SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘International Dis-
ability and Victims of Landmines, Civil Strife and Warfare
Assistance Act of 2001’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find-
ing:
(1) According to the World Health Organiza-
tion (WHO), between 7 percent and 10 percent of
the world’s population, or almost 500,000,000 peo-
ple, live with disabilities. About 80 percent of these
individuals live in developing countries, where only 1
percent to 2 percent have access to the necessary re-
habilitation services, and many face numerous phys-
ical and social barriers that inhibit their full partici-
pation in their communities.
(2) Factors contributing to the number of indi-
viduals with disabilities include war and other forms
of violence, inadequate medical care, and natural
and other disasters.
(3)(A) According to the International Com-
mittee of the Red Cross, there are tens of millions
of landmines in over 60 countries around the world,
and it has estimated that as many as 24,000 people
are maimed or killed each year by landmines, mostly
civilians, resulting in amputations and disabilities of
various kinds.
(B) While the United States Government in-
vests more than $100,000,000 in mine action pro-
grams annually, including funding for mine aware-
ness and demining training programs, only about
ten percent of these funds go to directly aid land-
mine victims.
(C) The Patrick Leahy War Victims Fund, ad-
ministered by the United States Agency for Inter-
national Development, has provided essential pros-
thetics and rehabilitation for landmine and other
war victims in developing countries who are disabled
and has provided long-term sustainable improve-
ments in quality of life for victims of civil strife and
warfare, addressing such issues as barrier-free acces-
sibility, reduction of social stigmatization, and in-
creasing economic opportunities.
(D) Enhanced coordination is needed among
Federal agencies that carry out assistance programs
in foreign countries for victims of landmines and
other victims of civil strife and warfare to make bet-
ter use of interagency expertise and resources.
(4) According to a review of Poverty and Dis-
ability commissioned by the World Bank, ‘‘disabled
people have lower education and income levels than
the rest of the population. They are more likely to
have incomes below poverty level than the non-dis-
abled population, and they are less likely to have
savings and other assets . . . [t]he links between
poverty and disability go two ways—not only does
disability add to the risk of poverty, but conditions
of poverty add to the risk of disability.’’.
(5) Numerous international human rights con-
ventions and declarations recognize the need to pro-
tect the rights of individuals regardless of their sta-
tus, including those individuals with disabilities,
through the principles of equality and non-discrimi-
nation.
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to author-
ize assistance for individuals with disabilities, including
victims of landmines and other victims of civil strife and
warfare.
SEC. 3. INTERNATIONAL DISABILITIES AND WAR VICTIMS
ASSISTANCE.
The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151
et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 134 the fol-
lowing:
‘‘SEC. 135. INTERNATIONAL DISABILITIES AND WAR VIC-
TIMS ASSISTANCE.
‘‘(a) 
AUTHORIZATION.—The 
President, 
acting
through the Administrator of the United States Agency
for International Development, is authorized to furnish as-
sistance to individuals with disabilities, including victims
of civil strife and warfare, in foreign countries.
‘‘(b) ACTIVITIES.—The programs established pursu-
ant to subsection (a) may include activities such as the
following:
‘‘(1) Development of local capacity to provide
medical and rehabilitation services for individuals
with disabilities, including victims of civil strife and
warfare, in foreign countries, such as—
‘‘(A) support for and training of medical
professionals, including surgeons, nurses, and
physical therapists, to provide effective emer-
gency and other medical care and for the devel-
opment of training manuals relating to first aid
and other medical treatment;
‘‘(B) support for sustainable prosthetic
and orthotic services; and
‘‘(C) psychological and social rehabilitation
of such individuals, together with their families
as appropriate, for the reintegration of such in-
dividuals into local communities.
‘‘(2) Support for policy reform and advocacy ef-
forts related to the needs and abilities of individuals
with disabilities, including victims of civil strife and
warfare.
‘‘(3) Coordination of programs established pur-
suant to subsection (a) with existing programs for
individuals with disabilities, including victims of civil
strife and warfare.
‘‘(4) Support for establishment of appropriate
entities in foreign countries to coordinate programs,
projects, and activities related to assistance for indi-
viduals with disabilities, including victims of civil
strife and warfare.
‘‘(5) Support for primary, secondary, and voca-
tional education, public awareness and training pro-
grams and other activities that help prevent war-re-
lated injuries and assist individuals with disabilities,
including victims of civil strife and warfare, with
their reintegration into society and their ability to
make sustained social and economic contributions to
society.
‘‘(c) PRIORITY.—To the maximum extent feasible, as-
sistance under this section shall be provided through non-
governmental organizations, and, as appropriate, through
governments to establish appropriate norms, standards,
and policies related to rehabilitation and issues affecting
individuals with disabilities, including victims of civil strife
and warfare.
‘‘(d) FUNDING.—Amounts made available for a fiscal
year to carry out the other provisions of this part (includ-
ing chapter 4 of part II of this Act) are authorized to
be made available for such fiscal year to carry out this
section and are authorized to be provided notwithstanding
any other provision of law.’’.
SEC. 4. RESEARCH, PREVENTION, AND ASSISTANCE RE-
LATED 
TO 
INTERNATIONAL 
DISABILITIES
AND LANDMINE AND OTHER WAR VICTIMS.
(a) AUTHORIZATION.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and
Human Services, acting through the Director of the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is
authorized—
(A) to conduct programs in foreign coun-
tries related to individuals with disabilities, in-
cluding victims of landmines and other victims
of civil strife and warfare;
(B) to provide grants to nongovernmental
organizations for the purpose of carrying out
research, prevention, public awareness and as-
sistance programs in foreign countries related
to individuals with disabilities, including victims
of landmines and other victims of civil strife
and warfare.
(2) APPROVAL OF SECRETARY OF STATE.—Ac-
tivities under programs established pursuant to
paragraph (1) may be carried out in foreign coun-
tries only after consultation with the Administrator
of the United States Agency for International Devel-
opment, and upon approval for such activities in
such countries by the Secretary of State.
(b) ACTIVITIES.—Programs established pursuant to
subsection (a) may include the following activities:
(1) Research on trauma, physical, psychological,
and social rehabilitation, and continuing medical
care related to individuals with disabilities, including
victims of landmines and other victims of civil strife
and warfare, including—
(A) conducting research on psychological
and social factors that lead to successful recov-
ery;
(B) developing, testing, and evaluating
model interventions that reduce post-traumatic
stress and promote health and well-being;
(C) developing basic instruction tools for
initial medical response to traumatic injuries;
and
(D) developing basic instruction manuals
for patients and healthcare providers, including
for emergency and follow-up care, proper ampu-
tation procedures, and reconstructive surgery.
(2) Facilitation of peer support networks for in-
dividuals with disabilities, including victims of land-
mines and other victims of civil strife and warfare,
in foreign countries, including—
(A) establishment of organizations at the
local level, administered by such individuals, to
assess and address the physical, psychological,
economic and social rehabilitation and other
needs of such individuals, together with their
families as appropriate, for the purpose of eco-
nomic and social reintegration into local com-
munities; and
(B) training related to the implementation
of such peer support networks, including train-
ing of outreach workers to assist in the estab-
lishment of organizations such as those de-
scribed in subparagraph (A) and assistance to
facilitate the use of the networks by such indi-
viduals.
(3) Sharing of expertise from limb-loss and dis-
ability research centers in the United States with
similar centers and facilities in war-affected coun-
tries, including promoting increased health for indi-
viduals with limb loss and limb deficiency and epide-
miological research on secondary medical conditions
related to limb loss and limb deficiency.
(4) Developing a database of best practices to
address the needs of the war-related disabled
through comprehensive examination of support ac-
tivities related to such disability and access to med-
ical care and supplies.
(c) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of
Health and Human Services to carry out this section such
sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2002
through 2004.
SEC. 5. EXPERTISE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS.
The Secretary of Veterans Affairs is authorized—
(1) to provide advice and expertise on pros-
thetics, orthotics, physical and psychological rehabili-
tation and treatment, and disability assistance to
other Federal departments and agencies, including
providing for temporary assignment on a non-reim-
bursable basis of appropriate Department of Vet-
erans Affairs personnel, with respect to the imple-
mentation of programs to provide assistance to vic-
tims of landmines and other victims of civil strife
and warfare in foreign countries and landmine re-
search and health-related programs, including pro-
grams established pursuant to section 135 of the
Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (as added by section
3 of this Act) and programs established pursuant to
section 4 of this Act; and
(2) to provide technical assistance to private
voluntary organizations on a reimbursable basis with
respect to the planning, development, operation, and
evaluation of such landmine assistance, research,
and prevention programs.
SEC. 6. INTERAGENCY GROUP.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of State shall
establish and chair an interagency group to ensure coordi-
nation of all Federal programs that furnish assistance to
victims of landmines and other victims of civil strife and
warfare, and conduct landmine research, demining and
prevention programs.
(b) OTHER MEMBERS.—Members of the interagency
group shall include, but not be limited to, representatives
from—
(1) the United States Agency for International
Development;
(2) the Department of Health and Human
Services;
(3) the Department of Education;
(4) the Department of Defense; and
(5) the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(c) PUBLIC MEETINGS.—At least once each calendar
year, the interagency group should hold a public meeting
in order to afford an opportunity for any person to present
views regarding the activities of the United States Govern-
ment with respect to assistance to victims of landmines
and other victims of civil strife and warfare and related
programs. The Secretary of State shall maintain a record
of each meeting and shall make the record available to
the public.
Æ