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SEC. 249. REPORT ON THE USE OF ECONOMIC POLICIES TO 
COMBAT TERRORISM. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Consistent with the report of the Na-
tional Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United 
States, Congress makes the following findings: 
(1) While terrorism is not caused by poverty, 
breeding grounds for terrorism are created by back-
ward economic policies and repressive political re-
gimes. 
(2) Policies that support economic development 
and reform also have political implications, as eco-
nomic and political liberties are often linked. 
(3) The United States is working toward cre-
ating a Middle East Free Trade Area by 2013 and 
implementing a free trade agreement with Bahrain, 
and free trade agreements exist between the United 
States and Israel and the United States and Jordan. 
(4) Existing and proposed free trade agree-
ments between the United States and Islamic coun-
tries are drawing interest from other countries in 
the Middle East region, and Islamic countries can 
become full participants in the rules-based global 
trading system, as the United States considers low-
ering its barriers to trade with the poorest Arab 
countries.
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(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that—
(1) a comprehensive United States strategy to 
counter terrorism should include economic policies 
that encourage development, open societies, and op-
portunities for people to improve the lives of their 
families and to enhance prospects for their children’s 
future; 
(2) 1 element of such a strategy should encom-
pass the lowering of trade barriers with the poorest 
countries that have a significant population of Arab 
or Muslim individuals; 
(3) another element of such a strategy should 
encompass United States efforts to promote eco-
nomic reform in countries that have a significant 
population of Arab or Muslim individuals, including 
efforts to integrate such countries into the global 
trading system; and 
(4) given the importance of the rule of law in 
promoting economic development and attracting in-
vestment, the United States should devote an in-
creased proportion of its assistance to countries in 
the Middle East to the promotion of the rule of law. 
(c) REPORT.—
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(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
President shall submit to Congress a report on the 
efforts of the United States Government to encour-
age development and promote economic reform in 
countries that have a significant population of Arab 
or Muslim individuals. 
(2) CONTENT.—The report required under this 
subsection shall describe—
(A) efforts to integrate countries with sig-
nificant populations of Arab or Muslim individ-
uals into the global trading system; and 
(B) actions that the United States Govern-
ment, acting alone and in partnership with 
other governments in the Middle East, can take 
to promote intra-regional trade and the rule of 
law in the region. 
SEC. 250. MIDDLE EAST PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2005 
$200,000,000 for the Middle East Partnership Initiative. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that, given the importance of the rule of law and 
economic reform to development in the Middle East, a sig-
nificant portion of the funds authorized to be appropriated
306
under subsection (a) should be made available to promote 
the rule of law in the Middle East. 
SEC. 251. COMPREHENSIVE COALITION STRATEGY FOR 
FIGHTING TERRORISM. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Consistent with the report of the Na-
tional Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United 
States, Congress makes the following findings: 
(1) Almost every aspect of the counterterrorism 
strategy of the United States relies on international 
cooperation. 
(2) Since September 11, 2001, the number and 
scope of United States Government contacts with 
foreign governments concerning counterterrorism 
have expanded significantly, but such contacts have 
often been ad hoc and not integrated as a com-
prehensive and unified approach. 
(b) 
INTERNATIONAL
CONTACT
GROUP
ON 
COUNTERTERRORISM.—
(1) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of 
Congress that the President—
(A) should seek to engage the leaders of 
the governments of other countries in a process 
of advancing beyond separate and uncoordi-
nated national counterterrorism strategies to 
develop with those other governments a com-
307
prehensive coalition strategy to fight Islamist 
terrorism; and 
(B) to that end, should seek to establish 
an international counterterrorism policy contact 
group with the leaders of governments pro-
viding leadership in global counterterrorism ef-
forts and governments of countries with sizable 
Muslim populations, to be used as a ready and 
flexible international means for discussing and 
coordinating the development of important 
counterterrorism policies by the participating 
governments. 
(2) AUTHORITY.—The President is authorized 
to establish an international counterterrorism policy 
contact group with the leaders of governments re-
ferred to in paragraph (1) for purposes as follows: 
(A) To develop in common with such other 
countries important policies and a strategy that 
address the various components of international 
prosecution of the war on terrorism, including 
policies and a strategy that address military 
issues, law enforcement, the collection, analysis, 
and dissemination of intelligence, issues relating 
to 
interdiction 
of 
travel 
by 
terrorists, 
counterterrorism-related customs issues, finan-
308
cial issues, and issues relating to terrorist sanc-
tuaries. 
(B) To address, to the extent (if any) that 
the President and leaders of other participating 
governments determine appropriate, such long-
term issues as economic and political reforms 
that can contribute to strengthening stability 
and security in the Middle East.
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