Democratic Republic of the Congo Relief, Security, and Democracy Promotion Act of 2006
Public Law 109-456 · S. 2125 · 109th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Dec 22, 2006 · International Affairs
Sponsor: Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL)
Cosponsors (12): Sen. Sam Brownback, Sen. Richard Durbin,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- 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.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Democratic Republic of the Congo Relief, Security, and Democracy Promotion Act of 2006 - Title I: Bilateral Action on Addressing Urgent Needs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo - (Sec. 102) Sets forth specified U.S. political, social, civil, and economic policy objectives (policy objectives) with respect to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
(Sec. 103) Obligates a specified minimum amount for each of FY2006-FY2007 under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954, and the Arms Export Control Act for bilateral assistance programs in the DRC.
Expresses the sense of Congress that the Department of State should submit budget requests in FY2008-FY2009 that contain appropriate bilateral assistance increases for the DRC if progress is being made toward accomplishing the policy objectives.
States that the United States should work with other donor nations to increase international contributions to the DRC.
(Sec. 104) Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the government of the DRC must be committed to achieving the policy objectives if U.S. and international efforts are to be effective in bringing relief, security, and democracy to the country; (2) the government of the DRC should exercise control over its Armed Forces, stop the mass rapes by its armed forces, and hold those responsible accountable before an appropriate tribunal; (3) the government of the DRC, in collaboration with international aid agencies, should establish expert teams to assess the health, counseling, and social support needs of such victims; and (4) the international community is providing substantial funding that is giving the government of the DRC an opportunity to make progress towards the policy objectives but this assistance cannot continue in perpetuity.
Expresses the sense of Congress that the Secretary should withhold assistance if the government of the DRC is not making sufficient progress towards accomplishing the policy objectives.
(Sec. 105) Authorizes the Secretary to withhold assistance under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, other than humanitarian, peacekeeping, and counterterrorism assistance, for a foreign country determined by the Secretary to be acting to destabilize the DRC.
(Sec. 106) Directs the Comptroller General to report to Congress respecting progress made toward accomplishing the policy objectives, including an evaluation of related U.S. policies and foreign assistance programs.
(Sec. 107) States that the President should appoint a Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region to help coordinate efforts to resolve the instability and insecurity in Eastern Congo.
Title II: Multilateral Actions to Address Urgent Needs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo - (Sec. 201) States that the United States should use its influence in the U.N. Security Council to: (1) address exploitation at the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC); (2) conclude a Memorandum of Understanding relating to binding codes of conduct and programs for the prevention of sexual abuse and trafficking in persons to be undertaken by the United Nations for all countries that contribute troops to MONUC; (3) strengthen MONUC; (4) ensure that the recruiting and arming of children in the DRC is halted; (5) strengthen the arms embargo; (6) allow for more effective protection of natural resources in the DRC, especially in the eastern part of the country; (7) press countries in the Congo region to help facilitate an end to the violence in the DRC; and (8) encourage the U.N. Secretary-General to become more involved in completing the policy objectives and ensure that fighting in North Kivu, Ituri, and other areas does not create widespread instability throughout the country.
(Sec. 202) States that the President should use U.S. influence to support increased international humanitarian and development assistance for the DRC.
States that if the Secretary determines that the government of the DRC is not making sufficient progress towards accomplishing the policy objectives the President shall consider withdrawing U.S. support for such international assistance when future funding decisions are considered.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Related bills
The record lists no related bills.
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 24 actions.
- Dec 22, 2006Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 109-456.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Dec 20, 2006FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Dec 9, 2006Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- OtherOther · Resolving differences -- Senate actions: Senate agreed to House amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Dec 7, 2006FloorFloor · Message on House action received in Senate and at desk: House amendment to Senate bill.
- Dec 6, 2006FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 2125.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Smith (NJ) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Sep 13, 2006CommitteeCommittee · Committee Agreed to Seek Consideration Under Suspension of the Rules, (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
- Jul 10, 2006FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- FloorFloor · Received in the House.
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on International Relations.
- Jun 29, 2006FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- May 23, 2006CalendarCalendar · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 442.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Lugar without amendment. Without written report.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
- Dec 16, 2005CommitteeCommittee · Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
- CommitteeCommittee · Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S13788-13791)
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in Senate
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
1 amendment offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.
- Agreed to
S.Amdt. 4545SenateSen. Barack ObamaD-IL· offered Jun 29, 2006Agreed to
To make certain improvements to the bill.
Jun 29, 2006: Amendment SA 4545 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.