes a 
violation of a measure imposed pursuant to para-
graph (1)(A) or any regulation, license, or order 
issued to carry out such paragraph shall be subject 
to the penalties specified in subsections (b) and (c) 
of section 206 of the International Emergency Eco-
nomic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1705) to the same ex-
tent as a person that commits an unlawful act de-
scribed in subsection (a) of such section. 
(3) EXCEPTION
TO
COMPLY
WITH
INTER-
NATIONAL OBLIGATIONS.—Sanctions under subpara-
graph (B) and (C) of paragraph (1) shall not apply 
with respect to a foreign person if admitting or pa-
roling such person into the United States is nec-
essary to permit the United States to comply with 
the Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the 
United Nations, signed at Lake Success June 26, 
1947, and entered into force November 21, 1947, 
between the United Nations and the United States, 
or other applicable international obligations. 
(d) IMPLEMENTATION; REGULATORY AUTHORITY.— 
(1) IMPLEMENTATION.—The President may ex-
ercise all authorities provided under sections 203 
and 205 of the International Emergency Economic 
Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1702 and 1704) to carry out 
this section. 
(2) REGULATORY AUTHORITY.—The President 
shall issue such regulations, licenses, and orders as 
are necessary to carry out this section. 
(e) NATIONAL INTEREST WAIVER.—The President 
may waive the application of the sanctions under sub-
section (c) if the President—
(1) determines that such a waiver is in the na-
tional interest of the United States; and 
(2) submits to the appropriate congressional 
committees a notice of and justification for the waiv-
er. 
(f) TERMINATION.—The authority to impose sanc-
tions under subsection (b), and any sanctions imposed 
pursuant to such authority, shall expire on the date that 
is 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(g) EXCEPTION RELATING
TO IMPORTATION
OF 
GOODS.—The authorities and requirements to impose 
sanctions authorized under this Act shall not include the 
authority or requirement to impose sanctions on the im-
portation of goods. 
(h) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the 
Committee on the Judiciary, and the Com-
mittee on Financial Services of the House of 
Representatives; and 
(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations, 
the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Com-
mittee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs 
of the Senate. 
(2) GOOD.—The term ‘‘good’’ means any arti-
cle, natural or man-made substance, material, supply 
or manufactured product, including inspection and 
test equipment, and excluding technical data. 
(3) PERSON
FROM
A
NORTHERN
TRIANGLE 
COUNTRY.—The term ‘‘person from a Northern Tri-
angle country’’ means— 
(A) a citizen of a Northern Triangle coun-
try; or 
(B) an entity organized under the laws of 
a Northern Triangle country or any jurisdiction 
within a Northern Triangle country. 
SEC. 12. REQUIREMENT TO PROVIDE ADVANCE NOTIFICA-
TION TO CONGRESS OF SECURITY ASSIST-
ANCE TO NORTHERN TRIANGLE COUNTRIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provi-
sion of law, the President may not provide security assist-
ance to a Northern Triangle country during the 3-year 
period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act 
until 30 days after the date on which the President has 
provided to the appropriate congressional committees no-
tice of such proposed provision of security assistance.
(b) WAIVER.—The President may waive the applica-
tion of subsection (a) on a case-by-case basis if the Presi-
dent— 
(1) determines it is in the national security in-
terests of the United States to do so; and 
(2) submits to the appropriate congressional 
committees such determination and the rationale for 
the determination. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means the Committee on Foreign Affairs of 
the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Foreign Relations of the Senate. 
(2) SECURITY ASSISTANCE.—The term ‘‘secu-
rity assistance’’— 
(A) has the meaning given such term in 
section 502B(d)(2) of the Foreign Assistance 
Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2304); and 
(B) includes assistance under any inter-
national security assistance program conducted 
under any other provision of law not specified 
in section 502B(d)(2) of such Act. 
SEC. 13. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act:
(1) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—Except as otherwise provided, the term ‘‘ap-
propriate congressional committees’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and 
the Committee on Appropriations of the House 
of Representatives; and 
(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations 
and the Committee on Appropriations of the 
Senate. 
(2) NORTHERN TRIANGLE.—The term ‘‘North-
ern Triangle’’ means the region of Central America 
that encompasses the countries of El Salvador, Gua-
temala, and Honduras. 
(3) NORTHERN
TRIANGLE
COUNTRIES.—The 
term ‘‘Northern Triangle countries’’ means the 
countries of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. 
(4) 
TRANSNATIONAL
CRIMINAL
ORGANIZA-
TION.—The term ‘‘transnational criminal organiza-
tion’’ has the meaning given the term ‘‘significant 
transnational criminal organization’’ in Executive 
Order No. 13581 (July 24, 2011). 
SEC. 14. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS. 
The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 
complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go-Act of 2010, 
shall be determined by reference to the latest statement
titled ‘‘Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation’’ for this 
Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional Record 
by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, pro-
vided that such statement has been submitted prior to the 
vote on passage. 
Passed the House of Representatives July 15, 2019. 
Attest: 
Clerk.
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 2615 
AN ACT 
To support the people of Central America and 
strengthen United States national security by ad-
dressing the root causes of migration from El 
Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.