U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs

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Foreign Assistance Reform

Discussion Draft: THE GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS ACT OF 2011

Proposed by Ranking Member Howard L. Berman

Overview:

Today, more than ever, our health, security, and prosperity depend on a world in which basic human needs are met, fundamental freedoms are respected, conflicts are resolved peacefully and the world's resources are used wisely. There is no escaping our obligations to help foster this environment. Not only are we morally bound to do so, but our economic and political interests demand that we address widespread poverty and chaos in the world.

Aid is not a gift. The United States provides foreign assistance because it serves OUR interests. Helping countries become more democratic, more stable, more capable of defending themselves and better at pulling themselves out of poverty is just as important for us as it is for them. Our task therefore, is to make sure that we provide this assistance in the most efficient and effective way possible.

The Global Partnerships Act of 2011 is a discussion draft of a bill to replace the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, which serves as the foundation for U.S. international aid programs, as well as the Arms Export Control Act, which contains additional authorities for arms sales and military assistance. This proposal modernizes the full spectrum of foreign assistance programs, from development to democracy to self-defense.

Why This Reform Is Necessary:

Currently, our foreign aid is governed by a legislative framework that turned 50 years old on September 4, 2011. It's an architecture developed during the Cold War to address the problems of the 20th century. To address the challenges of the 21st Century while navigating this tight budget environment, we must perform a wholesale reform of our system for delivering U.S. assistance abroad to make it more efficient, more effective, and ensure it furthers America's interests abroad.

This Reform Would:

The Global Partnerships Act of 2011 has seven purposes, each corresponding to a title of the proposed bill:

• Reducing Global Poverty and Alleviating Human Suffering


• Advancing Peace and Mitigating Conflict


• Supporting Human Rights and Democracy


• Building and Reinforcing Strategic Partnerships


• Countering Transnational Threats


• Sustaining the Global Environment


• Expanding Prosperity Through Trade and Investment

Details and More Information:

• Executive Summary of the Global Partnerships Act


• Key Reforms of the Global Partnerships Act


• Title-by-Title Summaries of the Global Partnerships Act


• Section-by-Section Analysis of the Global Partnerships Act


• Discussion Draft of the Global Partnerships Act


• Speech by Ranking Member Howard L. Berman at the American Enterprise Institute, 9/8/11


• Entry by Howard Berman on the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network blog, 7/25/11  


• Washington Times Op-Ed by Howard Berman, 12/8/10


• Discussion Paper #3: Human Rights and Democracy, 5/28/10


• Discussion Paper on Peacebuilding (issued jointly with the SFRC), 4/8/10


• Discussion Paper #1: Development Assistance Reforms, 10/6/09


• Concept Paper for Foreign Aid Reform, 7/23/09


• Foreign Assistance Act of 1961


• Arms Export Control Act

Share Your Thoughts and Feedback:

We are very interested to hear your thoughts and suggestions on foreign assistance reform, and invite you to submit your feedback below. If you have additional feedback, it can be emailed to gpafeedback@mail.house.gov.

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