[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 136 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. CON. RES. 136

 Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the importance of bringing 
 transparency, accountability, and effectiveness to the World Bank and 
                       its programs and projects.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 19, 2000

Mr. Crapo (for himself and Mr. Enzi) submitted the following concurrent 
  resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the importance of bringing 
 transparency, accountability, and effectiveness to the World Bank and 
                       its programs and projects.

Whereas the United States is the single largest shareholder of the International 
        Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the International 
        Development Association (in this concurrent resolution referred to as 
        the ``World Bank'');
Whereas recent reports by the General Accounting Office and others raise serious 
        questions about management at the World Bank, corruption involving World 
        Bank programs and projects, and the lack of effectiveness of World Bank 
        programs and projects;
Whereas the estimated failure rate of World Bank programs and projects based on 
        the World Bank's data is greater than 50 percent, as determined at the 
        time of the final loan disbursement, and the estimated failure rate 
        rises to 65 to 70 percent in the most impoverished nations;
Whereas the United States has an obligation to the American people to ensure 
        that the hard-earned dollars they pay in taxes to the Federal Government 
        are, when made available to the World Bank, being spent efficiently and 
        as they were intended to be spent;
Whereas the United States has a duty to ensure that the policies and practices 
        of the World Bank are consistent with the laws and objectives of the 
        United States; and
Whereas the World Bank will continue to seek financial contributions from the 
        United States to fund its programs and projects: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring),

SECTION 1. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON INDEPENDENT PERFORMANCE AUDITS AND 
              EVALUATIONS OF WORLD BANK PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS.

    (a) In General.--It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) the World Bank should publicly commit to execute within 
        one year performance audits and a complete performance 
        evaluation of the effectiveness of its programs and projects by 
        independent private sector firms;
            (2) the individual program and project audits and the 
        complete performance evaluation conducted by the World Bank 
        should be published and meet the requirements of subsection 
        (b);
            (3) the audits and complete performance evaluation of the 
        programs and projects, together with the General Accounting 
        Office review of these audits and evaluations, would help bring 
        necessary transparency, accountability, and effectiveness to 
        the World Bank and its programs and projects; and
            (4) the health and well-being of people around the world 
        would be aided by the World Bank's efforts to ensure that its 
        resources are properly and appropriately directed to those 
        truly in need.
    (b) Requirements.--The requirements referred to in subsection 
(a)(2) are the following:
            (1) One-third of the number of the World Bank's programs 
        and projects should be audited at the location of the program 
        or project between four and six years after the final 
        disbursement of World Bank funds with respect to those programs 
        and projects.
            (2) Audited programs and projects should be representative, 
        by sector and recipient country, of the World Bank's programs 
        and projects.
            (3) Results of the individual program and project audits 
        should be compiled into a complete performance evaluation that 
        examines whether the funds loaned by the World Bank are used in 
        a manner that complies with the conditions of the loans and 
        analyzes the direct and indirect costs and benefits of each 
        program or project audited.
            (4) The individual program and project audits and the 
        complete performance evaluation of programs and projects should 
        be performed every 3 years and should examine those programs 
        and projects that have been completed since the submission of 
        the last evaluation.
            (5) Not later than six months after the date of completion 
        of the complete performance evaluation, the General Accounting 
        Office should have complete and unfettered access to the 
        auditors, the individual program and project audits, and the 
        complete performance evaluation and should review and report to 
        Congress on the results and methodologies of the audits and the 
        evaluation, the independence and competence of the auditors, 
        and the appropriateness, thoroughness, and quality of the audit 
        and evaluation procedures.
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