[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 573 Introduced in House (IH)]






107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 573

 Providing that development assistance by the United States to foreign 
    countries should be provided only to countries that work toward 
 economic and political freedom to improve the living standards of all 
                            of its citizens.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 3, 2002

  Mr. Watts of Oklahoma (for himself, Mr. Royce, and Mr. Thornberry) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                       on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Providing that development assistance by the United States to foreign 
    countries should be provided only to countries that work toward 
 economic and political freedom to improve the living standards of all 
                            of its citizens.

Whereas it is in the national security interests of the United States to enhance 
        democracy, free and fair elections, freedom of the press, liberty, 
        prosperity, open markets, and the rule of law;
Whereas a goal of the foreign policy of the United States should be to produce a 
        new global community of economically self-sustaining countries by 
        working to reduce poverty, corruption, hopelessness, ignorance, 
        intolerance, and the roots of terrorism throughout the world;
Whereas since World War II, the United States has provided more international 
        development assistance than any other country to respond to humanitarian 
        disasters and promote economic development;
Whereas between 1945 and 1999, taxpayers in the United States directly 
        contributed more than $500,000,000,000 to foreign development assistance 
        programs;
Whereas economically free countries have higher life expectancies, higher 
        literacy rates, higher labor and environmental standards, greater 
        protections of human rights, and greater foreign and domestic investment 
        confidence;
Whereas not all recipients of foreign development assistance from the United 
        States have implemented policies that encourage economic and political 
        growth and stability or improvements in the health and well-being of 
        their citizens; and
Whereas foreign development assistance is most effective in promoting economic 
        growth in countries with stable macroeconomic environments, sound 
        judiciary policy, open trade regimes, respect for property rights, and a 
        sound rule of law: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, 

SECTION 1. PROVISION OF NONHUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE.

    The United States--
            (1) should provide nonhumanitarian development assistance 
        only to countries that encourage free and open market policies, 
        practice free and fair elections, advance democracy and the 
        rule of law, root out corruption, and promote higher standards 
        of living for all its citizens; and
            (2) should provide nonhumanitarian development assistance 
        to a country only if the country is making progress toward 
        economic freedom based on such factors as protection of the 
        right of citizens to own property, transparency in government, 
        privatization, investment in health care and education, stable 
        and independent monetary and wage and price policies, trade 
        liberalization, and reduction in government corruption.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    For purposes of this resolution--
            (1) the term ``development assistance'' means government-
        to-government programs for promoting economic growth and 
        democracy promotion; and
            (2) the term ``humanitarian assistance'' means 
        international disaster aid, food assistance, medicine, refugee 
        aid, child surival assistance, HIV/AIDS/global health 
        assistance, basic education, environmental protection, and 
        assistance provided through nongovernmental organizations.
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