IB
Union Calendar No. 160
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 3169
[Report No. 107–265]
To authorize assistance for individuals with disabilities in foreign countries,
including victims of landmines and other victims of civil strife and war-
fare, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
OCTOBER 25, 2001
Mr. LANTOS (for himself, Mr. WOLF, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. EVANS,
Mr. BROWN of Ohio, Mr. GILMAN, Mrs. MALONEY of New York, Mr.
CROWLEY, Mr. ENGLISH, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mrs. NAPOLITANO,
Mr. FORD, Mr. CAPUANO, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. ISSA, Mr. SERRANO,
Mr. LANGEVIN, Mr. HALL of Ohio, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. ABERCROMBIE,
Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA, Mr. UNDERWOOD, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of Cali-
fornia, Mr. ACKERMAN, Ms. PELOSI, Ms. LEE, Mr. KUCINICH, Mr. SAND-
ERS, Mrs. KELLY, Mr. QUINN, Ms. SOLIS, Mrs. MORELLA, Mr. ENGEL,
Ms. 
MCCOLLUM, 
Mr. 
PAYNE, 
Ms. 
CARSON
of 
Indiana, 
Mr.
BLUMENAUER, and Mr. PITTS) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on International Relations
NOVEMBER 5, 2001
Additional sponsors: Mr. SHIMKUS, Mr. REYNOLDS, Mr. HEFLEY, Mr.
LAMPSON, Mr. MCINNIS, and Mr. BILIRAKIS
NOVEMBER 5, 2001
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic]
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on October 25, 2001]
A BILL
To authorize assistance for individuals with disabilities in
foreign countries, including victims of landmines and
other victims of civil strife and warfare, and for other
purposes.
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 ‘‘International Disability
and Victims of Landmines, Civil Strife and Warfare Assist-
ance Act of 2001’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following findings:
(1) According to the World Health Organization
(WHO), between 7 percent and 10 percent of the
world’s population, or almost 500,000,000 people, live
with disabilities. About 80 percent of these individ-
uals live in developing countries, where only 1 percent
to 2 percent have access to the necessary rehabilita-
tion services, and many face numerous physical and
social barriers that inhibit their full participation 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 Committee
of the Red Cross, there are tens of millions of land-
mines 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 ci-
vilians, resulting in amputations and disabilities of
various kinds.
(B) While the United States Government invests
more than $100,000,000 in mine action programs an-
nually, including funding for mine awareness and
demining training programs, only about ten percent
of these funds go to directly aid landmine 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 improvements in
quality of life for victims of civil strife and warfare,
addressing such issues as barrier-free accessibility, re-
duction of social stigmatization, and increasing eco-
nomic 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 better
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 sav-
ings 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 status,
including those individuals with disabilities, through
the principles of equality and non-discrimination.
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to authorize
assistance for individuals with disabilities, including vic-
tims of landmines and other victims of civil strife and war-
fare.
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 Inter-
national Development, is authorized to furnish assistance
to individuals with disabilities, including victims of civil
strife and warfare, in foreign countries.
‘‘(b) ACTIVITIES.—The programs established pursuant
to subsection (a) may include activities such as the fol-
lowing:
‘‘(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 in-
dividuals 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 indi-
viduals with disabilities, including victims of civil strife
and warfare.
‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section
$15,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2002 and 2003.
Amounts appropriated pursuant to the authorization of ap-
propriations under the preceding sentence 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