Title: U.S.-Africa Strategic Security Act
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
U.S.-Africa Strategic Security Act
This bill prohibits the Department of Defense (DOD), absent a report that addresses specified issues, from using FY2020 funds to reduce the number of U.S. Armed Forces deployed to the U.S. Africa Command Area of responsibility. Specifically, DOD must report on issues including U.S. political and military strategies in the region and the potential effects of a withdrawal.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6089 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6089

  To limit the use of funds to be used to reduce the total number of 
United States Armed Forces deployed to the United States Africa Command 
                        area of responsibility.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 4, 2020

   Mr. Panetta (for himself, Mr. Hudson, Mr. Crow, and Mr. Brown of 
  Maryland) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To limit the use of funds to be used to reduce the total number of 
United States Armed Forces deployed to the United States Africa Command 
                        area of responsibility.

    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 ``U.S.-Africa Strategic Security 
Act''.

SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON USE OF FUNDS FOR A REDUCTION OF THE TOTAL NUMBER 
              OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES DEPLOYED TO UNITED STATES 
              AFRICA COMMAND AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY.

    (a) Limitation.--No amounts authorized to be appropriated for 
fiscal year 2020 may be obligated or expended to reduce the total 
number of United States Armed Forces deployed to United States Africa 
Command area of responsibility (in this section referred to as 
``AFRICOM AOR'') until the date on which each covered official jointly 
submits to the appropriate congressional committees a report described 
in subsection (b).
    (b) Report.--
            (1) In general.--A report described in this subsection is a 
        report that addresses each of the following:
                    (A) The effect that the withdrawal of any United 
                States Armed Forces from the AFRICOM AOR would have on 
                military, intelligence, diplomatic, developmental, and 
                humanitarian efforts to combat each of the violent 
                extremist organizations described in paragraph (2), 
                including a statement of the current objectives of each 
                covered official with respect to such efforts.
                    (B) The strength, regenerative capacity, and intent 
                of each such violent extremist organizations described 
                in paragraph (2) in the AFRICOM AOR, including--
                            (i) an assessment of the number of fighters 
                        in the area of responsibility;
                            (ii) the domestic and international threat 
                        the violent extremist organizations pose to the 
                        United States and its allies; and
                            (iii) the likely reaction of such violent 
                        extremist organizations to the withdrawal of 
                        United States Armed Forces.
                    (C) The strategic risks involved with countering 
                such violent extremist organizations following a 
                withdrawal of United States Armed Forces.
                    (D) The operational risks involved with conducting 
                United States led or enabled operations in Africa 
                against such violent extremist organizations following 
                a withdrawal of United States Armed Forces.
                    (E) The military and political strategy of the 
                covered official for meeting any threat from such 
                violent extremist organizations.
                    (F) The effect any United States withdrawal from 
                Africa would have on Chinese power and influence in 
                Africa.
                    (G) The effect any United States withdrawal from 
                Africa would have on Russian power and influence in 
                Africa.
                    (H) Any efforts the covered official plans to 
                undertake to support legitimate, effective, and 
                democratic local governance in Africa to diminish the 
                intent, capability, and likelihood of return of such 
                violent extremist organizations.
                    (I) Any consultation or coordination with allies, 
                partners, and associates of the United States 
                concerning the withdrawal of United States Armed Forces 
                from the AFRICOM AOR.
                    (J) An assessment of the likely response from the 
                governments and military forces of France, the United 
                Kingdom, and Canada to the withdrawal of United States 
                Armed Forces from the AFRICOM AOR.
            (2) Violent extremist organizations described.--The violent 
        extremist organizations described in this paragraph are each of 
        the following:
                    (A) Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (``ISIS'').
                    (B) Al Qaeda.
                    (C) Ansaroul Islam.
                    (D) Boko Haram.
                    (E) Al-Shabaab.
                    (F) Other adversarial groups and forces in the 
                AFRICOM AOR, as determined by the covered official.
    (c) Waiver.--The Secretary of Defense may waive the limitation 
under subsection (a) if, upon advice of the relevant military 
commanders, the Secretary determines that the waiver is necessary due 
to an imminent and extraordinary threat to members of the United States 
Armed Forces in the AFRICOM AOR.
    (d) Form.--The report described in subsection (b) shall be 
submitted in unclassified form, but may contain a classified annex.
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``appropriate congressional committees'' 
        means--
                    (A) the congressional defense committees (which has 
                the meaning given the term in section 101(a)(16) of 
                title 10, United States Code);
                    (B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
                of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign 
                Relations of the Senate; and
                    (C) the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence 
                of the House of Representatives and the Select 
                Committee on Intelligence of the Senate.
            (2) The term ``covered official'' means--
                    (A) the Secretary of Defense;
                    (B) the Secretary of State;
                    (C) the Director of National Intelligence;
                    (D) the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy;
                    (E) the Under Secretary of Defense for 
                Intelligence;
                    (F) the Assistant Secretary of Defense for 
                International Security Affairs;
                    (G) the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special 
                Operations/Low-Intensity Conflict;
                    (H) the Commander of United States Africa Command;
                    (I) the Commander of United States Special 
                Operations Command; and
                    (J) the Administrator of the United States Agency 
                for International Development.
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