Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2008

Bill: 110-s-3263
Sponsor: Sen. Biden, Joseph R., Jr. [D-DE]
Introduced: 2008-07-15 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Administration of justice
Afghanistan
Armed Forces and National Security
Arms sales
Authorization
Boundaries
Civil-military relations
Commerce
Democracy
Economic growth
Economics and Public Finance
Families
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Free enterprise
Government Operations and Politics
Insurgency
Law
Military assistance
NATO countries
Pakistan
South Asia
Terrorism
Women

Summary:
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: 
Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2008 - Authorizes FY2009-FY2013 appropriations for assistance to Pakistan under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 for projects to benefit the people of Pakistan, including projects that promote: (1) democratic governance; (2) economic freedom and growth; and (3) investments in people, and particularly, women and children.
 
Limits certain military assistance and arms transfers to Pakistan until the Secretary of State certifies that Pakistan's security forces: (1) are making concerted efforts to prevent al Qaeda and the Taliban from operating in Pakistan's territory; and (2) are not materially interfering in Pakistan's political or judicial processes.
 
Directs the Secretary to develop a comprehensive, cross-border strategy for working with the government of Pakistan, the government of Afghanistan, the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance (NATO), and other allies to implement effective counterterrorism and counterinsurgency measurers along the border areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

action_date: 2008-09-26
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

 
Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2008 - (Sec. 3) Defines specified terms.
 
(Sec. 4) States that it is U.S. policy to: (1) support the consolidation of democracy in Pakistan; (2) build a long-term relationship with Pakistan; (3) further the economic development of Pakistan by expanding bilateral engagement with the government of Pakistan; (4) work with Pakistan and the countries bordering Pakistan to facilitate regional peace; (5) work with the government of Pakistan to prevent Pakistani territory from being used as a base or conduit for terrorist attacks; and (6) expand people-to-people engagement between the United States and Pakistan through increased educational, technical, and cultural exchanges.
 
(Sec. 5) Authorizes FY2009-FY2013 appropriations for assistance to Pakistan under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 for projects to benefit the people of Pakistan, including projects that promote: (1) democratic governance; (2) economic freedom and growth; and (3) investments in people, and particularly, women and children.
 
Encourages the utilization of Pakistani firms and community and local nongovernmental organizations in Pakistan to provide such assistance.
 
Authorizes the use of funds for operational and audit expenses.
 
Sets forth notification and reporting requirements.
 
(Sec. 6) Limits certain military assistance (as of FY2010) and arms transfers (as of FY2012) to Pakistan until the Secretary of State certifies that Pakistan's security forces: (1) are making concerted efforts to prevent al Qaeda and the Taliban from operating in Pakistan's territory; and (2) are not materially interfering in Pakistan's political or judicial processes.
 
(Sec. 7) Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) coalition support funds are critical components of the global fight against terrorism and the primary support for military operations of the government of Pakistan to destroy the terrorist threat and close terrorist safe havens; (2) the Pakistan reimbursement claims process for coalition support funds requires increased oversight and accountability; and (3) more specific guidance should be generated for officials associated with counterterrorism program oversight within the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan, the United States Central Command, the Department of Defense (DOD), the Department of State, and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
 
(Sec. 8) Directs the Secretary of State to develop a comprehensive, cross-border strategy for working with the government of Pakistan, the government of Afghanistan, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and other allies to implement effective counterterrorism and counterinsurgency measurers along the border areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 1093.
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Dodd without amendment. With written report No. 110-510.
action_date: 2008-09-26
text: Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Dodd without amendment. With written report No. 110-510.
action_date: 2008-07-29
text: Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2008-07-15
text: Introduced in Senate