[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 90 (Wednesday, July 13, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: July 13, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
               REINVENTING AID--A YEAR'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS

                                 ______


                          HON. LEE H. HAMILTON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 13, 1994

  Mr. HAMILTON. Mr. Speaker, when Brian Atwood assumed the position of 
Administrator of the Agency for International Development, he offered 
AID as a test case for reinventing government and pledged to revitalize 
the agency. In a July 1 letter Administrator Atwood identified the 
steps which he has taken to implement that commitment. As he notes, it 
will take at least 2 years to make the necessary changes. I am hopeful 
that in that period the Congress will do its part by enacting a new 
foreign assistance statute.
  I commend Mr. Atwood for moving aggressively to reinvent AID. The 
portions of the letter which detail the steps which have been taken are 
reprinted below:

                                                   U.S. Agency for


                                    International Development,

                                     Washington, DC, July 1, 1994.
     Hon. Lee Hamilton,
     Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of 
         Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: This has been a productive and 
     challenging year at the U.S. Agency for International 
     Development (USAID). We have taken significant steps to 
     create a national development agency that is participatory, 
     efficient and able to advance America's interests abroad.
       During the past year, all of us at USAID have devoted 
     ourselves to instituting the innovations which have allowed 
     the agency to more effectively harness the talents of its 
     first-class workforce. The Clinton Administration has made 
     substantial progress toward creating a results-oriented 
     development agency of which the Congress and the American 
     people can be proud.
       For example, since May 1993 we have:
       Articulated a new strategic agenda based on five 
     interrelated objectives--protecting the environment, building 
     democracy, stabilizing world population growth and protecting 
     human health, encouraging broad-based economic growth, and 
     providing humanitarian assistance and aiding post-crisis 
     transitions.
       Submitted to Congress a new legislative charter for 
     American foreign assistance that would replace the 1961 
     Foreign Assistance Act and would give USAID the focused 
     mandate and specific tools we will need to respond to the 
     demands of the post-Cold War world.
       Announced the close-out of 23 overseas missions over the 
     next three years in order to concentrate our resources in 
     countries where the need is greatest and where we can 
     establish productive partnerships with host governments.
       Established for every country in which we operate a 
     timetable for how long we should be involved there and 
     committed the Agency, its bureaus and its overseas missions 
     to achieving specific measurable results.
       Established USAID as a reinvention lab in Vice President 
     Gore's Reinventing Government Program.
       Created an Agency-wide Quality Council to involve employees 
     in the process of revitalizing USAID.
       Completed an agency-wide reorganization and ``right-
     sizing'' effort that will simplify and streamline the Agency.
       Introduced broad procurement reforms designed both to 
     streamline the process and to open USAID's procurement to a 
     wider variety of bidders throughout America.
       Initiated an effort to reengineer our project design and 
     implementation processes to reduce sharply the time required 
     to move ideas into the field.
       Developed a framework to unify USAID's multiple personnel 
     systems.
       Initiated a major overhaul of USAID's financial management 
     systems.
       Introduced important new information technology to 
     strengthen decisionmaking, improve coordination with our 
     overseas posts and increase productivity.
       We have made many tough choices. Much progress has been 
     made, but it would be disingenuous to lead you to believe 
     that we are close to the finish line. As I have said many 
     times, it will be at least two years before USAID is truly a 
     reinvented agency.
       If the momentum of our reforms is to be sustained, your 
     continued assistance, ideas, and partnership will be 
     critical. I hope you agree that we are moving in the right 
     direction, and look forward to continued consultation with 
     you and your staff as we work for passage of the Peace, 
     Prosperity and Democracy Act of 1994 and continue our reform 
     efforts.
           Sincerely,
     J. Brian Atwood.

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