I
104TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2652
To close the United States Army School of the Americas and establish
a United States Academy for Democracy and Civil-Military Relations.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
NOVEMBER 16, 1995
Mr. KENNEDY of Massachusetts (for himself, Mr. MEEHAN, Mr. FRANK of
Massachusetts, Mr. OBERSTAR, Mr. STARK, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr.
BROWN of California, Mr. GONZALEZ, Ms. LOFGREN, Mr. GENE GREEN
of Texas, Mr. BROWN of Ohio, Ms. RIVERS, Mr. FROST, Mr. VENTO, Mr.
DEFAZIO, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. BARRETT, of Wisconsin, Mr.
ACKERMAN, Mr. MORAN, Ms. ESHOO, Mrs. MINK of Hawaii, Mr. FARR
of California, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. MOAKLEY, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. MIL-
LER of California, Mrs. MALONEY, Mr. BOUCHER, Mr. KLUG, Mr.
SERRANO, Mr. STUPAK, Mr. GEJDENSON, Mr. JACOBS, Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ,
Mr. TORKILDSEN, Mr. JOHNSTON of Florida, Mr. OLVER, and Ms.
MCKINNEY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on International Relations, and in addition to the Committee on
National Security, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To close the United States Army School of the Americas
and establish a United States Academy for Democracy
and Civil-Military Relations.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. TERMINATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY
SCHOOL OF THE AMERICAS
Section 4415 of chapter 407 of title 10, United
States Code is repealed.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF ACADEMY FOR DEMOCRACY
AND CIVIL-MILITARY RELATIONS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 407 of title 10, United
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the follow-
ing new section:
‘‘§ 4416. United States Academy for Democracy and
Civil-Military Relations
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF ACADEMY.—The Secretary
of the Army, in cooperation with the Secretary of State,
may operate an educational facility known as the United
States Academy for Democracy and Civil-Military Rela-
tions (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Academy’’).
‘‘(b) PURPOSES OF ACADEMY.—The Academy shall
be operated for the purposes of—
‘‘(1) identifying the proper role for the military
in a democratic society; and
‘‘(2) improving civil-military relations and civil-
ian control over military matters in Latin American
countries and Caribbean countries.
‘‘(c) INSTRUCTION AT ACADEMY.—
‘‘(1) AREAS OF INSTRUCTION.—Instruction at
the Academy shall be provided to civilian and mili-
tary personnel of Latin American countries and Car-
ibbean countries, through seminars, roundtable dis-
cussions, conferences, and a guest instructor pro-
gram, in the following areas:
‘‘(A) The principles of respect for democ-
racy, human rights, and civilian control of the
military in a democratic society.
‘‘(B) Mechanisms and skills necessary for
the exercise of civilian control and oversight
over the mission, structure, and operations of
security forces.
‘‘(C) Mechanisms and procedures for en-
suring accountability within the armed forces
and for institutionalizing within the armed
forces rules of engagement and an approach to
the conduct of military operations in accordance
with recognized principles of international law
and human rights.
‘‘(D) Mechanisms and skills necessary for
the exercise of civilian control and oversight
over budgets of security forces.
‘‘(E) Mechanisms and skills necessary for
the exercise of civilian control over, and merit
based procedures in, promotions in security
forces.
‘‘(F) Mechanisms and skills necessary for
the exercise of civilian control over, and clear
human rights guidelines for, intelligence oper-
ations of security forces.
‘‘(G) Mechanisms and skills necessary to
establish and operate military justice and dis-
ciplinary systems in accordance with inter-
national human rights procedures.
‘‘(H) Mechanisms and skills necessary to
ensure professional resource and personnel
management in security forces.
‘‘(I) Mechanisms and skills necessary to
ensure civilian control and oversight over secu-
rity force involvement in the civilian economy.
‘‘(J) Principles of multilateral cooperation
in internationally sanctioned peacekeeping oper-
ations.
‘‘(K) Strategies for cooperative threat re-
duction, including diplomatic approaches to ad-
dressing border disputes, defensive configura-
tion of armed forces, and full compliance with
the United Nations Register of Conventional
Arms.
‘‘(L) Additional strategies designed to
achieve 
responsible 
reductions 
in 
military
spending so that resources may be used to pro-
mote development in Latin American countries
and Caribbean countries.
‘‘(2) COMBAT
AND
LETHAL
SKILLS
TRAIN-
ING.—Combat and lethal skills training shall not be
offered as part of the curriculum of the Academy.
‘‘(3) COURSE CATALOGUE AND CURRICULUM.—
The course catalogue and curriculum of the Acad-
emy shall be available for public inspection.
‘‘(d) SCREENING
OF
INSTRUCTORS
AND
STU-
DENTS.—The Secretary of the Army, in cooperation with
the Secretary of State, shall conduct a thorough screening
of potential instructors and students at the Academy and
ensure that they exhibit the highest level of commitment
to and respect for democracy and human rights. The in-
structors of the Academy shall consist of civilians and
military personnel. Every course and program at the
Academy shall involve civilians, including civilian person-
nel in defense establishments, elected officials and civil
servants, and representatives of human rights and other
civic organizations. The number of civilians attending the
Academy should be at least 20 percent of the total number
of students, with the goal of reaching 50 percent within
five years after the establishment of the Academy.
‘‘(e) ADVISORY COMMITTEE.—The Secretary of the
Army, in consultation with the Secretary of State, shall
establish an advisory committee to provide advice on es-
tablishing and operating the Academy and the content of
the curriculum. The advisory committee shall be com-
prised of five members from civilian life and shall include
representatives of human rights organizations based in the
United States and in Latin American and Caribbean coun-
tries with widely recognized expertise in investigating vio-
lations of human rights violations in those countries. The
Advisory Committee shall approve all instructors of the
Academy.
‘‘(f) HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATORS.—If it becomes
known to the Secretary of State that persons who have
attended the Academy have violated human rights, then
the Secretary shall determine whether elements of the cur-
riculum of the Academy are inconsistent with the purposes
of the Academy.
‘‘(g) FUNDING.—The cost of operating and maintain-
ing the Academy may be paid from funds available under
chapter 5 of part II of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961
(22 U.S.C. 2347) (related to international military edu-
cation and training assistance).’’.
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.—The table of sections
at the beginning of chapter 407 of such title is amended—
(1) by striking the item relating to section
4415; and
(2) by inserting after the item relating to sec-
tion 4414 the following new item:
‘‘4416. United States Academy for Democracy and Civil-Military Relations’’.
SEC. 3. COUNTERMINE PROGRAMS.
Nothing in this Act or the amendments made by this
Act shall be interpreted to affect the authority to conduct
countermine programs at other facilities at Fort Benning,
Georgia, being carried out on the date of enactment of
this Act at the School of the Americas in response to a
request from the Organization of American States.
SEC. 4. REPORT TO CONGRESS.
After the United States Academy for Democracy and
Civil-Military Relations, established pursuant to section
4416 of title 10, United States Code, has been in oper-
ation for a period of two years, the Secretary of the Army
shall submit to Congress a report on the achievements of
the Academy, and on the desirability and feasibility of
opening its courses and programs to attendees from out-
side of Latin America countries and Caribbean countries.
SEC. 5. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that resources made avail-
able to operate the United States Academy for Democracy
and Civil-Military Relations, established pursuant to sec-
tion 4416 of title 10, United States Code, should be com-