On April 28, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Representative Howard Berman (D-CA-28) and Representative Mark Kirk (R-IL-10) introduced H.R. 2139, the “Initiating Foreign Assistance Reform Act of 2009,” to direct the president to develop and implement a comprehensive national strategy to further the U.S. foreign policy objective of promoting global development, and for other purposes.
The bill is intended to be a precursor to a broader reform effort later this year, including a comprehensive rewrite of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.
The bill has four main sections:
1. Requires the president to develop and implement a comprehensive National Strategy for Global Development
2. Requires the president to develop and implement a rigorous system to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of U.S. foreign assistance
3. Requires that both American taxpayers and recipients of U.S. foreign assistance have full access to information on U.S. foreign assistance
4. Repeals several outdated provisions of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961
1. National Strategy for Global Development
The bill requires the president to develop and implement a National Strategy for Global Development, which will define and streamline the roles of each department and agency engaged in U.S. global development policies, programs, and activities. The strategy will also establish objectives for U.S. development programs that support the overall goals of reducing poverty and contributing to broad-based economic growth in developing countries. The president is encouraged to make the strategy flexible in order to respond to the changing needs and priorities of U.S. foreign assistance and to consult with a variety of stakeholders, both within and outside the government, in the development and implementation of the strategy.
2. Monitoring and Evaluation
Second, the bill requires each U.S. department and agency carrying out foreign assistance to develop a system to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of its assistance programs. Each U.S. department and agency will be required to establish measurable performance goals, the capacity to conduct monitoring and evaluation activities, and a process to identify the lessons learned and results of the evaluation activities so that these findings can be incorporated into the future budgeting and implementation of U.S. foreign assistance programs. The bill requires the president to establish a foreign assistance evaluation advisory council to provide assistance in coordinating and facilitating U.S. foreign assistance evaluation.
3. Transparency
Third, the bill requires the president to make publicly available all information on U.S. foreign assistance on a program-by-program and country-by-country basis. To ensure the transparency, accountability, and effectiveness of U.S. foreign assistance, American taxpayers and recipients of U.S. foreign aid will have access to all information regarding the planning, allocating, disbursement, contracting, monitoring, and evaluating of U.S. foreign assistance.
4. Repeals
Lastly, the bill repeals and reforms several provisions in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 that are considered to be no longer relevant.
Talking Points
1) HR 2139 is a great first step in making our foreign assistance more effective. I want you to cosponsor this bill.
2) This bill would require the President to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy for global development.
3) In tough times, it is very important that we make our foreign assistance more effective and focused - this bill makes our assistance more transparent and accountable so we know what results our money is achieving.
