ADVANCE Democracy Act of 2005

Bill: 109-hr-1133
Sponsor: Rep. Wolf, Frank R. [R-VA-10]
Introduced: 2005-03-03 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Administration of justice
Administrative procedure
Africa (Sub-Saharan)
Alliances
American investments
Armed Forces and National Security
Arms control
Arms sales
Arts, Culture, Religion
Asia
Awards, medals, prizes
Ballots
Central Asia
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Collective security
Commemorations
Commerce
Conferences
Congress
Congress and foreign policy
Congressional oversight
Congressional reporting requirements
Congressional tributes
Crime and Law Enforcement
Crimes against humanity
Criminal investigation
Cultural relations
Declaration of Independence
Democracy
Department of State
Developing countries
Development credit institutions
Diplomacy
Diplomats
Dissenters
Drug abuse
Drug law enforcement
Drug traffic
East Asia
Economic assistance
Education
Electronic government information
Embassies
Employee rights
Employee training
Environmental Protection
Ethnic relations
Europe
Executive Office of the President
Executive reorganization
Export controls
Export finance
Families
Federal advisory bodies
Federal employees
Federal officials
Forced labor
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Foreign leaders
Foreign loans
Foreign service
Free enterprise
Freedom of association
Freedom of speech
Freedom of the press
Genocide
Government Operations and Politics
Government ethics
Government procurement
Government property
Government publicity
Government trust funds
Governmental investigations
Higher education
Human rights
Hungary
Immigration
Import restrictions
International agencies
International broadcasting
International cooperation in science
International environmental cooperation
International labor activities
International law
Internet
Investment guaranty insurance
Labor and Employment
Language and languages
Law
Licenses
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Marine resources conservation
Married people
Mass media
Middle East and North Africa
Military attaches
Minorities
Murder
Nongovernmental organizations
Nonviolence
Nuclear nonproliferation
Ocean
Opposition (Political science)
Parliamentary government
Peace
Performance measurement
Pluralism (Social sciences)
Political participation
Political parties
Political persecution
Political rights
Political violence
Population
President and foreign policy
Presidential appointments
Presidential messages
Promotions
Prostitution
Public corruption
Racial discrimination
Refugees
Regionalism (International organization)
Religion
Religious liberty
Right of property
Rule of law
Salaries
Sanctions (International law)
Science, Technology, Communications
Sex discrimination
Slavery
South Asia
Standards
Strategic planning
Technology transfer
Torture
Translating and interpreting
United Nations
Visas
Voting rights
War crimes
Web sites
Women
Women's rights

Summary:
action_date: 2005-03-03
text: 
Advance Democratic Values, Address Nondemocratic Countries, and Enhance Democracy Act of 2005 or the ADVANCE Democracy Act of 2005 - States that the promotion of freedom and democracy in foreign countries is a fundamental component of U.S. foreign policy.
 
Amends the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 to establish the position of Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs, who shall have primary responsibility to assist the Secretary of State in implementing policies and activities relating to the transition to, and development of, democracy in nondemocratic countries. 
 
Establishes within the Department of State: (1) an Office of Democratic Movements and Transitions; and (2) a position of Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor.
 
Directs the Secretary to establish at least one Regional Democracy Hub in U.S. missions in: (1) the Western Hemisphere; (2) Europe; (3) South Asia; (4) the Near East; (5) East Asia and the Pacific; and (6) Africa.
 
Sets forth provisions respecting strategies and activities to enhance democracy in foreign countries.
 
Establishes a Democracy Promotion and Human Rights Advisory Board. 
 
Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish an Internet site for global democracy and human rights; (2) require each chief of mission in each foreign country categorized as nondemocratic to develop a strategy to promote democracy and support individuals and nongovernmental organizations that are committed to democratic principles.
 
Amends the Foreign Service Act of 1980 to include training in democracy and the promotion of democracy and human rights in provisions respecting Foreign Service training, performance pay, promotions, and chief-of-mission appointments.
 
Expresses the sense of Congress with respect to alliances with other democratic countries, including: (1) creation of Democracy Caucuses; (2) strengthening the Community of Democracies; (3) support for the initiative of the Government of Hungary and the governments of other European countries to establish a Democracy Transition Center; and (4) support for regional initiatives.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to U.S. nongovernmental organizations to assist the Community of Democracies.
 
Provides funding for the Human Rights and Democracy Fund.
 
Sets forth presidential actions with respect to nondemocratic countries.
 
Directs the President to collect information regarding incidents that may constitute crimes against humanity, genocide, slavery, or other violations of international humanitarian law by leaders or other government officials of nondemocratic countries. 
 
Amends the the National Security Act of 1947, as amended by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, to express the sense of Congress that there should be within the National Security Council (NSC) a Special Assistant to the President on Nondemocratic Countries and Transition to Democracy.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-03-03
text: Referred to the House Committee on International Relations.
action_date: 2005-03-03
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2005-03-03
text: Introduced in House