Foreign Prison Conditions Improvement Act of 2010

Bill: 111-s-3798
Sponsor: Sen. Leahy, Patrick J. [D-VT]
Introduced: 2010-09-16 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Correctional facilities and imprisonment
Department of State
Detention of persons
Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal officials
Foreign aid and international relief
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Human rights
Sanctions
Visas and passports

Summary:
action_date: 2010-09-16
text: 
Foreign Prison Conditions Improvement Act of 2010 - Directs the Secretary of State to annually report to Congress describing prison and detention facility conditions in countries receiving U.S. assistance, including a list of countries whose governments do not meet minimum prison and detention facility standards but are, and those who are not, making significant compliance efforts. 
 
Urges the Secretary and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to provide assistance to countries whose governments do not meet such minimum standards but are making significant compliance efforts. Prohibits such funds from being used to construct new prisons.
 
Directs the Secretary to enter into negotiations to achieve the purposes of this Act with a government listed in the report as not making significant compliance efforts. Authorizes in order to achieve such purposes: (1) the Secretary and the Administrator to restructure or reduce U.S. assistance to such government; and (2) the Secretary to issue or deny visas for U.S. travel by officials of such government. 
 
Directs the Secretary to establish within the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor a full-time equivalent Deputy Assistant Secretary level position to advance the purposes of this Act.

action_date: 2010-12-21
text: 
Foreign Prison Conditions Improvement Act of 2010 - Directs the Secretary of State to annually report to Congress describing prison and detention facility conditions in countries receiving U.S. assistance, including a list of countries whose governments do not meet minimum prison and detention facility standards but are, and those who are not, making significant compliance efforts. 
 
Urges the Secretary and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to provide assistance to countries whose governments do not meet such minimum standards but are making significant compliance efforts. Prohibits such funds from being used to construct new prisons.
 
Directs the Secretary to enter into negotiations to achieve the purposes of this Act with a government listed in the report as not making significant compliance efforts. Authorizes in order to achieve such purposes: (1) the Secretary and the Administrator to restructure or reduce U.S. assistance to such government; and (2) the Secretary to issue or deny visas for U.S. travel by officials of such government. 
 
Directs the Secretary to establish within the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor a full-time equivalent Deputy Assistant Secretary level position to advance the purposes of this Act.
 
Authorizes appropriations.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2010-12-21
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 724.
action_date: 2010-12-21
text: Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Kerry with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2010-12-21
text: Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Kerry with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2010-12-14
text: Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2010-09-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2010-09-16
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S7176-7177)
action_date: 2010-09-16
text: Introduced in Senate