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the Agency for International Development’’: Provided fur-
ther, That the provisions of section 107A(d) (relating to
general provisions applicable to the Development Credit Au-
thority) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as contained
in section 306 of H.R. 1486 as reported by the House Com-
mittee on International Relations on May 9, 1997, shall
be applicable to direct loans and loan guarantees provided
under this heading.
SILK ROAD STRATEGY ACT OF 1999.
SEC. 599F. (a) SHORT TITLE.—This section may be
cited as the ‘‘Silk Road Strategy Act of 1999’’.
(b) AMENDMENT OF THE FOREIGN ASSISTANCE OF
1961.—Part I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22
U.S.C. 2151 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following new chapter:
‘‘CHAPTER 12—SUPPORT FOR THE ECO-
NOMIC 
AND 
POLITICAL 
INDEPEND-
ENCE OF THE COUNTRIES OF THE
SOUTH CAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA
‘‘SEC. 499. UNITED STATES ASSISTANCE TO PROMOTE REC-
ONCILIATION 
AND 
RECOVERY 
FROM 
RE-
GIONAL CONFLICTS.
‘‘(a) PURPOSE OF ASSISTANCE.—The purposes of as-
sistance under this section include—
‘‘(1) the creation of the basis for reconciliation
between belligerents;
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‘‘(2) the promotion of economic development in
areas of the countries of the South Caucasus and Cen-
tral Asia impacted by civil conflict and war; and
‘‘(3) the encouragement of broad regional co-
operation among countries of the South Caucasus and
Central Asia that have been destabilized by internal
conflicts.
‘‘(b) AUTHORIZATION FOR ASSISTANCE.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—To carry out the purposes of
subsection (a), the President is authorized to provide
humanitarian assistance and economic reconstruction
assistance for the countries of the South Caucasus and
Central Asia to support the activities described in
subsection (c).
‘‘(2) DEFINITION
OF
HUMANITARIAN
ASSIST-
ANCE.—In this subsection, the term ‘humanitarian
assistance’ means assistance to meet humanitarian
needs, including needs for food, medicine, medical
supplies and equipment, education, and clothing.
‘‘(c) ACTIVITIES SUPPORTED.—Activities that may be
supported by assistance under subsection (b) include—
‘‘(1) providing for the humanitarian needs of
victims of the conflicts;
‘‘(2) facilitating the return of refugees and inter-
nally displaced persons to their homes; and
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‘‘(3) assisting in the reconstruction of residential
and economic infrastructure destroyed by war.
‘‘SEC. 499A. ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE.
‘‘(a) PURPOSE OF ASSISTANCE.—The purpose of as-
sistance under this section is to foster economic growth and
development, including the conditions necessary for regional
economic cooperation, in the South Caucasus and Central
Asia.
‘‘(b) AUTHORIZATION FOR ASSISTANCE.—To carry out
the purpose of subsection (a), the President is authorized
to provide assistance for the countries of the South Caucasus
and Central Asia to support the activities described in sub-
section (c).
‘‘(c) ACTIVITIES SUPPORTED.—In addition to the ac-
tivities described in section 498, activities supported by as-
sistance under subsection (b) should support the develop-
ment of the structures and means necessary for the growth
of private sector economies based upon market principles.
‘‘SEC. 499B. DEVELOPMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE.
‘‘(a) PURPOSE OF PROGRAMS.—The purposes of pro-
grams under this section include—
‘‘(1) to develop the physical infrastructure nec-
essary for regional cooperation among the countries of
the South Caucasus and Central Asia; and
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‘‘(2) to encourage closer economic relations and
to facilitate the removal of impediments to cross-bor-
der commerce among those countries and the United
States and other developed nations.
‘‘(b) AUTHORIZATION FOR PROGRAMS.—To carry out
the purposes of subsection (a), the following types of pro-
grams for the countries of the South Caucasus and Central
Asia may be used to support the activities described in sub-
section (c):
‘‘(1) Activities by the Export-Import Bank to
complete the review process for eligibility for financ-
ing under the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945.
‘‘(2) The provision of insurance, reinsurance, fi-
nancing, or other assistance by the Overseas Private
Investment Corporation.
‘‘(3) Assistance under section 661 of this Act (re-
lating to the Trade and Development Agency).
‘‘(c) ACTIVITIES SUPPORTED.—Activities that may be
supported by programs under subsection (b) include pro-
moting actively the participation of United States compa-
nies and investors in the planning, financing, and construc-
tion of infrastructure for communications, transportation,
including air transportation, and energy and trade includ-
ing highways, railroads, port facilities, shipping, banking,