Corker Amendment Pushes for Measuring Effectiveness, Future Status of Aid to Pakistan

Press Release

U.S. Senator Bob Corker, R-Tenn., a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, was successful today in having an amendment (No. 1172) added to the Defense Authorization Bill requiring the Department of Defense to report to Congress on the effectiveness and future status of Coalition Support Funds to Pakistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

"On my three visits to Afghanistan, our generals on the ground have continually complained that they are fighting a war in Afghanistan that is being led and directed out of Pakistan. For far too long, Pakistan's actions have been inconsistent - to say the least - and it's past time for that to change," said Corker. "What I've proposed is a good government amendment that asks the Pentagon to do two things as it relates to Coalition Support Funds for Pakistan: first, to ensure Pakistan is using the funds to effectively fight the war against the Taliban and other terrorist networks in their own country, and second, that the Pentagon recommends a thoughtful approach to decreasing this financial support to Pakistan as we wind down our operations in Afghanistan."

Text of the Corker amendment, no. 1172, as modified, follows:

Corker Amendment #1172 to S. 1867, the Defense Authorization Bill

At the end of subtitle B of title XII, add the following:

SEC. 1230. REPORT ON COALITION SUPPORT FUND REIMBURSEMENTS TO THE GOVERNMENT OF PAKISTAN FOR OPERATIONS CONDUCTED IN SUPPORT OF OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM.

(a) IN GENERAL.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit a report to the congressional defense committees and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives assessing the effectiveness of the Coalition Support Fund reimbursements to the Government of Pakistan for operations conducted in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

(b) ELEMENTS.--The report required under subsection (a) shall include the following elements:

(1) A description of the types of reimbursements requested by the Government of Pakistan.

(2) The total amount reimbursed to the Government of Pakistan since the beginning of Operation Enduring Freedom, in the aggregate and by fiscal year.

(3) The percentage and types of reimbursement requests made by the Government of Pakistan for which the United States Government has deferred or not provided payment.

(4) An assessment of the effectiveness of Coalition Support Fund reimbursements in supporting operations conducted by the Government of Pakistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and of the impact of those operations in countering the ability of terrorist organizations to threaten the stability of Afghanistan and Pakistan and to impede the operations of the United States in Afghanistan.

(5) Recommendations, if any, relative to potential alternatives to or termination of reimbursements from the Coalition Support Fund to the Government of Pakistan taking into account the transition plan for Afghanistan.

(c) FORM.--The report required under subsection (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may contain a classified annex.

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