H. R. 601 
One Hundred Fifteenth Congress 
of the 
United States of America 
AT THE FIRST SESSION 
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday, 
the third day of January, two thousand and seventeen 
An Act 
Making continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018, 
and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Continuing Appropriations Act, 
2018 and Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Require-
ments Act, 2017’’. 
SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
The table of contents for this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title. 
Sec. 2. Table of contents. 
Sec. 3. References. 
DIVISION A—REINFORCING EDUCATION ACCOUNTABILITY IN 
DEVELOPMENT ACT 
DIVISION B—SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR DISASTER RELIEF 
REQUIREMENTS ACT, 2017 
DIVISION C—TEMPORARY EXTENSION OF PUBLIC DEBT RELIEF 
DIVISION D—CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2018 
SEC. 3. REFERENCES. 
Except as expressly provided otherwise, any reference to ‘‘this 
Act’’ contained in any division of this Act shall be treated as 
referring only to the provisions of that division. 
DIVISION A—REINFORCING EDUCATION 
ACCOUNTABILITY IN DEVELOPMENT 
ACT 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Reinforcing 
Education Accountability in Development Act’’ or the ‘‘READ Act’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for this Act 
is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Definitions. 
Sec. 3. Assistance to promote sustainable, quality basic education. 
Sec. 4. Comprehensive integrated United States strategy to promote basic edu-
cation.
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Sec. 5. Improving coordination and oversight. 
Sec. 6. Monitoring and evaluation of programs. 
Sec. 7. Transparency and reporting to Congress. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
(a) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES.—In this Act, 
the term ‘‘appropriate congressional committees’’ means— 
(1) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; 
(2) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; 
(3) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Rep-
resentatives; and 
(4) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Rep-
resentatives. 
(b) OTHER DEFINITIONS.—In this Act, the terms ‘‘basic edu-
cation’’, ‘‘marginalized children and vulnerable groups’’, ‘‘national 
education plan’’, ‘‘partner country’’, and ‘‘relevant Executive branch 
agencies and officials’’ have the meanings given such terms in 
section 105(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as added 
by section 3. 
SEC. 3. ASSISTANCE TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE, QUALITY BASIC EDU-
CATION. 
Section 105 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 
2151c) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(c) ASSISTANCE TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE, QUALITY BASIC 
EDUCATION.— 
‘‘(1) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 
‘‘(A) BASIC
EDUCATION.—The term ‘basic education’ 
includes— 
‘‘(i) 
measurable 
improvements 
in 
literacy, 
numeracy, and other basic skills development that pre-
pare an individual to be an active, productive member 
of society and the workforce; 
‘‘(ii) workforce development, vocational training, 
and digital literacy informed by real market needs 
and opportunities and that results in measurable 
improvements in employment; 
‘‘(iii) programs and activities designed to demon-
strably improve— 
‘‘(I) early childhood, preprimary education, pri-
mary education, and secondary education, which 
can be delivered in formal or nonformal education 
settings; and 
‘‘(II) learning for out-of-school youth and 
adults; and 
‘‘(iv) capacity building for teachers, administrators, 
counselors, and youth workers that results in measur-
able improvements in student literacy, numeracy, or 
employment. 
‘‘(B) COMMUNITIES OF LEARNING.—The term ‘commu-
nities of learning’ means a holistic approach to education 
and community engagement in which schools act as the 
primary resource center for delivery of a service to the 
community at large, leveraging and maximizing the impact 
of other development efforts and reducing duplication and 
waste.
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‘‘(C) GENDER PARITY IN BASIC EDUCATION.—The term 
‘gender parity in basic education’ means that girls and 
boys have equal access to quality basic education. 
‘‘(D) 
MARGINALIZED
CHILDREN
AND
VULNERABLE 
GROUPS.—The term ‘marginalized children and vulnerable 
groups’ includes girls, children affected by or emerging 
from armed conflict or humanitarian crises, children with 
disabilities, children in remote or rural areas (including 
those who lack access to safe water and sanitation), reli-
gious or ethnic minorities, indigenous peoples, orphans and 
children affected by HIV/AIDS, child laborers, married 
adolescents, and victims of trafficking. 
‘‘(E) NATIONAL EDUCATION PLAN.—The term ‘national 
education plan’ means a comprehensive national education 
plan developed by partner country governments in con-
sultation with other stakeholders as a means for wide- 
scale improvement of the country’s education system, 
including explicit, credible strategies informed by effective 
practices and standards to achieve quality universal basic 
education. 
‘‘(F) NONFORMAL
EDUCATION.—The term ‘nonformal 
education’ means organized educational activities outside 
the established formal system, whether operating sepa-
rately or as an important feature of a broader activity, 
that are intended to provide students with measurable 
improvements in literacy, numeracy, and other basic skills 
development that prepare an individual to be an active, 
productive member of society and the workforce. 
‘‘(G) PARTNER COUNTRY.—The term ‘partner country’ 
means a developing country that participates in or benefits 
from basic education programs under this subsection pursu-
ant to the prioritization criteria described in paragraph 
(4), including level of need, opportunity for impact, and 
the availability of resources. 
‘‘(H) RELEVANT EXECUTIVE BRANCH AGENCIES AND OFFI-
CIALS.—The term ‘relevant Executive branch agencies and 
officials’ means the Department of State, the United States 
Agency for International Development, the Department of 
the Treasury, the Department of Labor, the Department 
of Education, the Department of Agriculture, and the 
Department of Defense, the Chief Executive Officer of the 
Millennium Challenge Corporation, the National Security 
Advisor, and the Director of the Peace Corps. 
‘‘(I) SUSTAINABILITY.—The term ‘sustainability’ means, 
with respect to any basic education program that receives 
funding pursuant to this section, the ability of a service 
delivery system, community, partner, or beneficiary to 
maintain, over time, such basic education program without 
the use of foreign assistance. 
‘‘(2) POLICY.—In carrying out this section, it shall be the 
policy of the United States to work with partner countries, 
as appropriate, other donors, multilateral institutions, the pri-
vate sector, and nongovernmental and civil society organiza-
tions, including faith-based organizations and organizations 
that represent teachers, students, and parents, to promote 
sustainable, quality basic education through programs and 
activities that—
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‘‘(A) take into consideration and help respond to the 
needs, capacities, and commitment of developing countries 
to achieve measurable improvements in literacy, numeracy, 
and other basic skills development that prepare an indi-
vidual to be an active, productive member of society and 
the workforce; 
‘‘(B) strengthen educational systems, promote commu-
nities of learning, as appropriate, expand access to safe 
learning environments, including by breaking down specific 
barriers to basic education for women and girls, ensure 
continuity of education, including in conflict settings, meas-
urably improve teacher skills and learning outcomes, and 
support the engagement of parents in the education of 
their children to help partner countries ensure that all 
children, including marginalized children and other vulner-
able groups, have access to and benefit from quality basic 
education; 
‘‘(C) promote education as a foundation for sustained 
economic growth and development within a comprehensive 
assistance strategy that places partner countries on a 
trajectory toward graduation from assistance provided 
under this section with clearly defined benchmarks of suc-
cess that are used as requirements for related procurement 
vehicles, such as grants, contracts, and cooperative agree-
ments; 
‘‘(D) monitor and evaluate the effectiveness and quality 
of basic education programs in partner countries; and 
‘‘(E) promote United States values, especially respect 
for all persons and freedoms of religion, speech, and the 
press. 
‘‘(3) PRINCIPLES.—In carrying out the policy referred to 
in paragraph (2), the United States shall be guided by the 
following principles of aid effectiveness: 
‘‘(A) ALIGNMENT.—Assistance provided under this sec-
tion to support programs and activities under this sub-
section shall be aligned with and advance United States 
foreign policy and economic interests. 
‘‘(B) COUNTRY
OWNERSHIP.—To the greatest extent 
practicable, assistance provided under this section to sup-
port programs and activities under this subsection should 
be aligned with and support the national education plans 
and country development strategies of partner countries, 
including activities that are appropriate for and meet the 
needs of local and indigenous cultures. 
‘‘(C) COORDINATION.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Assistance provided under this 
section to support programs and activities under this 
subsection should be coordinated with and leverage 
the unique capabilities and resources of local and 
national governments in partner countries, other 
donors, multilateral institutions, the private sector, 
and nongovernmental and civil society organizations, 
including faith-based organizations and organizations 
that represent teachers, students, and parents. 
‘‘(ii) MULTILATERAL PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES.— 
Assistance provided under this section to support pro-
grams and activities under this subsection should be
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coordinated with and support proven multilateral edu-
cation programs and financing mechanisms, which may 
include the Global Partnership for Education, that 
demonstrate commitment to efficiency, effectiveness, 
transparency, and accountability. 
‘‘(D) EFFICIENCY.—The President shall seek to improve 
the efficiency and effectiveness of assistance provided under 
this section to support programs and activities under this 
subsection by coordinating the related efforts of relevant 
Executive branch agencies and officials. 
‘‘(E) EFFECTIVENESS.—Programs and activities sup-
ported under this subsection— 
‘‘(i) shall be consistent with the policies and prin-
ciples set forth in this subsection; 
‘‘(ii) shall be designed to achieve specific, measur-
able goals and objectives that are directly related to 
the provision of basic education (as defined in this 
section); and 
‘‘(iii) shall include appropriate targets, metrics, and 
indicators that— 
‘‘(I) move a country along the path to gradua-
tion from assistance provided under this sub-
section; and 
‘‘(II) can be applied with reasonable consist-
ency across such programs and activities to 
measure progress and outcomes. 
‘‘(F) TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.—Programs 
and activities supported under this subsection shall be 
subject to rigorous monitoring and evaluation, which may 
include impact evaluations, the results of which shall be 
made publically available in a fully searchable, electronic 
format. 
‘‘(4) PRIORITY AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS.—The President 
shall ensure that assistance provided under this section to 
support programs and activities under this subsection is aligned 
with the foreign policy and economic interests of the United 
States and, subject to such alignment, priority is given to 
developing countries in which— 
‘‘(A) there is the greatest need and opportunity to 
expand access to basic education and to improve learning 
outcomes, including for marginalized and vulnerable 
groups, particularly women and girls to ensure gender 
parity in basic education, or populations affected by conflict 
or crisis; 
‘‘(B) such assistance can produce a substantial, measur-
able impact on children and educational systems; and 
‘‘(C) there is the greatest opportunity to reduce child-
hood and adolescence exposure to or engagement in violent 
extremism or extremist ideologies.’’. 
SEC. 4. COMPREHENSIVE INTEGRATED UNITED STATES STRATEGY TO 
PROMOTE BASIC EDUCATION. 
(a) STRATEGY REQUIRED.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall submit to 
the appropriate congressional committees a comprehensive United 
States strategy to be carried out during the following five fiscal 
years to promote quality basic education in partner countries by—
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(1) seeking to equitably expand access to basic education 
for all children, particularly marginalized children and vulner-
able groups; and 
(2) measurably improving the quality of basic education 
and learning outcomes. 
(b) REQUIREMENT TO CONSULT.—In developing the strategy 
required under subsection (a), the President shall consult with— 
(1) the appropriate congressional committees; 
(2) relevant Executive branch agencies and officials; 
(3) partner country governments; and 
(4) local and international nongovernmental organizations, 
including faith-based organizations and organizations rep-
resenting students, teachers, and parents, and other develop-
ment partners engaged in basic education assistance programs 
in developing countries. 
(c) PUBLIC COMMENT.—The President shall provide an oppor-
tunity for public comment on the strategy required under subsection 
(a). 
(d) ELEMENTS.—The strategy required under subsection (a)— 
(1) shall be developed and implemented consistent with 
the principles set forth in section 105(c) of the Foreign Assist-
ance Act of 1961, as added by section 3; and 
(2) shall seek— 
(A) to prioritize assistance provided under this sub-
section to countries that are partners of the United States 
and whose populations are most in need of improved basic 
education, as determined by indicators such as literacy 
and numeracy rates; 
(B) to build the capacity of relevant actors in partner 
countries, including in government and in civil society, 
to develop and implement national education plans that 
measurably improve basic education; 
(C) to identify and replicate successful interventions 
that improve access to and quality of basic education in 
conflict settings and in partner countries; 
(D) to project general levels of resources needed to 
achieve stated program objectives; 
(E) to develop means to track implementation in 
partner countries and ensure that such countries are 
expending appropriate domestic resources and instituting 
any relevant legal, regulatory, or institutional reforms 
needed to achieve stated program objectives; 
(F) to leverage United States capabilities, including 
through technical assistance, training, and research; and 
(G) to improve coordination and reduce duplication 
among relevant Executive branch agencies and officials, 
other donors, multilateral institutions, nongovernmental 
organizations, and governments in partner countries. 
SEC. 5. IMPROVING COORDINATION AND OVERSIGHT. 
(a) SENIOR COORDINATOR OF UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL 
BASIC EDUCATION ASSISTANCE.—There is established within the 
United States Agency for International Development a Senior 
Coordinator of United States International Basic Education Assist-
ance (referred to in this section as the ‘‘Senior Coordinator’’). The 
Senior Coordinator shall be appointed by the President, shall be 
a current USAID employee serving in a career or noncareer position
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in the Senior Executive Service or at the level of a Deputy Assistant 
Administrator or higher, and shall serve concurrently as the Senior 
Coordinator. 
(b) DUTIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Senior Coordinator shall have pri-
mary responsibility for the oversight and coordination of all 
resources and activities of the United States Government 
relating to the promotion of international basic education pro-
grams and activities. 
(2) SPECIFIC DUTIES.—The Senior Coordinator shall— 
(A) facilitate program and policy coordination of inter-
national basic education programs and activities among 
relevant Executive branch agencies and officials, partner 
governments, multilateral institutions, the private sector, 
and nongovernmental and civil society organizations; 
(B) develop and revise the strategy required under 
section 4; 
(C) monitor, evaluate, and report on activities under-
taken pursuant to the strategy required under section 4; 
and 
(D) establish due diligence criteria for all recipients 
of funds provided by the United States to carry out activi-
ties under this Act and the amendments made by this 
Act. 
(c) OFFSET.—In order to eliminate duplication of effort and 
activities and to offset any costs incurred by the United States 
Agency for International Development in appointing the Senior 
Coordinator under subsection (a), the President shall, after con-
sulting with appropriate congressional committees, eliminate a posi-
tion within the United States Agency for International Development 
(unless otherwise authorized or required by law) that the President 
determines to be necessary to fully offset such costs and eliminate 
duplication. 
SEC. 6. MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF PROGRAMS. 
The President shall seek to ensure that programs carried out 
under the strategy required under section 4 shall— 
(1) apply rigorous monitoring and evaluation methodologies 
to determine if programs and activities provided under this 
subsection accomplish measurable improvements in literacy, 
numeracy, or other basic skills development that prepare an 
individual to be an active, productive member of society and 
the workforce; 
(2) include methodological guidance in the implementation 
plan and support systemic data collection using internationally 
comparable indicators, norms, and methodologies, to the extent 
practicable and appropriate; 
(3) disaggregate all data collected and reported by age, 
gender, marital status, disability, and location, to the extent 
practicable and appropriate; 
(4) include funding for both short- and long-term moni-
toring and evaluation to enable assessment of the sustainability 
and scalability of assistance programs; and 
(5) support the increased use and public availability of 
education data for improved decision making, program effective-
ness, and monitoring of global progress.
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SEC. 7. TRANSPARENCY AND REPORTING TO CONGRESS. 
(a) ANNUAL REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGY.— 
Not later than 180 days after the end of each fiscal year during 
which the strategy developed pursuant to section 4(a) is carried 
out, the President shall— 
(1) submit a report to the appropriate congressional 
committees that describes the implementation of such strategy; 
and 
(2) make the report described in paragraph (1) available 
to the public. 
(b) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—The report required under 
subsection (a) shall include— 
(1) a description of the efforts made by relevant Executive 
branch agencies and officials to implement the strategy devel-
oped pursuant to section 4, with a particular focus on the 
activities carried out under the strategy; 
(2) a description of the extent to which each partner country 
selected to receive assistance for basic education meets the 
priority criteria specified in section 105(c) of the Foreign Assist-
ance Act, as added by section 3; and 
(3) a description of the progress achieved over the reporting 
period toward meeting the goals, objectives, benchmarks, and 
timeframes specified in the strategy developed pursuant to 
section 4 at the program level, as developed pursuant to moni-
toring and evaluation specified in section 6, with particular 
emphasis on whether there are demonstrable student improve-
ments in literacy, numeracy, or other basic skills development 
that prepare an individual to be an active, productive member 
of society and the workforce. 
DIVISION B—SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR 
DISASTER RELIEF REQUIREMENTS 
The following sums are hereby appropriated, out of any money 
in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, and out of applicable 
corporate or other revenues, receipts, and funds, for the several 
departments, agencies, corporations, and other organizational units 
of Government for fiscal year 2017, and for other purposes, namely: 
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY 
FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY 
DISASTER RELIEF FUND 
For an additional amount for ‘‘Disaster Relief Fund’’ for major 
disasters declared pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.), 
$7,400,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That 
such amount is designated by the Congress as being for an emer-
gency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Bal-
anced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985: Provided 
further, That the amount designated under this heading as an 
emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the 
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 shall 
be available only if the President subsequently so designates such 
amount and transmits such designation to the Congress.
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SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 
DISASTER LOANS PROGRAM ACCOUNT 
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS) 
For an additional amount for the ‘‘Disaster Loans Program 
Account’’ for the cost of direct loans authorized by section 7(b) 
of the Small Business Act, $450,000,000, to remain available until 
expended: Provided, That up to $225,000,000 may be transferred 
to and merged with ‘‘Salaries and Expenses’’ for administrative 
expenses to carry out the disaster loan program authorized by 
section 7(b) of the Small Business Act: Provided further, That 
none of the funds provided under this heading may be used for 
indirect administrative expenses: Provided further, That the amount 
provided under this heading is designated as an emergency require-
ment pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget 
and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985: Provided further, That 
the amount designated under this heading as an emergency require-
ment pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget 
and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 shall be available only 
if the President subsequently so designates such amount and trans-
mits such designation to the Congress. 
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT 
COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT 
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUND 
(INCLUDING TRANSFERS OF FUNDS) 
For an additional amount for ‘‘Community Development Fund’’, 
$7,400,000,000, to remain available until expended, for necessary 
expenses for activities authorized under title I of the Housing 
and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.) 
related to disaster relief, long-term recovery, restoration of infra-
structure and housing, and economic revitalization in the most 
impacted and distressed areas resulting from a major disaster 
declared in 2017 pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.): Provided, 
That funds shall be awarded directly to the State or unit of general 
local government at the discretion of the Secretary: Provided fur-
ther, That as a condition of making any grant, the Secretary shall 
certify in advance that such grantee has in place proficient financial 
controls and procurement processes and has established adequate 
procedures to prevent any duplication of benefits as defined by 
section 312 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5155), to ensure timely expenditure of 
funds, to maintain comprehensive websites regarding all disaster 
recovery activities assisted with these funds, and to detect and 
prevent waste, fraud, and abuse of funds: Provided further, That 
prior to the obligation of funds a grantee shall submit a plan 
to the Secretary for approval detailing the proposed use of all 
funds, including criteria for eligibility and how the use of these 
funds will address long-term recovery and restoration of infrastruc-
ture and housing and economic revitalization in the most impacted 
and distressed areas: Provided further, That such funds may not