Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-1141
Sponsor: Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]
Introduced: 2017-05-16 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Conflicts and wars
Congressional oversight
Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad
Foreign aid and international relief
Human rights
Human trafficking
International law and treaties
Military education and training
Reconstruction and stabilization
Rule of law and government transparency
Sex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination
Sovereignty, recognition, national governance and status
Terrorism
Women's rights

Summary:
action_date: 2017-05-16
text: 

Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017

 
This bill expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the United States should be a global leader in promoting the participation of women in conflict prevention, management, and resolution and post-conflict relief and recovery efforts; and (2) the political participation and leadership of women in fragile environments, particularly during democratic transitions, is critical to sustaining democratic institutions.
 
The President, by one year after this bill's enactment and four years thereafter, shall submit to Congress and make public a Women, Peace, and Security Strategy, which shall: 
 
 
 be aligned with other countries' plans to improve the participation of women in peace and security processes, conflict prevention, peace building, and decision-making institutions; 
 
include goals and evaluation plans to ensure strategy effectiveness; and
 
 include a specific implementation plan from each relevant federal agency. 
 
 
The President is urged to promote women's participation in conflict prevention. 
 
 The Department of State and the Department of Defense shall ensure that specified personnel receive training in conflict prevention, mitigation, and resolution and on other related topics.
 
The State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development may establish guidelines for overseas U.S. personnel to consult with appropriate stakeholders regarding U.S. efforts to: (1) prevent, mitigate, or resolve violent conflict; and (2) enhance the success of mediation and negotiation processes by ensuring the meaningful participation of women. 
 
 The State Department is urged to work with international, regional, national, and local organizations to increase the participation of women in international peacekeeping operations.

action_date: 2017-08-03
text: 
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)
 

Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017

 
 (Sec. 3) This bill expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the United States should be a global leader in promoting the participation of women in conflict prevention, management, and resolution and post-conflict relief and recovery efforts; (2) the political participation and leadership of women in fragile environments, particularly during democratic transitions, is critical to sustaining democratic institutions; and (3) the participation of women in conflict prevention and conflict resolution helps promote more inclusive and democratic societies and is critical to country and regional stability. 
 
 (Sec. 5) The President, within one year after enactment of this bill and again four years later, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees and make public a Women, Peace, and Security Strategy, which shall: 
 
 
 be aligned with other nations' plans to improve the participation of women in peace and security processes, conflict prevention, peace building, and decision-making institutions; and 
 
include goals and evaluation plans to ensure strategy effectiveness. 
 
 
 Such a strategy shall include a specific implementation plan from each relevant federal agency. 
 
The President is urged to promote women's participation in conflict prevention. 
 
 It is the sense of Congress that the President should: (1) provide technical assistance and training to female negotiators, peace builders, and stakeholders (non-governmental and private sector entities engaged in or affected by conflict prevention and stabilization, peace building, security, or related efforts); (2) address security-related barriers to women's participation; (3) encourage increased women's participation in U.S.-funded programs that provide foreign nationals with law enforcement, rule of law, or military education training; (4) support appropriate local organizations, especially women's peace building organizations; and (5) expand gender analysis to improve program design.
 
 (Sec. 6) The Department of State shall ensure that personnel responsible for, or deploying to, countries or regions considered to be at risk of undergoing, or emerging from, violent conflict obtain training in the following areas, each of which shall include a focus on ensuring participation by women: 
 
 
conflict prevention, mitigation, and resolution; 
 
protecting civilians from violence, exploitation, and trafficking in persons; and 
 
international human rights law.
 
 
The Department of Defense shall ensure that relevant personnel receive training in: 
 
 
conflict prevention, peace processes, mitigation, resolution, and security initiatives that addresses the importance of participation by women; and 
 
gender considerations and participation by women, including training regarding international human rights law and protecting civilians from violence, exploitation, and trafficking in persons. 
 
 
 (Sec. 7) The State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development shall establish guidelines for overseas U.S. personnel to consult with stakeholders regarding U.S. efforts to: 
 
 
prevent, mitigate, or resolve violent conflict; and 
 
enhance the success of mediation and negotiation processes by ensuring the meaningful participation of women. 
 
 
 The State Department is urged to work with international, regional, national, and local organizations to increase the participation of women in international peacekeeping operations.
 
 (Sec. 8) The State Department, within one year after the first strategy's submission, shall brief the appropriate congressional committees on training regarding the participation of women in conflict resolution. 
 
 The President, within two years after each strategy's submission, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that evaluates the implementation of such strategy and the impact of U.S. diplomatic efforts and foreign assistance programs to promote the participation of women.

action_date: 2017-09-25
text: 
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The expanded summary of the Senate passed version is repeated here.)
 

Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017

 
 (Sec. 3) This bill expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the United States should be a global leader in promoting the participation of women in conflict prevention, management, and resolution and post-conflict relief and recovery efforts; (2) the political participation and leadership of women in fragile environments, particularly during democratic transitions, is critical to sustaining democratic institutions; and (3) the participation of women in conflict prevention and conflict resolution helps promote more inclusive and democratic societies and is critical to country and regional stability. 
 
 (Sec. 5) The President, within one year after enactment of this bill and again four years later, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees and make public a Women, Peace, and Security Strategy, which shall: 
 
 
 be aligned with other nations' plans to improve the participation of women in peace and security processes, conflict prevention, peace building, and decision-making institutions; and 
 
include goals and evaluation plans to ensure strategy effectiveness. 
 
 
 Such a strategy shall include a specific implementation plan from each relevant federal agency. 
 
The President is urged to promote women's participation in conflict prevention. 
 
 It is the sense of Congress that the President should: (1) provide technical assistance and training to female negotiators, peace builders, and stakeholders (non-governmental and private sector entities engaged in or affected by conflict prevention and stabilization, peace building, security, or related efforts); (2) address security-related barriers to women's participation; (3) encourage increased women's participation in U.S.-funded programs that provide foreign nationals with law enforcement, rule of law, or military education training; (4) support appropriate local organizations, especially women's peace building organizations; and (5) expand gender analysis to improve program design.
 
 (Sec. 6) The Department of State shall ensure that personnel responsible for, or deploying to, countries or regions considered to be at risk of undergoing, or emerging from, violent conflict obtain training in the following areas, each of which shall include a focus on ensuring participation by women: 
 
 
conflict prevention, mitigation, and resolution; 
 
protecting civilians from violence, exploitation, and trafficking in persons; and 
 
international human rights law.
 
 
The Department of Defense shall ensure that relevant personnel receive training in: 
 
 
conflict prevention, peace processes, mitigation, resolution, and security initiatives that addresses the importance of participation by women; and 
 
gender considerations and participation by women, including training regarding international human rights law and protecting civilians from violence, exploitation, and trafficking in persons. 
 
 
 (Sec. 7) The State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development shall establish guidelines for overseas U.S. personnel to consult with stakeholders regarding U.S. efforts to: 
 
 
prevent, mitigate, or resolve violent conflict; and 
 
enhance the success of mediation and negotiation processes by ensuring the meaningful participation of women. 
 
 
 The State Department is urged to work with international, regional, national, and local organizations to increase the participation of women in international peacekeeping operations.
 
 (Sec. 8) The State Department, within one year after the first strategy's submission, shall brief the appropriate congressional committees on training regarding the participation of women in conflict resolution. 
 
 The President, within two years after each strategy's submission, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that evaluates the implementation of such strategy and the impact of U.S. diplomatic efforts and foreign assistance programs to promote the participation of women.

action_date: 2017-10-06
text: 
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The expanded summary of the Senate passed version is repeated here.)
 

Women, Peace, and Security Act of 2017

 
 (Sec. 3) This bill expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the United States should be a global leader in promoting the participation of women in conflict prevention, management, and resolution and post-conflict relief and recovery efforts; (2) the political participation and leadership of women in fragile environments, particularly during democratic transitions, is critical to sustaining democratic institutions; and (3) the participation of women in conflict prevention and conflict resolution helps promote more inclusive and democratic societies and is critical to country and regional stability. 
 
 (Sec. 5) The President, within one year after enactment of this bill and again four years later, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees and make public a Women, Peace, and Security Strategy, which shall: 
 
 
 be aligned with other nations' plans to improve the participation of women in peace and security processes, conflict prevention, peace building, and decision-making institutions; and 
 
include goals and evaluation plans to ensure strategy effectiveness. 
 
 
 Such a strategy shall include a specific implementation plan from each relevant federal agency. 
 
The President is urged to promote women's participation in conflict prevention. 
 
 It is the sense of Congress that the President should: (1) provide technical assistance and training to female negotiators, peace builders, and stakeholders (non-governmental and private sector entities engaged in or affected by conflict prevention and stabilization, peace building, security, or related efforts); (2) address security-related barriers to women's participation; (3) encourage increased women's participation in U.S.-funded programs that provide foreign nationals with law enforcement, rule of law, or military education training; (4) support appropriate local organizations, especially women's peace building organizations; and (5) expand gender analysis to improve program design.
 
 (Sec. 6) The Department of State shall ensure that personnel responsible for, or deploying to, countries or regions considered to be at risk of undergoing, or emerging from, violent conflict obtain training in the following areas, each of which shall include a focus on ensuring participation by women: 
 
 
conflict prevention, mitigation, and resolution; 
 
protecting civilians from violence, exploitation, and trafficking in persons; and 
 
international human rights law.
 
 
The Department of Defense shall ensure that relevant personnel receive training in: 
 
 
conflict prevention, peace processes, mitigation, resolution, and security initiatives that addresses the importance of participation by women; and 
 
gender considerations and participation by women, including training regarding international human rights law and protecting civilians from violence, exploitation, and trafficking in persons. 
 
 
 (Sec. 7) The State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development shall establish guidelines for overseas U.S. personnel to consult with stakeholders regarding U.S. efforts to: 
 
 
prevent, mitigate, or resolve violent conflict; and 
 
enhance the success of mediation and negotiation processes by ensuring the meaningful participation of women. 
 
 
 The State Department is urged to work with international, regional, national, and local organizations to increase the participation of women in international peacekeeping operations.
 
 (Sec. 8) The State Department, within one year after the first strategy's submission, shall brief the appropriate congressional committees on training regarding the participation of women in conflict resolution. 
 
 The President, within two years after each strategy's submission, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that evaluates the implementation of such strategy and the impact of U.S. diplomatic efforts and foreign assistance programs to promote the participation of women.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2017-10-06
text: Signed by President.
action_date: 2017-10-06
text: Signed by President.
action_date: 2017-09-28
text: Presented to President.
action_date: 2017-09-28
text: Presented to President.
action_date: 2017-09-25
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2017-09-25
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H7447-7448)
action_date: 2017-09-25
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H7447-7448)
action_date: 2017-09-25
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 1141.
action_date: 2017-09-25
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H7446-7450)
action_date: 2017-09-25
text: Mr. Royce (CA) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
action_date: 2017-08-04
text: Held at the desk.
action_date: 2017-08-04
text: Received in the House.
action_date: 2017-08-04
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2017-08-03
text: Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote. (consideration: CR S4889-4891; text: CR S4889-4891)
action_date: 2017-08-03
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.(consideration: CR S4889-4891; text: CR S4889-4891)
action_date: 2017-06-08
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 123.
action_date: 2017-06-08
text: Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Corker without amendment. With written report No. 115-93.
action_date: 2017-06-08
text: Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Corker without amendment. With written report No. 115-93.
action_date: 2017-05-25
text: Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
action_date: 2017-05-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2017-05-16
text: Introduced in Senate

Enacted as: number: 115-68