[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2604 Introduced in House (IH)]
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2604
To authorize the United States to participate in and contribute to the
seventh replenishment of the resources of the Asian Development Fund
and the fifth replenishment of the resources of the International Fund
for Agricultural Development, and to set forth additional policies of
the United States towards the African Development Bank, the African
Development Fund, the Asian Development Bank, the Inter-American
Development Bank, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 24, 2001
Mr. Bereuter (for himself, Mr. Sanders, Mrs. Roukema, Mr. Baker, Mr.
Shays, Mrs. Maloney of New York, and Mr. LaFalce) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial
Services
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize the United States to participate in and contribute to the
seventh replenishment of the resources of the Asian Development Fund
and the fifth replenishment of the resources of the International Fund
for Agricultural Development, and to set forth additional policies of
the United States towards the African Development Bank, the African
Development Fund, the Asian Development Bank, the Inter-American
Development Bank, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. UNITED STATES CONTRIBUTION TO THE SEVENTH REPLENISHMENT OF
THE RESOURCES OF THE ASIAN DEVELOPMENT FUND.
The Asian Development Bank Act (22 U.S.C. 285-285aa) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 31. SEVENTH REPLENISHMENT.
``(a) Contribution Authority.--
``(1) In general.--The United States Governor of the Bank
may contribute on behalf of the United States $412,000,000 to
the Asian Development Fund, a special fund of the Bank.
``(2) Subject to appropriations.--The authority provided by
paragraph (1) shall be effective only to such extent or in such
amounts as are provided in advance in appropriations Acts.
``(b) Limitations on Authorization of Appropriations.--For
contribution authorized by subsection (a), there are authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary of the Treasury not more than
$412,000,000, without fiscal year limitation.''.
SEC. 2. UNITED STATES CONTRIBUTION TO THE FIFTH REPLENISHMENT OF THE
RESOURCES OF THE INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR AGRICULTURAL
DEVELOPMENT.
(a) Contribution Authority.--
(1) In general.--The United States Governor of the
International Fund for Agricultural Development may contribute
on behalf of the United States $30,000,000 to the International
Fund for Agricultural Development.
(2) Subject to appropriations.--The authority provided by
paragraph (1) shall be effective only to such extent or in such
amounts as are provided in advance in appropriations Acts.
(b) Limitations on Authorization of Appropriations.--For
contribution authorized by subsection (a), there are authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary of the Treasury not more than
$30,000,000, without fiscal year limitation.
SEC. 3. HIV/AIDS STRATEGIC PLAN.
Title XVI of the International Financial Institutions Act (22
U.S.C. 262p-262p-7) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 1625. HIV/AIDS STRATEGIC PLAN.
``The Secretary of the Treasury shall instruct the United States
Executive Directors at the African Development Bank, the African
Development Fund, the Asian Development Bank, the Asian Development
Fund, a special fund of the Asian Development Bank, the Inter-American
Development Bank, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development, and the United States Governor of the International Fund
for Agricultural Development to support continued efforts by such
institutions in regard to HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and other
infectious diseases, including--
``(1) development and implementation of a strategic plan to
fight against the spread of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria,
and other infectious diseases;
``(2) integration of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and
other infectious diseases activities in ongoing projects as
appropriate, development of new dedicated HIV/AIDS,
tuberculosis, malaria, and other infectious diseases, projects
as appropriate that take into consideration the institution's
mandate and core strengths, and the building of AIDS-mitigation
measures into other projects;
``(3) design and implementation of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis,
malaria, and other infectious diseases impact assessment
criteria into environmental and social assessment processes
that the institution considers when designing and evaluating
new project proposals;
``(4) work on disseminating information on best practices
and project design for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and
other infectious diseases projects;
``(5) support training for professional staff on HIV/AIDS,
tuberculosis, malaria, and other infectious disease prevention
issues to ensure that these health-related concerns are
integrated into all aspects of the work of the institution.''.
SEC. 4. USER FEES.
Title XVI of the International Financial Institutions Act (22
U.S.C. 262p-262p-7) is further amended by adding at the end the
following:
``SEC. 1626. USER FEES.
``The Secretary of the Treasury shall instruct the United States
Executive Director at the African Development Bank, the African
Development Fund, the Asian Development Bank, the Asian Development
Fund, a special fund of the Asian Development Bank, the Inter-American
Development Bank, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development, and the United States Governor of the International Fund
for Agricultural Development to oppose user fees or service charges in
impoverished countries, directly or under the guise of community
financing, cost-sharing, or cost recovery mechanisms, for primary
education or primary healthcare, including prevention and treatment
efforts for HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and infant, child, and
maternal well-being, in connection with any strategy or country plan,
grant, or loan by any such institution.''.
SEC. 5. TRANSPARENCY.
(a) United States Policy in Regional Mulitlateral Development
Institutions.--Title XV of the International Financial Institutions Act
(22 U.S.C. 262o-262o-2) is further amended by adding at the end the
following:
``SEC. 1504. TRANSPARENCY.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary of the Treasury shall instruct the
United States Executive Director at the African Development Bank, the
African Development Fund, the Asian Development Bank, the Asian
Development Fund, a special fund of the Asian Development Bank, the
Inter-American Development Bank, and the European Bank for
Reconstruction and Development, and the United States Governor of the
International Fund for Agricultural Development to--
``(1) continue to make efforts to promote greater
transparency regarding the activities of such institutions,
including project design, project monitoring and evaluation,
project implementation, resource allocation, and
decisionmaking;
``(2) support continued efforts to allow informed
participation and input by affected communities, including
translation of information on proposed projects, providing
information through information technology applications, oral
briefings, and outreach to and dialogue with community
organizations and institutions in affected areas; and
``(3) work toward ensuring that--
``(A) meetings of the Boards of Directors (or, in
the case of the International Fund for Agricultural
Development, the Board of Governors) of their
respective institutions are open to the public and the
media, except for discussion of individual personnel
matters;
``(B) transcripts of such meetings are available to
the public no later than 60 calendar days after the
meetings, except for discussion of individual personnel
matters; and
``(C) all key documents that are to be considered
by the Board of Directors (or, in the case of the
International Fund for Agricultural Development, the
Board of Governors) of their respective institutions
will be made available to the public at least 30 days
before consideration by the Board.
``(b) Statement of Goals; Request for Support.--The Secretary of
the Treasury--
``(1) shall instruct the United States Executive Director
at the African Development Bank, the African Development Fund,
the Asian Development Bank, the Asian Development Fund, a
special fund of the Asian Development Bank, the Inter-American
Development Bank, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development, and the United States Governor of the
International Fund for Agricultural Development to state the
goals enumerated in subsection (a) in the respective
institution and request support for efforts to achieve the
goals, at a meeting of the Board of Executive Directors (or, in
the case of the International Fund for Agricultural
Development, the Board of Governors) of the institution;
``(2) shall make a copy of any such statement available to
Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives
and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; and
``(3) should make a copy of any such statement available to
the public.''.
(b) Congressional Testimony Required.--The United States Executive
Directors at the African Development Bank, the African Development
Fund, the Asian Development Bank, the Asian Development Fund, a special
fund of the Asian Development Bank, the Inter-American Development
Bank, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the
United States Governor of the International Fund for Agricultural
Development shall, at the request of any subcommittee of the Committee
on Financial Services of the House of Representatives or of the
Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate that has jurisdiction over
legislation concerning any such institution, appear before the
subcommittee on an annual basis and testify on the efforts undertaken
pursuant to section 1504 of the International Financial Institutions
Act and on other matters relating to any such institution.
(c) Grants.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of the Treasury may make
grants in such amounts as the Secretary deems appropriate to
any institution specified in paragraph (2) which--
(A) has implemented the measures described in
section 1504 of the International Financial
Institutions Act; and
(B) provides assurances to the Secretary that the
institution will use the grant solely for transparency
activities.
(2) Institutions.--The institutions specified in this
paragraph are the African Development Bank, the African
Development Fund, the Asian Development Bank, the Asian
Development Fund, a special fund of the Asian Development Bank,
the Inter-American Development Bank, the European Bank for
Reconstruction and Development, and the International Fund for
Agricultural Development.
(3) Limitations on authorization of appropriations.--For
grants under this subsection, there are authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary of the Treasury not more than
$10,000,000 for fiscal year 2002.
(d) Congressional Pursuit of Transparency Goals in
Interparliamentary Dialogues and Meetings.--The Congress shall pursue
the transparency goals described in section 1504 of the International
Financial Institutions Act, in all official interparliamentary
dialogues and meetings.
(e) Pursuit of Transparency Goals by the Secretary of the
Treasury.--The Secretary of the Treasury shall--
(1) transmit to the counterpart minister of each member
country of the institutions specified in section 1504 of the
International Financial Institutions Act a letter that sets
forth the goals enumerated in such section 1504 and requests
the minister to support efforts to achieve the goals, and
submit to the Committee on Financial Services of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the
Senate a copy of any such letter;
(2) promote the goals enumerated in such section 1504 at
each meeting of the finance ministers of the Group of Seven
countries;
(3) ensure that, at any meeting of the Committee on
Multilateral Development Bank Reform of the Group of Seven, the
representatives of the United States advocate for the goals
enumerated in such section 1504; and
(4) submit annually to the Committee on Financial Services
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign
Relations of the Senate a written report detailing the steps
that have been taken by the United States Executive Directors
at the institutions, by the finance ministers, and by the
institutions, referred to in paragraph (1) to implement the
measures described in such section 1504.
SEC. 6. GENERAL OBJECTIVES.
Title XVI of the International Financial Institutions Act (22
U.S.C. 262p-262p-7) is further amended by adding at the end the
following:
``SEC. 1627. GENERAL OBJECTIVES.
``The Secretary of the Treasury shall instruct the United States
Executive Director at the African Development Bank, the African
Development Fund, the Asian Development Bank, the Asian Development
Fund, a special fund of the Asian Development Bank, and the Inter-
American Development Bank, and the United States Governor of the
International Fund for Agricultural Development to focus on poverty
alleviation, economic growth, increased productivity, sustainable
development, environmental protection, labor rights, and an increased
focus on education.''.
SEC. 7. STUDY BY THE GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE.
Within 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
Comptroller General of the United States shall prepare and submit to
the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives and
the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a report on the
benefits and costs of the African Development Fund, the Asian
Development Fund, a special fund of the Asian Development Bank, the
International Fund for Agricultural Development, and the Fund for
Special Operations of the Inter-American Development Bank, providing
grants instead of loans.
SEC. 8. COMMENDATION.
(a) Findings.--The Congress finds that--
(1) the African Development Bank and Fund elected Omar
Kabbaj, an official of the Ministry of Finance of Morocco, as
the new President in 1995;
(2) President Kabbaj implemented successful fiscal and
managerial reforms, including refocusing the activity of the
African Development Fund on poverty alleviation;
(3) under the leadership of President Kabbaj, the African
Development Bank began to issue yearly portfolio status reports
reflecting improved project monitoring and supervision;
(4) President Kabbaj successfully emphasized the importance
of project post-evaluation in helping the Bank avoid problems
identified with earlier funded projects;
(5) President Kabbaj has taken a program approach where all
stakeholders, including the beneficiaries of the borrower
countries, are involved in program design and implementation;
(6) President Kabbaj was unanimously appointed to a second
5-year term in May 2000; and
(7) under the leadership of President Kabbaj, on June 6,
2001, Standard & Poor's revised the outlook on its AA+ long
term issuer ratings of the African Development Bank to stable
from negative.
(b) Commendation.--The Congress, on behalf of the people of the
United States, commends President Omar Kabbaj for his successful reform
efforts as President of the African Development Bank and Fund, and
encourages his continued efforts at reform.
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