Current status of the bill
What we’ve accomplished so far
The Introduction: On May 15, 2009 five of our Congressional champions - heeding the growing calls from activists across the country for the United States to take action to end LRA violence - introduced the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act into both the Senate and the House of Representatives. (Click here to find out what the bill says and does). In order to be signed into law by President Obama, the bill must first be approved by both the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and then be approved by both the full House and full Senate.
Gaining Congressional Support & Cosponsors: During the June 2009 How It Ends lobby days and other efforts, grassroots activists succeeded in getting dozens of Senators and over 100 Representatives to cosponsor the bill (see the current tally here), making it one of the most widely-supported bills currently in Congress, and the most widely supported Africa related legislation in modern American history.
Senate Committee Approval: On November 17, 2009 the Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted unanimously to approve a slightly amended version of the Senate bill (click here for more info). This vote was a crucial demonstration of Senate support for the bill, and also made it eligible for a vote in the full Senate.
Submission for Unanimous Consent in the Senate: In December of 2009, the main sponsors of the Senate bill sought to secure the bill's passage in the Senate by submitting it for Unanimous Consent, a process by which the bill passes expeditiously (avoiding the need for a vote on the floor, which few bills are able to attain due to time constraints) unless any Senator objects.
Blockage by Senator Tom Coburn: Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma "held" the Senate version of the bill, preventing it from passing by Unanimous Consent. Senator Coburn is insisting that authorizations in the bill be stripped (or offset from another US budget item) to prevent any increases in US government spending (read more here). Senator Coburn is being lobbied by his constituents to remove his hold, and negotiations are underway to seek a compromise.
What’s happening now
House Committee Review: While the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has already approved the bill, the House Foreign Affairs Committee members are still debating and considering bill. We are hopeful that the House committee will pass out an identical or very similiar version of the bill sometime in January or February of 2010. Once they do this, the bill will be available for the whole House to vote on.
Continuing to Build Congressional Support & Gain Cosponsors: During and after the committee consultations to come up with a final version of the bill, it’s crucial that we continue to push for more cosponsors. Each added cosponsor places increased pressure on the committee leaders to make sure our legislation doesn’t stall. Just as importantly, each new cosponsor sends a message to President Obama that this issue is a priority for more Americans and that we expect him to work to stop LRA violence and work for lasting peace in northern Uganda.
Negotiating with Senator Coburn: Resolve Uganda and partner organizations are utilizing constituent pressure and direct negotiations to convince Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) to remove his hold from the Senate version of the bill and allow it to pass the Senate unanimously.
What lies ahead
The Vote: Once Senator Coburn removes his hold on the Senate version of the bill, it is likely to pass unanimously at once. In the House, once the bill has passed through the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and acquired more cosponsors, it will be ready for a vote in the full House of Representatives. US Congress is currently in a period of intense legislative activity, but the bill is could pass in the next few months.
The Signature: If the final bill passes Congress, it will then be sent to President Obama for a final signature. Once the President inks his name to the bill, it becomes law. That's when his administration gets down to business developing the strategy to stop Kony, protect people from LRA attacks and help put northern Uganda on the path to permanent peace.
The Follow-up: President Obama’s signature on the legislation mandates that President Obama devise a plan within 180 days to help stop LRA violence and also take steps to assist communities in northern Uganda. But there is no guarantee that these plans will be adequate or effective. That's why it remains critical that Americans of all stripes call for President Obama to take ending this crisis seriously, and for our government to take the steps that can actually help bring peace.