Sec. 2. Sense of Congress

672 words·~3 min read·/bill/115/hr/6207/rfs/section-2

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It is the sense of Congress that— the Democratic Republic of Congo has historically faced election-related political instability, endemic corruption, armed conflict, gross human rights abuses, and humanitarian crises, which destabilizes the region and causes massive human suffering; the United States has provided billions of dollars to help stabilize the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including through humanitarian aid, development assistance, and support for peacekeeping operations, since the end of the civil and regional war in 2003; the stability of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is a strategic priority for the United States on the African continent and it is in the national security interest of the United States to support accountable governance in the Democratic Republic of Congo;

United States policy with respect to the Democratic Republic of Congo should focus on helping the country become more stable and democratic, including through supporting legitimate state authority, such that the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo is better able to respond to and provide for the basic needs of its citizens and live in peaceful coexistence with its neighbors; the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo should comply with all obligations under its Constitution, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights ratified on November 1, 1976, and the December 2016 Saint Sylvestre agreement brokered by the Congolese Conference of Catholic Bishops, by— immediately lifting restrictions on the freedoms of assembly, expression, and association; releasing all political prisoners, including those detained for peacefully exercising their rights; ensuring that state security forces protect the rights of peaceful demonstrators; bringing to justice security force personnel accused of serious abuses against citizens, including against protesters or opposition supporters; and allowing private media outlets to operate freely; the United States should continue to support efforts to hold free, fair, and democratic elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including by supporting the completion of an inclusive, transparent voter registration process and civic education, preventing or mitigating violence, and facilitating credible election observation by the African Union, the Southern African Development Community, and other appropriate civil society entities.

It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, should continue to provide humanitarian and development assistance to the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo through credible and independent nongovernmental organizations, including local partners, human rights organizations, women-led organizations, and faith-based or non-faith-based organizations. In providing such assistance, the Secretary and Administrator should prioritize— promoting partnerships with organizations that have had a long-term presence in the country and have achieved measurable impact, including by building the capacity of local partners, human rights organizations, women-led organizations, or faith-based or non-faith-based organizations to address local needs; placing the country on a trajectory toward ending the need for foreign assistance; and evaluating the comparative merits of grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, and other methods for providing foreign assistance.

It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of State and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development should— continue to— support long-term peace and stability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo by strengthening democratic institutions and promoting respect for the rule of law at the national, provincial, and local levels; support the capacity of civil society actors to promote transparency, accountability, freedom of expression, and anti-corruption efforts; support conflict prevention and mitigation activities where appropriate, particularly in the Kasai region, the Tanganyika Province, the North and South Kivu Provinces, and the Ituri Province; and work to address the root causes of chronic violence and fragility, with a focus on youth empowerment, education, and the promotion of justice and accountability mechanisms; and seek to work directly with and through credible, independent, nongovernmental organizations, including local partners, human rights organizations, women-led organizations, and faith-based or non-faith-based organizations, to— defend internationally recognized democratic rights; support freedom of expression, including through media broadcasting; combat public corruption; and improve the transparency and accountability of governing institutions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.