S 894 ISCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To provide for an annual comprehensive report on the status of United States efforts and the level of progress achieved to counter and defeat Al Qaeda and its related affiliates and undermine long-term support for the violent extremism that helps sustain Al Qaeda’s recruitment efforts.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

April 23, 2009CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Mr. CASEY (for himself and Mr. BAYH) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign RelationsCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To provide for an annual comprehensive report on the status of United States efforts and the level of progress achieved to counter and defeat Al Qaeda and its related affiliates and undermine long-term support for the violent extremism that helps sustain Al Qaeda’s recruitment efforts.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘Success in Countering Al Qaeda Reporting Requirements Act of 2009’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress makes the following findings:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) Al Qaeda and its related affiliates attacked the United States on September 11, 2001 in New York, New York, Arlington, Virginia, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, murdering almost 3000 innocent civilians.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) Osama bin Laden and his deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri remain at large.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) In testimony to the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate on February 12, 2009, Director of National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair stated, ‘al-Qa’ida and its affiliates and allies remain dangerous and adaptive enemies, and the threat they could inspire or orchestrate an attack on the United States or European countries. . . . Although al-Qa’ida’s core organization in the tribal areas of Pakistan is under greater pressure now than it was a year ago, we assess that it remains the most dangerous component of the larger al-Qa’ida network. Al-Qa’ida leaders still use the tribal areas as a base from which they can avoid capture, produce propaganda, communicate with operational cells abroad, and provide training and indoctrination to new terrorist operatives.’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) The most recent authoritative National Intelligence Estimate issued on the threat posed by Al Qaeda, released in July 2007, states ‘Al-Qa’ida is and will remain the most serious terrorist threat to the Homeland’.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) Efforts to combat violent extremism and radicalism must be undertaken using all elements of national power, including military tools, intelligence assets, law enforcement resources, diplomacy, paramilitary activities, financial measures, development assistance, strategic communications, and public diplomacy.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) In the report entitled ‘Suggested Areas for Oversight for the 110th Congress’ (GAO-08-235R, November 17, 2006), the Government Accountability Office urged greater congressional oversight in assessing the effectiveness and coordination of United States international programs focused on combating and preventing the growth of terrorism and its underlying causes.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(7) Section 140(a) of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1988 and 1989 (22 U.S.C. 2656f(a)) requires that the Secretary of State submit annual reports to Congress that detail key developments on terrorism on a country-by-country basis. These Country Reports on Terrorism provide information on acts of terrorism in countries, major developments in bilateral and multilateral counterterrorism cooperation, and the extent of State support for terrorist groups responsible for the death, kidnapping, or injury of Americans, but do not assess the scope and efficacy of United States counterterrorism efforts against Al Qaeda and its related affiliates.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(8) The Executive Branch submits regular reports to Congress that detail the status of United States combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, including a breakdown of budgetary allocations, key milestones achieved, and measures of political, economic, and military progress.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

It is the sense of Congress that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) 8 years after the attacks on September 11, 2001, Al Qaeda and its related affiliates remain the most serious national security threat to the United States, with alarming signs that Al Qaeda and its related affiliates have reconstituted their strength and ability to generate new attacks throughout the world, including against the United States;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) there remains insufficient information on current counterterrorism efforts undertaken by the Federal Government and the level of success achieved by specific initiatives;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) Congress and the American people can benefit from more specific data and metrics that can provide the basis for objective external assessments of the progress being made in the overall war being waged against violent extremism;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) the absence of a comparable timely assessment of the ongoing status and progress of United States counterterrorism efforts against Al Qaeda and its related affiliates hampers the ability of Congress and the American people to independently determine whether the United States is making significant progress in this defining struggle of our time; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) the Executive Branch should submit a comprehensive report to Congress, updated on an annual basis, which provides a more strategic perspective regarding--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) the United States highest global counterterrorism priorities;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) the United States efforts to combat and defeat Al Qaeda and its related affiliates;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) the United States efforts to undercut long-term support for the violent extremism that sustains Al Qaeda and its related affiliates;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) the progress made by the United States as a result of such efforts;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(E) the efficacy and efficiency of the United States resource allocations; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(F) whether the existing activities and operations of the United States are actually diminishing the national security threat posed by Al Qaeda and its related affiliates.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 4. ANNUAL COUNTERTERRORISM STATUS REPORTS.

(a) In General- Not later than July 31, 2010, and every July 31 thereafter, the President shall submit a report, to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate, the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate, the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives, the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives, the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives, which contains, for the most recent 12-month period, a review of the counterterrorism strategy of the United States Government, including--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) a detailed assessment of the scope, status, and progress of United States counterterrorism efforts in fighting Al Qaeda and its related affiliates and undermining long-term support for violent extremism;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) a judgment on the geographical region in which Al Qaeda and its related affiliates pose the greatest threat to the national security of the United States;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) an evaluation of the extent to which the counterterrorism efforts of the United States correspond to the plans developed by the National Counterterrorism Center and the goals established in overarching public statements of strategy issued by the executive branch;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) a description of the efforts of the United States Government to combat Al Qaeda and its related affiliates and undermine violent extremist ideology, which shall include--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) a specific list of the President’s highest global counterterrorism priorities;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) the degree of success achieved by the United States, and remaining areas for progress, in meeting the priorities described in subparagraph (A); andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) efforts in those countries in which the President determines that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(i) Al Qaeda and its related affiliates have a presence; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(ii) acts of international terrorism have been perpetrated by Al Qaeda and its related affiliates;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) the specific status and achievements of United States counterterrorism efforts, through military, financial, political, intelligence, and paramilitary elements, relating to--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) bilateral security and training programs;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) law enforcement and border security;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) the disruption of terrorist networks; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) the denial of terrorist safe havens and sanctuaries;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) a description of United States Government activities to counterterrorist recruitment and radicalization, including--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) strategic communications;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) public diplomacy;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(C) support for economic development and political reform; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(D) other efforts aimed at influencing public opinion;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(7) United States Government initiatives to eliminate direct and indirect international financial support for the activities of terrorist groups;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(8) a cross-cutting analysis of the budgets of all Federal Government agencies as they relate to counterterrorism funding to battle Al Qaeda and its related affiliates abroad, including--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) the source of such funds; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) the allocation and use of such funds;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(9) an analysis of the extent to which specific Federal appropriations--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) have produced tangible, calculable results in efforts to combat and defeat Al Qaeda, its related affiliates, and its violent ideology; orCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) contribute to investments that have expected payoffs in the medium- to long-term;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(10) statistical assessments, including those developed by the National Counterterrorism Center, on the number of individuals belonging to Al Qaeda and its related affiliates that have been killed, injured, or taken into custody as a result of United States counterterrorism efforts; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(11) a concise summary of the methods used by National Counterterrorism Center and other elements of the United States Government to assess and evaluate progress in its overall counterterrorism efforts, including the use of specific measures, metrics, and indices.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Interagency Cooperation- In preparing a report under this section, the President shall include relevant information maintained by--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) the National Counterterrorism Center and the National Counterproliferation Center;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) Department of Justice, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) the Department of State;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) the Department of Defense;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) the Department of Homeland Security;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) the Department of the Treasury;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(7) the Office of the Director of National Intelligence;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(8) the Central Intelligence Agency;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(9) the Office of Management and Budget;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(10) the United States Agency for International Development; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(11) any other Federal department that maintains relevant information.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Report Classification- Each report required under this section shall be--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) submitted in an unclassified form, to the maximum extent practicable; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) accompanied by a classified appendix, as appropriate.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink