Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 114 Part 3.djvu/373

 PUBLIC LAW 106-398—APPENDIX 114 STAT. 1654A-331 "(h) CALCULATION OF 60-DAY PERIOD. —The 60-day period referred to in subsection (d) shall be calculated by excluding the days on which either House of Congress is not in session because of an adjournment of the Congress sine die.". (b) EFFECTIVE DATE. —The amendments made by subsection (a) shall apply to any new composite theoretical performance level established for purposes of section 1211(a) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1998 that is submitted by the President pursuant to section 1211(d) of that Act on or after the date of the enactment of this Act. SEC. 1235. mCREASED AUTHORITY TO PROVTOE HEALTH CARE SERV- ICES AS HUMANITARIAN AND CIVIC ASSISTANCE. Section 401(e)(1) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking "rural areas of a country" and inserting "areas of a country that are rural or are underserved by medical, dental, and veterinary professionals, respectively". SEC. 1236. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING THE USE OF CHILDREN AS SOLDIERS. (a) FINDINGS.— Congress makes the following findings: (1) In the year 2000, approximately 300,000 individuals under the age of 18 are participating in armed conflict in more than 30 countries worldwide. (2) Many children participating in armed conflict in various countries around the world are forcibly conscripted through kidnapping or coercion, while others join military units due to economic necessity, to avenge the loss of a family member, or for their own personal safety. (3) Many military commanders frequently force child soldiers to commit gruesome acts of ritual killings or torture against their enemies, including against other children. (4) Many military commanders separate children from their families in order to foster dependence on military units and leaders, leaving children vulnerable to manipulation, deep traumatization, and in need of psychological counseling and rehabilitation. (5) Child soldiers are exposed to hazardous conditions and risk physical injuries, sexually transmitted diseases, malnutrition, deformed backs and shoulders from carrying overweight loads, and respiratory and skin infections. (6) Many young female soldiers face the additional psychological and physical horrors of rape and sexual abuse, being enslaved for sexual purposes by militia commanders, and forced to endure severe social stigma should they return home. (7) Children in northern Uganda continue to be kidnapped by the Lords Resistance Army (LRA), which is supported and funded by the Government of Sudan and which has committed and continues to commit gross human rights violations in Uganda. (8) Children in Sri Lanka have been forcibly recruited by the opposition Tamil Tigers movement and forced to kill or be killed in the armed conflict in that country. (9) An estimated 7,000 child soldiers have been involved in the conflict in Sierra Leone, some as young as age 10, with many being forced to commit extrajudicial executions, torture, rape, and amputations for the rebel Revolutionary United Front.

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