To repeal the statutory authority for the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (the successor institution to the United States Army School of the Americas) in the Department of Defense, to provide for the establishment of a joint congressional task force to conduct an assessment of the kind of education and training that is appropriate for the Department of Defense to provide to military personnel of Latin American nations, and for other purposes.

May 10, 2001

Mr. MCGOVERN (for himself, Mr. SCARBOROUGH, Mr. MOAKLEY, Mrs. MORELLA, Mr. SHAYS, and Mr. EVANS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services

To repeal the statutory authority for the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (the successor institution to the United States Army School of the Americas) in the Department of Defense, to provide for the establishment of a joint congressional task force to conduct an assessment of the kind of education and training that is appropriate for the Department of Defense to provide to military personnel of Latin American nations, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. REPEAL OF AUTHORITY FOR WESTERN HEMISPHERE INSTITUTE FOR SECURITY COOPERATION.

(a) CLOSURE OF INSTITUTE- The Secretary of the Army shall close the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation.

(b) REPEAL- (1) Section 2166 of title 10, United States Code, is repealed.

(2) The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 108 of such title is amended by striking the item relating to section 2166.

(c) LIMITATION ON ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW EDUCATION AND TRAINING FACILITY- No training or education facility may be established in the Department of Defense for Latin American military personnel (as a successor to the United States Army School of the Americas, the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, or otherwise) until the end of the ten-month period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 2. JOINT CONGRESSIONAL TASK FORCE.

(a) ESTABLISHMENT- There is established a joint congressional task force to conduct an assessment of the kind of education and training that is appropriate for the Department of Defense to provide to military personnel of Latin American nations.

(b) COMPOSITION- The task force shall be composed of eight Members of Congress, of whom two each shall be designated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the minority leader of the House of Representatives, the majority leader of the Senate, and the minority leader of the Senate.

(c) REPORT- Not later than six months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the task force shall submit to Congress a report on its assessment under subsection (a). The report shall include--

(1) a critical assessment of courses, curriculum and procedures appropriate for such education and training; and

(2) an evaluation of the effect of such education and training on the performance of Latin American military personnel in the areas of human rights and adherence to democratic principles and the rule of law.

(d) DEFINITION- In this section, the term `Member' includes a Delegate to, or Resident Commissioner, in the Congress.

END