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Afghanistan Freedom Support Act of 2002

Public Law 107-327 · S. 2712 · 107th Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Dec 4, 2002 · International Affairs

Sponsor: Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE)

Cosponsors (12): Sen. Robert Torricelli,

Passage votes

  • HouseUnanimous consent
  • SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Afghanistan Freedom Support Act of 2002 - Title I: Economic and Democratic Development Assistance For Afghanistan - (Sec. 103) Authorizes the President to provide assistance for Afghanistan through FY 2006 for the following activities: (1) urgent humanitarian needs; (2) repatriation and resettlement of refugees and internally displaced persons; (3) counternarcotics efforts (authorizing amounts for a contribution to the United Nations Drug Control Program); (4) reestablishment of food security, rehabilitation of the agriculture sector, improvement in health conditions, and the reconstruction of basic infrastructure; (5) reestablishment of Afghanistan as a viable nation-state through support for the development and expansion of democratic and market-based institutions (authorizing amounts for to carry out a traditional Afghan assembly or "Loya Jirga" and for support for national, regional, and local elections and political party development); (6) support for the establishment of a market economy, private financial institutions, the development of a telecommunications infrastructure, and trade and commercial links; and (7) assistance for Afghan women and girls (authorizing amounts for the Afghan Ministry of Women's Affairs and the National Human Rights Commission of Afghanistan).

Authorizes appropriations for the establishment of an enterprise fund for Afghanistan.

(Sec. 104) Urges the President to: (1) designate within the Department of State a coordinator for such assistance and U.S. interests in Afghanistan; (2) withhold U.S. bilateral assistance from, and oppose multilateral assistance to, opium-producing areas of Afghanistan if, within such areas, cooperation is not provided to U.S. narcotics cultivation and trafficking suppression efforts; (3) utilize the expertise of Afghan-Americans; (4) encourage the donation of manufacturing equipment by U.S. businesses for the reconstruction of Afghanistan; and (5) utilize research conducted by U.S. universities and the technical expertise of professionals at such institutions, particularly in the agricultural and rural development areas.

(Sec. 108) Authorizes appropriations through FY 2006.

Title II: Military Assistance For Afghanistan and Certain Other Foreign Countries and International Organizations - (Sec. 201) Expresses the sense of Congress that, during the transition to fully representative government, the U.S. should support: (1) the development of a civilian-controlled and centrally-governed standing Afghanistan army that respects human rights and prohibits the use of children as soldiers; (2) the creation and training of a professional civilian police force that respects human rights; and (3) a multinational security force in Afghanistan.

Authorizes the President to direct the drawdown of defense articles and services and military education and training for the Government of Afghanistan and certain foreign countries and international organizations.

(Sec. 204) Authorizes appropriations to reimburse the applicable appropriation for the value of defense articles and services, or military education and training provided under this section.

(Sec. 205) Authorizes the President to provide assistance under this title to any foreign country or international organization if the President determines such assistance is important to the national security interests of the United States and notifies specified congressional committees of such determination at least 15 days in advance of providing such assistance.

(Sec. 206) Directs the President to report to specified congressional committees on: (1) a strategy for meeting the immediate and long-term security needs of Afghanistan; and (2) progress made by the Afghanistan Government toward the eradication of poppy cultivation and the reduction of the overall supply and demand for illicit narcotics there.

Directs the President to report biannually to specified congressional committees on the implementation of the strategies for meeting the immediate and long-term security needs of Afghanistan.

Urges the President to assist Afghanistan to establish a secure environment by authorizing an expansion of the International Security Assistance Force. Authorizes appropriations for FY 2003 and 2004.

Title III: Miscellaneous Provisions - (Sec. 301) Subjects assistance provided under this Act to specified prohibitions against foreign assistance to drug traffickers.

(Sec. 302) Expresses the sense of Congress that the personal security of the President of Afghanistan should be composed of U.S. law enforcement or military personnel which in time should be succeeded by qualified Afghan security forces as soon as practicable.

(Sec. 303) Expresses the sense of Congress that the United States should use all appropriate diplomatic means to encourage all states that have pledged assistance to Afghanistan to deliver the total amount of assistance pledged as soon as possible. Requires the Secretary of State to report to specified congressional committees on the status of contributions of assistance from donor states to Afghanistan.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 14 actions.

  1. Dec 4, 2002Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 107-327.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Nov 22, 2002PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Nov 15, 2002FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  5. FloorFloor · On passage Passed without objection.
  6. FloorFloor · Considered by unanimous consent.
  7. FloorFloor · Mr. Armey asked unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table and consider.
  8. Nov 14, 2002FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
  9. FloorFloor · The committee substitute as amended agreed to by Unanimous Consent.
  10. FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
  11. Sep 12, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Foreign Relations Committee
  12. Aug 1, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Foreign Relations Committee
  13. Jul 9, 2002CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Foreign Relations Committee
  14. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.