Bill Title
To prohibit the Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service from funding entities that commit, fund, or support gross violations of internationally recognized human rights, and for other purposes.
Committees
House Natural Resources Committee
Bill Summary
Advancing Human Rights-Centered International Conservation Act of 2022 This bill requires the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to take actions to ensure that the international financial assistance it provides does not go to any foreign security force unit (e.g., a military or paramilitary unit) where there is a reasonable belief that the unit has committed a gross violation of internationally recognized human rights. The USFWS must conduct risk analysis to ensure that a recipient (or subgrantee) of a grant from the service does not fund or support any such unit. The prohibition against providing funding to such a unit shall not apply if the applicable government is taking effective steps to (1) bring the responsible members of the unit to justice, and (2) prevent gross violations of internationally recognized human rights by the unit in the future. The USFWS must take other actions to prevent funding such a unit, such as (1) coordinating with the Department of State on procedures for vetting potential assistance recipients, (2) publicly identifying units that are barred from receiving assistance, (3) requiring assistance recipients to provide certain information and to implement a safeguards plan, and (4) requiring periodic financial and programmatic audits of assistance recipients.
Bill
Sponsor
Committee
House Natural Resources Committee
Date
July 19, 2022
Question
On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended
Vote Type
2/3 YEA-AND-NAY
Result
Passed
Description
Advancing Human Rights-Centered International Conservation Act