SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Global Fragility Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) According to the United Nations, an un-
precedented 68.5 million people around the world, 
the highest level ever recorded, are currently forcibly 
displaced from their homes. 
(2) According to the World Bank, violence and 
violent conflict are now the leading causes of dis-
placement and food insecurity worldwide, driving 80 
percent of humanitarian needs, with the same con-
flicts accounting for the majority of forcibly dis-
placed persons every year since 1991. 
(3) According to the Institute for Economics 
and Peace, violence containment costs the global 
economy $14.76 trillion a year, or 12.4 percent of 
the world’s GDP. 
(4) Violence and violent conflict underpin many 
of the United States Government’s key national se-
curity challenges. Notably, violent conflicts allow for 
environments in which terrorist organizations recruit 
and thrive, while the combination of violence, cor-
ruption, poverty, poor governance, and underdevelop-
ment often enables transnational gangs and criminal
networks to wreak havoc and commit atrocities 
worldwide. 
(5) According to research by the University of 
Maryland and University of Pittsburgh, exposure to 
violence increases support for violence and violent 
extremism. Research increasingly finds exposure to 
violence as a predictor of future participation in vio-
lence, including violent extremism. 
(6) United States foreign policy and assistance 
efforts in highly violent and fragile states remain 
governed by an outdated patchwork of authorities 
that prioritize responding to immediate needs rather 
than solving the problems that cause them. 
(7) Lessons learned over the past 20 years, doc-
umented by the 2013 Special Inspector General for 
Iraq Reconstruction Lessons Learned Study, the 
2016 Fragility Study Group report, and the 2018 
Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Lessons 
Learned Study on Stabilization, show that effective, 
sustained United States efforts to reduce violence 
and stabilize fragile and violence-affected states re-
quire clearly defined goals and strategies, adequate 
long-term funding, rigorous and iterative conflict 
analysis, coordination across the United States Gov-
ernment, including strong civil-military coordination,
attention to the problem of corruption, and integra-
tion with and leadership from national and sub-na-
tional partners, including local civil society organiza-
tions, traditional justice systems, and local govern-
ance structures. 
(8) The ‘‘Stabilization Assistance Review’’ re-
leased in 2018 by the Departments of State and De-
fense and the United States Agency for Inter-
national Development states, ‘‘The United States 
has strong national security and economic interests 
in reducing levels of violence and promoting stability 
in areas affected by armed conflict.’’. The Review 
further states, ‘‘Stabilization is an inherently polit-
ical endeavor that requires aligning U.S. Govern-
ment efforts—diplomatic engagement, foreign assist-
ance, and defense—toward supporting locally legiti-
mate authorities and systems to peaceably manage 
conflict and prevent violence.’’. 
SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY. 
It is the policy of the United States to— 
(1) ensure that all relevant Federal depart-
ments and agencies coordinate to achieve coherent, 
long-term goals for programs designed to stabilize 
conflict-affected areas and prevent violence and fra-
gility globally, including when implementing the
Global Fragility Initiative established pursuant to 
section 6; 
(2) seek to improve global, regional, and local 
coordination of relevant international and multilat-
eral development and donor organizations regarding 
efforts to stabilize conflict-affected areas and pre-
vent violence and fragility globally, and, where prac-
ticable and appropriate, align such efforts with mul-
tilateral goals and indicators; 
(3) expand and enhance the effectiveness of 
United States foreign assistance programs and ac-
tivities to stabilize conflict-affected areas and pre-
vent violence and fragility globally; 
(4) support the research and development of ef-
fective approaches to stabilize conflict-affected areas 
and prevent violence and fragility globally, and data 
collection efforts relevant to such approaches; and 
(5) improve the tools and authorities for assess-
ment, monitoring, and evaluation needed to enable 
learning and adaptation by such relevant Federal de-
partments and agencies working to stabilize conflict- 
affected areas and prevent violence and fragility 
globally. 
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) STABILIZATION AND PREVENTION FUND.—
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in 
the Treasury of the United States a fund to be 
known as the ‘‘Stabilization and Prevention Fund’’ 
(in this subsection referred to as the ‘‘Fund’’), to be 
administered by the Department of State and the 
United States Agency for International Development 
(USAID), and consisting of amounts authorized to 
be appropriated pursuant to paragraph (2). 
(2) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Fund 
$200,000,000 for each of the 5 fiscal years begin-
ning with the first fiscal year that begins after the 
date of the enactment of this Act. Amounts author-
ized to be appropriated pursuant to this paragraph 
are authorized to remain available until expended. 
(3) PURPOSES OF THE FUND.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Amounts authorized to 
be appropriated to the Fund shall be used for 
economic and development assistance for any of 
the following: 
(i) To support stabilization of conflict- 
affected areas and prevent violence and 
fragility globally, including through the 
Global Fragility Initiative established pur-
suant to section 6.
(ii) To provide assistance to areas lib-
erated or at risk from, or under the control 
of, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, 
other terrorist organizations, or violent ex-
tremist organizations, including for sta-
bilization assistance for vulnerable ethnic 
and religious minority communities af-
fected by conflict. 
(B) ADDITION.—Amounts authorized to be 
appropriated to the Fund are in addition to any 
amounts otherwise made available for the pur-
poses described in subparagraph (A). 
(4) CONGRESSIONAL NOTIFICATION.—Not later 
than 15 days before amounts from the Fund are ob-
ligated, the Secretary of State or Administrator of 
the United States Agency for International Develop-
ment shall submit notification of such obligation 
to— 
(A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of 
the House of Representatives; 
(B) the Committee on Appropriations of 
the House of Representatives; 
(C) the Committee on Foreign Relations of 
the Senate; and
(D) the Committee on Appropriations of 
the Senate. 
(b) COMPLEX CRISES FUND.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in 
the Treasury of the United States a fund to be 
known as the ‘‘Complex Crises Fund’’ (in this sub-
section referred to as the ‘‘Fund’’), to be adminis-
tered by USAID. 
(2) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Fund 
$30,000,000 for each of the 5 fiscal years beginning 
with the first fiscal year that begins after the date 
of the enactment of this Act. Amounts authorized to 
be appropriated pursuant to this paragraph are au-
thorized to remain available until expended. 
(3) PURPOSES OF THE FUND.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any 
other provision of law, except section 620M of 
the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 
2378d), amounts in the Fund may be used to 
carry out the provisions of the Foreign Assist-
ance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.) to 
support programs and activities to prevent or 
respond to emerging or unforeseen foreign chal-
lenges and complex crises overseas, including
through the Global Fragility Initiative estab-
lished pursuant to section 6. 
(B) ADDITION.—Amounts authorized to be 
appropriated to the Fund are in addition to any 
amounts otherwise made available for the pur-
poses described in subparagraph (A). 
(4) LIMITATIONS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Amounts in the Fund 
may not be expended for lethal assistance or to 
respond to natural disasters. 
(B) 
ADMINISTRATIVE
EXPENSES.—Not 
more than 5 percent of amounts in the Fund 
may be used for administrative expenses. 
(5) CONGRESSIONAL NOTIFICATION.—Not later 
than 5 days before amounts from the Fund are obli-
gated, the Administrator of the United States Agen-
cy for International Development shall submit notifi-
cation of such obligation to— 
(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of 
the Senate; 
(B) the Committee on Appropriations of 
the Senate; 
(C) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of 
the House of Representatives; and
(D) the Committee on Appropriations of 
the House of Representatives. 
(6) WAIVER.—Notification in accordance with 
paragraph (5) may be waived if— 
(A) notification by the deadline specified in 
such paragraph would pose a substantial risk to 
human health or welfare; and 
(B) the congressional committees specified 
in such paragraph— 
(i) are notified not later than 3 days 
after an obligation of amounts from the 
Fund; and 
(ii) are provided with an explanation 
of the emergency circumstances that neces-
sitated such waiver. 
(c) OTHER FUNDING AND COST MATCHING.—The 
Global Fragility Initiative established pursuant to section 
6— 
(1) may be supported by funds other than 
funds authorized to be appropriated pursuant to this 
section; and 
(2) shall seek to leverage funds from sources 
other than the United States Government in order 
to promote coordination and cost-matching to the 
maximum extent practicable.
SEC. 5. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING ASSISTANCE FOR 
THE GLOBAL FRAGILITY INITIATIVE. 
It is the sense of Congress that the President, the 
Secretary of State, the Administrator of USAID, the Sec-
retary of Defense, and the heads of other relevant Federal 
departments and agencies should work with the appro-
priate congressional committees to provide sufficient types 
and levels of funding to— 
(1) allow for more adaptive and responsive pol-
icy and program planning, implementation, and scal-
ing under the Global Fragility Initiative established 
pursuant to section 6, including through more flexi-
ble funding mechanisms and exemptions from spe-
cific and minimum funding levels when such exemp-
tions would make such programs better able to re-
spond to local needs, the results of monitoring and 
evaluation, or changed circumstances in relevant 
countries; 
(2) better integrate the initiative and other con-
flict and violence reduction objectives and activities 
into other policy and program areas, where appro-
priate; and 
(3) support transparent and accountable multi-
lateral funds, initiatives, and strategies to enhance 
and better coordinate both private and public efforts
to stabilize conflict-affected areas and prevent vio-
lence and fragility globally. 
SEC. 6. GLOBAL FRAGILITY INITIATIVE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of State, 
in coordination with the Administrator of the United 
States 
Agency 
for 
International 
Development 
(USAID), the Secretary of Defense, the Atrocities 
Prevention Board (or any successor entity), and the 
heads of other relevant Federal departments and 
agencies, shall, in accordance with subsection (b), es-
tablish an interagency initiative, to be referred to as 
the ‘‘Global Fragility Initiative’’, to stabilize conflict- 
affected areas and prevent violence and fragility 
globally. 
(2) STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION.—The Glob-
al Fragility Initiative required under this subsection 
shall be developed in consultation with representa-
tives of local civil society and national and local gov-
ernance entities, as well as relevant international de-
velopment organizations with experience imple-
menting programs in fragile and violence-affected 
communities, multilateral organizations and donors, 
and relevant private, academic, and philanthropic 
entities, as appropriate.
(b) ESTABLISHMENT PLAN.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of State, in coordination with the Administrator of 
USAID, the Secretary of Defense, the Atrocities Preven-
tion Board (or any successor entity), and the heads of 
other relevant Federal departments and agencies, shall 
submit to the appropriate congressional committees an 
interagency plan regarding the establishment of the Global 
Fragility Initiative pursuant to subsection (a) that in-
cludes the following: 
(1) Identification of the roles and responsibil-
ities of each participating Federal department or 
agency, while ensuring that— 
(A) the Department of State is the overall 
lead department for establishing United States 
foreign policy and advancing diplomatic and po-
litical efforts; 
(B) USAID is the lead implementing agen-
cy for development, humanitarian, and related 
non-security program policy; 
(C) where appropriate, the Department of 
Defense may support the activities of the De-
partment of State and USAID by providing 
requisite security and support to civilian efforts 
with the joint-formulation, coordination, and
and in consultation with the appropriate congressional 
committees, shall select certain countries as ‘‘priority 
countries’’ and certain regions as ‘‘priority regions’’ for 
the Global Fragility Initiative— 
(1) on the basis of— 
(A) clearly defined indicators of the levels 
of violence or fragility in such country or re-
gion, such as the country or region’s— 
(i) ranking on recognized global fra-
gility lists, such as the Organization for 
Economic Co-operation and Development 
States of Fragility report, the Fund for 
Peace Fragile States Index, the World 
Bank Harmonized List of Fragile Situa-
tions, the Institute for Economics and 
Peace Global Peace Index, and Holocaust 
Museum Early Warning Project Risk As-
sessment; 
(ii) ranking on select United States 
Government conflict and atrocity early 
warning watch lists; and 
(iii) levels of violence, such as violence 
committed by armed groups, violent ex-
tremist organizations, gender-based vio-
lence, and violence against children and 
youth; and 
(B) an assessment of— 
(i) the capacity and commitment of 
national and sub-national government enti-
ties and civil society partners in such coun-
try or region to work with Federal depart-
ments and agencies on the initiative, in-
cluding by demonstrating the willingness 
and making demonstrable efforts to im-
prove governance, enhance rule of law, and 
protect human rights; and 
(ii) the likelihood that selection as a 
priority country or priority region would 
allow the initiative to measurably stabilize 
conflict-affected areas or prevent violence 
and fragility in such country or region; and 
(2) in a manner that ensures that— 
(A) not fewer than three countries or re-
gions are designated as ‘‘Stabilization Coun-
tries’’ or ‘‘Stabilization Regions’’, as the case 
may be, in which current levels of violence are 
among the highest in the world; 
(B) not fewer than three countries or re-
gions are designated as ‘‘Prevention Countries’’
or ‘‘Prevention Regions’’, as the case may be, 
in which current levels of violence are lower 
than such levels in Stabilization Countries or 
Stabilization Regions but risk factors for vio-
lence or fragility are significant; 
(C) countries and regions selected are in 
the areas of responsibility of at least three geo-
graphic bureaus of the Department of State; 
and 
(D) regions, rather than individual coun-
tries, are selected where the threat or spillover 
of violence, conflict, or fragility threatens mul-
tiple countries within a single geographic re-
gion. 
(d) COUNTRY
AND REGIONAL PLANS.—Not later 
than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Adminis-
trator of USAID, the Secretary of Defense, the Atrocities 
Prevention Board (or any successor entity), and the heads 
of other relevant Federal departments and agencies, shall 
submit to the appropriate congressional committees 10- 
year plans to align and integrate under the Global Fra-
gility Initiative required under subsection (a) all relevant 
diplomatic, development, security assistance and coopera-
tion, and other relevant activities of the United States
Government with respect to each of the countries and re-
gions selected pursuant to subsection (c). Each such coun-
try and regional plan shall include the following: 
(1) Specific multi-year interagency plans for co-
ordination and implementation under each such 
plan. 
(2) An up-to-date baseline analysis for each 
such country or region, including an analysis of po-
litical dynamics, impacts of violence, and conditions 
that contribute to violence and fragility. 
(3) Prioritized descriptions of the goals and ob-
jectives for stabilizing conflict-affected areas and 
preventing violence and fragility in each such coun-
try or region. 
(4) Descriptions of how and when the relevant 
goals, objectives, plans, and benchmarks for each 
such country or region will be incorporated into rel-
evant United States country plans and strategies, in-
cluding Department of State Integrated Country 
Strategies, USAID Country Development Coopera-
tion Strategies, and Department of Defense Cam-
paign Plans, Operational Plans, and Regional Strat-
egies, as well as any equivalent or successor plans or 
strategies.
(5) Interagency plans to ensure that appro-
priate local actors, including government and civil 
society entities and organizations led by women, 
youth, or under-represented communities, have an 
appropriate ownership stake in developing, imple-
menting, assessing, monitoring, evaluating, and up-
dating relevant activities under each such plan. 
(6) Interagency plans to integrate existing and 
planned security assistance and cooperation pro-
grams in each such country or region with the initia-
tive and to maximize positive outcomes and mitigate 
risks associated with such programs, including risks 
related to corruption, governance, and human rights. 
(7) Assessment, monitoring, and evaluation 
frameworks for diplomatic, development, and secu-
rity activities, which shall be informed by consulta-
tions with the stakeholders specified in subsection 
(a)(2), with clear, date-certain metrics for each such 
country or region, as well as interagency plans for 
using such frameworks to adapt such activities on a 
regular and iterative basis. 
(8) Descriptions of available policy tools and 
how such tools will be used to stabilize conflict-af-
fected areas or prevent violence and fragility in each 
such country or region.
(9) A description of how planning and imple-
mentation for each such country or region will be co-
ordinated to ensure such planning and implementa-
tion are conducted in partnership between the 
United States Government and— 
(A) governments of such countries; 
(B) international development organiza-
tions; 
(C) relevant international donors; 
(D) multilateral organizations; and 
(E) the private sector. 
(10) A regional component outlining plans to 
address relevant transnational issues in cases in 
which an individual country is selected and such 
country is affected by or at risk of regional fragility 
or violence. 
(11) A component outlining plans to address 
national-level factors at the individual country level 
in cases in which a region is selected and such re-
gion is affected by or at risk of fragility or violence 
as a result of such national-level factors. 
(e) IMPLEMENTATION.—The Secretary of State, in 
coordination with the Administrator of USAID, the Sec-
retary of Defense, and the heads of other relevant Federal 
departments and agencies, and in consultation with the