Sec. 1276. Strategic competition initiative for United States Southern Command and United States Africa Command

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The Secretary of Defense may develop and carry out, through the Department of Defense authorities specified in subsection (d), an initiative to support programs and activities for long-term strategic competition with near-peer rivals in the areas of responsibility of the United States Southern Command and the United States Africa Command. The purpose of the initiative under subsection

(a)is to support Department efforts— to compete strategically with, and counter the influence of, near-peer rivals in such areas of responsibility; to counter coercion by near-peer rivals against United States allies and partners in competition short of armed conflict, including by addressing sources of insecurity and other vulnerabilities that near-peer rivals exploit to gain leverage or sow division; to strengthen the resilience of foreign security forces and ministries in such areas of responsibility against corruption and malign influence from near-peer rivals, including by building institutional capabilities for accountability and adherence to the rule of law; and to support and enable United States Government interagency integration and activities that advance United States national security objectives for strategic competition with near-peer rivals, including by supporting civilian efforts to address vulnerabilities arising from the COVID–19 pandemic in such areas of responsibility. The Secretary, in consultation with the Commander of the United States Southern Command and the Commander of the United States Africa Command, shall develop and submit to the congressional defense committees a plan for the initiative under subsection (a). Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees the plan developed under paragraph (1). The authorities specified in this subsection are the following: The authority of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency under section 332 of title 10, United States Code, to carry out— institutional capacity-building activities; and the Ministry of Defense Advisors program. Security cooperation authorities under chapter 16 of title 10, United States Code. Legal institution capacity-building authority under section 1210 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 ( Public Law 116–92 ; 133 Stat. 1625; 10 U.S.C. 332 note). Overseas humanitarian, disaster, and civic aid authorities under sections 404 and 2561 of title 10, United States Code. Joint task force authority to support law enforcement agencies conducting counterterrorism, counter illicit trafficking, and counter transnational organized crime activities under section 285 of title 10, United States Code, as added by this Act. Stabilization activities authority under section 1210A of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 ( Public Law 116–92 ; 133 Stat. 1626). The authority of the Defense Environmental International Cooperation program. Any other authority the Secretary considers appropriate. Not later than 15 days before commencing the initiative under subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a notification containing each of the following: An identification of one or more countries in which a program under the initiative will be conducted. A description of the strategic objectives of each such program. The budget and timetable for implementing and completing each such program. A description of the arrangements, if any, for a host country to sustain such a program or any capability developed by such a program. Beginning in the fiscal year in which the Secretary commences the initiative under subsection (a), and annually thereafter through the fiscal year in which the initiative terminates under subsection (h), the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the implementation of the initiative. Amounts for programs and activities carried out under subsection

(a)in a fiscal year may be derived from amounts authorized to be appropriated for such fiscal year for the Department of Defense for operations and maintenance. The authority for the initiative under subsection

(a)shall terminate on December 31, 2024.

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