[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4973 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4973

   To strengthen democratic institutions and promote good governance 
overseas by contributing to the development of professional legislative 
                                 staff.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 20, 2002

    Mr. Crowley (for himself, Mr. Lantos, Mr. Gilman, Mr. Weldon of 
 Pennsylvania, Mr. Leach, Mr. Faleomavaega, Mr. Hoyer, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. 
Clyburn, Mr. Weiner, Ms. Woolsey, Mr. Hoeffel, Ms. Lee, Ms. Slaughter, 
Mr. Blumenauer, Mr. Davis of Florida, Mr. Levin, Mr. Meeks of New York, 
Mr. Schiff, Mrs. Napolitano, Mr. Hastings of Florida, Mr. Abercrombie, 
   Mr. Wynn, Mr. Boswell, Mr. Jefferson, and Ms. Carson of Indiana) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                        International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To strengthen democratic institutions and promote good governance 
overseas by contributing to the development of professional legislative 
                                 staff.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Strengthening Democratic 
Institutions Act of 2002''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) An elected legislature that represents a nation's 
        citizens is a critical element of a democratic government that 
        is accountable to its people.
            (2) The drafting of effective legislation requires 
        legislative staff who possess substantive expertise in relevant 
        subject matters.
            (3) Legislative oversight of governmental policies, 
        programs, and budgets--steps that are imperative to ensure good 
        governance, prevent waste and abuse, and guarantee effective 
        use of state resources--similarly requires legislative staff 
        who have technical expertise needed to exercise effective 
        oversight.
            (4) Many new and emerging democracies, burdened by the 
        legacy of oppressive and autocratic regimes, struggle to reform 
        their government institutions, develop wise laws, implement 
        sound policies, and ensure that the power of the state is used 
        to enhance political freedoms, economic well-being, and social 
        welfare.
            (5) It is in the interests of the United States to promote 
        sound lawmaking and government accountability in countries that 
        have political, economic, and security relations with the 
        United States.
            (6) A cadre of professional legislative staff trained in 
        public policy, national security affairs, and legislative 
        procedure is essential for the development of sound legislation 
        and the exercise of effective legislative oversight over 
        government operations.
            (7) Legislative staff who have developed substantive 
        expertise in one or more areas of public policy and gained a 
        thorough understanding of democratic legislative procedures 
        will raise the level of public debate in their societies and 
        encourage a more open discussion of political, economic, and 
        social issues between and among political leaders and ordinary 
        citizens.
            (8) Such staff members, even should they leave the employ 
        of their country's legislature, are likely to remain active, 
        prominent, and well-informed members of their nations' civil 
        service, defense establishments, or political systems and will 
        in this manner continue to promote democracy in their own 
        country and thus the national interest of the United States 
        abroad.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF INTERNATIONAL LEGISLATIVE STAFF TRAINING 
              PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--The Secretary of State shall establish a 
program that will encourage the professionalization of legislative 
staff working for foreign legislative bodies and elected members of 
such bodies. The program shall bring foreign legislative staff to the 
United States for seminars, workshops, discussions, and meetings 
concerning techniques, standards, and practices of professional 
legislative staff work. To the extent possible, the program shall 
include close observation of the legislative process and the role of 
professional legislative staff in the Congress of the United States.
    (b) Activities.--
            (1) The program shall include seminars, workshops, 
        discussions, and other activities concerning the following:
                    (A) The role of a legislature in a democratic 
                system.
                    (B) Executive-legislative relations.
                    (C) The role of constituents, lobbyists, 
                nongovernmental organizations, political parties, the 
                media, and other stakeholders in the legislative 
                process.
                    (D) Contemporary policy issues being addressed in 
                the United States by Congress.
                    (E) The value of a career as professional 
                legislative staff.
            (2) The program shall include meetings and contact with--
                    (A) academics, think tank scholars, and other 
                appropriate experts on executive-legislative relations, 
                policy issues being addressed by the Congress, and the 
                role of a legislature in a democratic system;
                    (B) Members of Congress, congressional committee 
                staff, congressional staff, and others knowledgeable 
                about the legislative process;
                    (C) officials from executive branch agencies with 
                experience in policy issues and executive-legislative 
                relations;
                    (D) individuals working in the legislative and 
                executive branches of the United States Government;
                    (E) journalists who report on congressional 
                activities; and
                    (F) members and staff of State legislatures, as 
                appropriate.
    (c) Participants.--
            (1) In the selection of individuals to participate in the 
        program under this section, the Secretary of State shall 
        consider only individuals from countries which--
                    (A) have a legislature whose members have been 
                elected in elections that are generally regarded as 
                having been free and fair;
                    (B) have a legislature that possesses a 
                constitutional or legal authority to draft, approve, or 
                otherwise substantively affect legislation on a wide 
                range of policy issues, including budgetary matters;
                    (C) are not considered state sponsors of terrorism.
            (2) The Secretary of State shall give priority 
        consideration to the participation of individuals from 
        countries whose legislatures employ relatively few professional 
        staff and whose nascent democratic institutions would 
        especially benefit from the professionalization of the staff.
            (3) The Secretary of State shall make every effort to 
        select as participants in this program individuals who 
        demonstrate a commitment to a career in public policy, 
        international affairs, defense, or public sector budgetary 
        matters.
    (d) Administration.--
            (1) The Secretary of State shall administer the program 
        under this section through the Assistant Secretary of State for 
        Educational and Cultural Affairs in consultation with the 
        Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and 
        Labor.
            (2) The Secretary may enter into one or more contracts with 
        private or nonprofit organizations having an expertise in the 
        fostering of democratic institutions for the administration of 
        the program under this section. The Secretary may enter into 
        such contracts without regard to any any provision of law 
        requiring the use of competitive procedures.
    (e) Definitions.--In this section the term ``elections that are 
generally regarded as having been free and fair'' refers to an 
electoral process that is generally regarded by the United States and 
the international community as being open and democratic and governed 
by the principles of free and open debate and informed citizen 
participation.
    (f) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the fiscal year 2003 and 
for each subsequent fiscal year, there are authorized to be 
appropriated $3,000,000 to carry out this section. Funds appropriated 
pursuant to the authorization of appropriations under this subsection 
are authorized to remain available until expended.

SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of the Congress that Members of Congress should 
support the program established under section 2 to the greatest extent 
possible by providing for the involvement of professional legislative 
staff from their offices in seminars, meetings, and other activities 
organized for the benefit of participants in the program.
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