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 Cali-
fornia, 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 or-
ganizations to remove and dispose of unexploded ord-
nance in agriculturally-valuable lands in developing coun-
tries.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Roots of Peace Act 
of 2003’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) There are more than an estimated 
70,000,000 landmines in 70 countries—more than 
one-third of all countries in the world. 
(2) Landmines are indiscriminate weapons of 
mass destruction, detonating on the sandal of a child 
just as easily as on the boot of a soldier. 
(3) Every 22 minutes someone steps on a land-
mine. 
(4) More than 10,000 women and children are 
maimed or killed by landmines each year. 
(5) Many landmines are in developing countries 
that are working to build the governmental and so-
cial institutions that are necessary for social sta-
bility. 
(6) Many landmines are in agriculturally rich 
areas, such as Afghanistan’s Shomali Valley, that, 
were it not for the risk to farmers wishing to cul-
tivate the land, would provide food for the local peo-
ple and contribute to the national economy. 
(7) The United Nations estimates that more 
than 700 square kilometers in Afghanistan are lit-
tered with 5,000,000 to 7,000,000 landmines. 
(8) More than 300 innocent people step on 
landmines each month in Afghanistan as they try to 
repatriate and farm their lands.
(9) The Shomali Valley, now awash with land-
mines, was once considered the ‘‘breadbasket’’ of Af-
ghanistan and is roughly the size of the San 
Juaquin Valley in California. 
(10) 
The 
United 
States 
Humanitarian 
Demining Program has organized crucial aid to Af-
ghanistan and other nations for the removal of land-
mines and rehabilitation of the people and land af-
fected by them. 
(11) Expanding the United States Humani-
tarian Demining Program to include assistance to 
nongovernmental organizations that carry out both 
demining activities and activities to restore agri-
culturally-valuable lands after such demining activi-
ties would strengthen the mission of the Program. 
(12) Nongovernmental organizations, like Roots 
for Peace, do critical work to remove landmines and 
help local populations redevelop that land for agri-
culture. 
(13) These organizations often have critical 
funding shortages that hamper their efforts to assist 
civilians worldwide. 
(14) Facilitating nongovernmental assistance to 
countries such as Afghanistan will foster goodwill
among the local population, thereby promoting the 
national interest of the United States. 
SEC. 3. DEMINING ASSISTANCE FOR REVITALIZATION OF 
AGRICULTURALLY-VALUABLE LANDS IN DE-
VELOPING COUNTRIES. 
(a) ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary of State shall estab-
lish a program to provide grants to eligible nongovern-
mental organizations described in subsection (b) to remove 
and dispose of unexploded ordnance in agriculturally-valu-
able lands in developing countries. 
(b) ELIGIBLE NGOS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—A nongovernmental organi-
zation is eligible to receive assistance under this sec-
tion if the primary function of the organization is to 
facilitate the removal and disposal of unexploded 
ordnance in agriculturally-valuable lands and to de-
velop such lands after the removal and disposal of 
such ordnance. 
(2) ROOTS
OF
PEACE
NGO.—Not less than 
$2,000,000 of the amount appropriated pursuant to 
the authorization of appropriations under subsection 
(e) is authorized to be made available for assistance 
under this section to the Roots of Peace nongovern-
mental organization in order to carry out activities
described in subsection (a) in the Shomali Valley of 
Afghanistan. 
(c) LIMITATION.—The Secretary of State shall en-
sure that not more than an appropriate percentage of the 
amount of a grant provided under this section is used by 
a nongovernmental organization for administrative costs 
in carrying out activities for which the grant was provided. 
(d) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall 
prepare and submit to Congress a report that describes 
projects and activities carried out by nongovernmental or-
ganizations using assistance received pursuant to sub-
section (a). 
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of State to carry out 
this Act $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2004. 
(2) AVAILABILITY.—Amounts appropriated pur-
suant to the authorization of appropriations under 
paragraph (1) are authorized to remain available 
until expended.
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