IIB 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2003 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
OCTOBER 3, 2007 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 
AN ACT 
To encourage and facilitate the consolidation of peace and 
security, respect for human rights, democracy, and eco-
nomic freedom in Ethiopia. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
01:36 Oct 04, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2003.RFS
H2003
hmoore on PRODPC68 with HMBILLS
HR 2003 RFS
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Ethiopia Democracy 
and Accountability Act of 2007’’. 
SEC. 2. STATEMENT OF POLICY. 
It is the policy of the United States to— 
(1) support the advancement of human rights, 
democracy, independence of the judiciary, freedom of 
the press, peacekeeping capacity building, and eco-
nomic development in the Federal Democratic Re-
public of Ethiopia; 
(2) seek the unconditional release of all political 
prisoners and prisoners of conscience in Ethiopia; 
(3) foster stability, democracy, and economic 
development in the region; 
(4) support humanitarian assistance efforts, es-
pecially in the Ogaden region; 
(5) collaborate with Ethiopia in the Global War 
on Terror; and 
(6) strengthen United States-Ethiopian rela-
tions based on the policy objectives specified in para-
graphs (1) through (5). 
SEC. 3. SUPPORT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN ETHIOPIA. 
The Secretary of State shall— 
(1) provide financial support to local and na-
tional human rights groups and other relevant civil 
society organizations to help strengthen human 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
01:36 Oct 04, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2003.RFS
H2003
hmoore on PRODPC68 with HMBILLS
HR 2003 RFS
rights monitoring and regular reporting on human 
rights conditions in Ethiopia; 
(2) provide legal support, as needed, for polit-
ical prisoners and prisoners of conscience in Ethi-
opia and assist local, national, and international 
groups that are active in monitoring the status of 
political prisoners and prisoners of conscience in 
Ethiopia; 
(3) seek to promote and bolster the independ-
ence of the Ethiopian judiciary through— 
(A) facilitation of joint discussions between 
court personnel, officials from the Ethiopian 
Ministry of Justice, relevant members of the 
legislature, and civil society representatives on 
international human rights standards; and 
(B) encouraging exchanges between Ethio-
pian and United States jurists, law schools, law 
professors, and law students, especially in legal 
fields such as constitutional law, role of the ju-
diciary, due process, political and voting rights, 
criminal law and procedure, and discrimination; 
(4) establish a program, in consultation with 
Ethiopian civil society, to provide for a judicial mon-
itoring process, consisting of indigenous organiza-
tions, international organizations, or both, to mon-
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
01:36 Oct 04, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2003.RFS
H2003
hmoore on PRODPC68 with HMBILLS
HR 2003 RFS
itor judicial proceedings throughout Ethiopia, with 
special focus on unwarranted government interven-
tion on matters that are strictly judicial in nature, 
and to report on actions needed to strengthen an 
independent judiciary; 
(5) establish a program, in consultation with 
Ethiopian civil society, and provide support to other 
programs, to strengthen independent media in Ethi-
opia, including training, and technical support; 
(6) expand the Voice of America’s Ethiopia pro-
gram; 
(7) support efforts of the international commu-
nity to gain full and unfettered access to the Ogaden 
region for— 
(A) humanitarian assistance organizations; 
and 
(B) independent human rights experts; and 
(8) work with appropriate departments and 
agencies of the Government of the United States 
and appropriate officials of foreign governments— 
(A) to identify members of the Mengistu 
Haile Mariam regime and officials of the cur-
rent Government of Ethiopia who were engaged 
in gross human rights violations, including 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
01:36 Oct 04, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2003.RFS
H2003
hmoore on PRODPC68 with HMBILLS
HR 2003 RFS
those individuals who may be residing in the 
United States; and 
(B) to support and encourage the prosecu-
tion of individuals identified under subpara-
graph (A) in the United States or Ethiopia. 
SEC. 4. SUPPORT FOR DEMOCRATIZATION IN ETHIOPIA. 
(a) STRENGTHENING LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND NA-
TIONAL DEMOCRATIC PROCESSES.—The Secretary of 
State shall— 
(1) provide assistance to strengthen local, re-
gional, and national parliaments and governments in 
Ethiopia, as needed; 
(2) establish a program focused on reconcili-
ation efforts between the Government of Ethiopia 
and political parties, including in minority commu-
nities, in preparation for negotiation and for partici-
pation in the political process; and 
(3) provide training for civil society groups in 
election monitoring in Ethiopia. 
(b) DEMOCRACY ENHANCEMENT.— 
(1) ASSISTANCE.—United States technical as-
sistance for democracy promotion in Ethiopia should 
be made available to all political parties and civil so-
ciety groups in Ethiopia. 
(2) RESTRICTION.— 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
01:36 Oct 04, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2003.RFS
H2003
hmoore on PRODPC68 with HMBILLS