End Corruption in the Northern Triangle Act

Bill: 115-hr-5501
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Torres, Norma J. [D-CA-35]
Introduced: 2018-04-12
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Congressional oversight

Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation

Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad

Drug trafficking and controlled substances

El Salvador

Elections, voting, political campaign regulation

Foreign aid and international relief

Government ethics and transparency, public corruption

Government information and archives

Guatemala

Honduras

Human rights

International law and treaties

International organizations and cooperation

Latin America

Military assistance, sales, and agreements

Sovereignty, recognition, national governance and status
Latest action: action_date: 2018-06-04
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere.

Summaries:
action_date: 2018-04-12
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>End Corruption in the Northern Triangle Act</b></p> <p>This bill directs the Department of State to: (1) submit to Congress a strategy to enhance U.S. efforts to dismantle systemic corruption in the Northern Triangle (El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras), and (2) make available on its website the total amounts of assistance under the Central America Regional Security Initiative that have been provided to each Central American country since FY2008. </p>

tv_txt: I 115th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5501 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 12, 2018 Mrs. Torres introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs , and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To direct the Secretary of State to take certain actions to end corruption in the Northern Triangle region of Central America, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the End Corruption in the Northern Triangle Act . 2. Definitions In this Act: (1) Appropriate congressional committees The term appropriate congressional committees means— (A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and (B) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate. (2) Grand corruption The term grand corruption means public corruption committed at a high level of government that— (A) distorts policies or the central functioning of the country; and (B) enables leaders to benefit at the expense of the public good. (3) Northern triangle The term Northern Triangle means the region of Central America that encompasses the countries of Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. (4) Northern triangle countries The term Northern Triangle countries means the countries of Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. 3. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) According to the February 9, 2017, Presidential Executive order on Enforcing Federal Law with Respect to Transnational Criminal Organizations and Preventing International Trafficking , transnational criminal organizations are drivers of crime, corruption, violence, and misery , and a comprehensive and decisive approach is required to dismantle these organized crime syndicates and restore safety for the American people. . (2) Since 2008, the United States has provided more than $1 billion through the Central America Regional Security Initiative in order to address violence, organized crime, and narcotics trafficking and in Central America. (3) The 2017 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report stated that corruption within the Salvadoran political system remains a serious problem . (4) According to the same report, in Guatemala widespread corruption permeates public and private institutions and exacerbates the country’s security, governmental, and economic challenges . (5) The same report notes that in Honduras, corruption has undermined progress on disrupting and degrading illegal trafficking, because trafficking organizations have infiltrated some military units in active drug corridors . 4. Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that— (1) systemic corruption constitutes a significant threat to the long-term prospects for democratic governance, prosperity, and security in the Northern Triangle, and is an impediment to United States efforts to reduce the flow of cocaine and other narcotics from South America to the United States; (2) the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala and the Mission to Support the Fight against Corruption and Impunity in Honduras have made important contributions to the fight against corruption in Guatemala and Honduras, respectively; and (3) the lack of an international commission against impunity in El Salvador is a limiting factor in efforts to combat corruption in that country. 5. Anti-corruption strategy (a) In general Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a strategy to enhance United States efforts to dismantle systemic corruption in the Northern Triangle. (b) Elements The strategy shall include the following elements: (1) Diplomatic and financial support for international commissions against impunity. (2) Enhanced cooperation with local prosecutors, investigative units within national and local police forces, and revenue and customs authorities of each Northern Triangle country. (3) Exchange of information relevant to ongoing criminal investigations, where possible, with local prosecutors and the international commissions against impunity. (4) The designations of individuals within the Northern Triangle that meet the requirements for designations under— (A) the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act ( 21 U.S.C. 1901 et seq.); (B) section 212(a)(2)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(2)(C) ); or (C) the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act (subtitle F of title XII of Public Law 114–328 ; 22 U.S.C. 2656 note). 6. Report on corruption and narcotics trafficking (a) In general Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the intelligence community (as such term is defined in section 3(4) of the National Security Act of 1947 ( 50 U.S.C. 3003(4) ), shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a report regarding corruption and illicit campaign finance in the Northern Triangle. (b) Matters To be included The report required under subsection (a) shall include— (1) the names of senior government officials in any of the Northern Triangle countries who are known to have committed or facilitated acts of grand corruption or narcotics trafficking; (2) the names of elected officials in any of the Northern Triangle countries who are known to have received campaign funds that are the proceeds of narco-trafficking or other illicit activities in the last 2 years; and (3) the names of individuals who are known to have facilitated the financing of political campaigns in any of the Northern Triangle countries with the proceeds of narco-trafficking or other illicit activities in the last 2 years. (c) Form The report submitted under subsection (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex. 7. Central America Regional Security Initiative Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall make available on the website of the Department of State the total amounts of assistance under the Central America Regional Security Initiative that have been provided to each country within Central America since fiscal year 2008.