I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2567 
To suspend the authority for the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security 
Cooperation (the successor institution to the United States Army School 
of the Americas) in the Department of Defense, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 21, 2009 
Mr. MCGOVERN (for himself, Mr. PLATTS, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. LEWIS of 
Georgia, 
Mr. 
CONYERS, 
Mr. 
GUTIERREZ, 
Mr. 
GRIJALVA, 
Mr. 
MCDERMOTT, Mr. BISHOP of New York, Mr. BRALEY of Iowa, Mr. 
TONKO, Mr. WU, Mr. YARMUTH, Mr. CLAY, Ms. LEE of California, Mr. 
HINCHEY, Mr. FATTAH, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr. ELLSWORTH, Mr. WELCH, 
Mr. CAPUANO, Mr. FARR, Mr. SERRANO, Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, 
Ms. BALDWIN, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, Mr. MARKEY of Massachusetts, 
Mrs. MALONEY, Mr. HOLT, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. HODES, Mr. CUMMINGS, 
Mr. HIGGINS, Mr. KIND, Mr. KUCINICH, Mr. PRICE of North Carolina, 
Mr. OBERSTAR, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey, Mr. 
CARSON of Indiana, Mr. LYNCH, Mr. DRIEHAUS, and Mr. FRANK of Mas-
sachusetts) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Armed Services 
A BILL 
To suspend the authority for the Western Hemisphere Insti-
tute for Security Cooperation (the successor institution 
to the United States Army School of the Americas) in 
the Department of Defense, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Latin America Military 
Training Review Act’’. 
SEC. 2. SUSPENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR WESTERN HEMI-
SPHERE 
INSTITUTE 
FOR 
SECURITY 
CO-
OPERATION. 
(a) SUSPENSION OF INSTITUTE.—The Secretary of 
the Army shall suspend the operation of the Western 
Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation until the 
submission of the report under section 4(e). 
(b) SUSPENSION OF AUTHORITY.—The authority of 
the Secretary of Defense to operate an education and 
training facility under section 2166 of title 10, United 
States Code, is suspended until the submission of the re-
port under section 4(e). 
(c) LIMITATION ON ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW EDU-
CATION AND TRAINING FACILITY.—No training or edu-
cation facility may be established in the Department of 
Defense for Latin American military personnel (as a suc-
cessor to the United States Army School of the Americas, 
the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Coopera-
tion, or otherwise) until the submission of the report under 
section 4(e). 
SEC. 3. JOINT CONGRESSIONAL TASK FORCE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a joint 
congressional task force to conduct an assessment of the 
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kind of education and training that is appropriate for the 
Department of Defense to provide to military personnel 
of Latin American nations. 
(b) COMPOSITION.—The task force shall be composed 
of eight Members of Congress, of whom two each shall 
be designated by the Speaker of the House of Representa-
tives, the minority leader of the House of Representatives, 
the majority leader of the Senate, and the minority leader 
of the Senate. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the task force shall submit 
to Congress a report on the assessment conducted under 
subsection (a). The report shall include— 
(1) a critical assessment of courses, curriculum, 
and procedures appropriate for education and train-
ing of military personnel of Latin American nations; 
and 
(2) an evaluation of the effect of such education 
and training on the performance of Latin American 
military personnel in the areas of human rights and 
adherence to democratic principles and the rule of 
law. 
(d) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘Mem-
ber’’ includes a Delegate to, or Resident Commissioner in, 
Congress. 
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SEC. 4. COMMISSION TO INVESTIGATE HUMAN RIGHTS 
ABUSES 
AT 
THE 
UNITED 
STATES 
ARMY 
SCHOOL OF THE AMERICAS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a com-
mission to investigate the activities of the United States 
Army School of the Americas and its successor institution, 
the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Coopera-
tion. 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(1) APPOINTMENT.—The commission shall be 
composed of eight members, of whom two each shall 
be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Rep-
resentatives, the minority leader of the House of 
Representatives, the majority leader of the Senate, 
and the minority leader of the Senate. 
(2) QUALIFICATIONS.—Members of the commis-
sion shall be selected from among individuals with 
knowledge and experience in foreign military train-
ing and international human rights who are not offi-
cers or employees of the Federal Government. 
(3) DEADLINE FOR APPOINTMENT.—The mem-
bers of the commission shall be appointed not later 
than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
(4) VACANCIES.—Any vacancy of the commis-
sion shall not affect the powers of the commission 
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and shall be filled in the manner in which the origi-
nal appointment was made. 
(5) CHAIRPERSON; VICE
CHAIRPERSON.—The 
Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the commission 
shall be elected by the members. 
(6) COMPENSATION.—Members of the commis-
sion shall serve without pay. 
(7) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Each member of the 
commission shall receive travel expenses, including 
per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with 
applicable provisions under subchapter I of chapter 
57 of title 5, United States Code. 
(c) POWERS.— 
(1) HEARINGS
AND
SESSIONS.—The commis-
sion may, for the purpose of carrying out this sec-
tion, hold hearings, sit and act at times and places, 
take testimony, and receive evidence as the commis-
sion considers appropriate. 
(2) INFORMATION FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.— 
The commission may secure directly from any Fed-
eral department or agency such information as the 
commission considers necessary to carry out the pro-
visions of this section. Upon request of the Chair-
person of the commission, the head of such depart-
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ment or agency shall furnish such information to the 
commission. 
(d) INVESTIGATION.—Not later than two years after 
the date on which all members of the commission have 
been appointed, the commission shall complete an inves-
tigation into the activities of the United States Army 
School of the Americas and its successor institution, the 
Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation. 
The investigation shall— 
(1) identify those individuals responsible for 
drafting or approving manuals for use at either such 
institution advocating tactics that violate inter-
national law or the laws of the United States; 
(2) determine how such manuals were used in 
training conducted by either such institution; 
(3) determine the effect of such training; and 
(4) identify those individuals responsible for 
teaching such tactics. 
(e) REPORT.—Not later than 30 days after the com-
pletion of the investigation under subsection (d), the com-
mission shall submit to Congress and the Secretary of De-
fense a report containing the results of the investigation 
and recommendations for actions in response to any viola-
tions of human rights to which training at the United 
States Army School of the Americas or its successor insti-
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tution, the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Co-
operation, contributed. 
(f) TERMINATION.—The commission shall terminate 
30 days after the date of the submission of the report 
under subsection (e). 
Æ 
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