[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 95 (Tuesday, July 8, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1374]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LAW INSTITUTE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JON D. FOX

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 8, 1997

  Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I wanted to bring to the 
attention of my colleagues a fascinating program that I recently 
learned about since I joined the International Affairs Committee. The 
International Development Law Institute was founded in Rome in 1983 and 
has operated as a public international organization since 1991.
  The Institute's mission is an intriguing one. Its founders, Michael 
Hager, William Loris, and Gilles Blanchi, all recognized that one of 
the impediments to development for many countries was the lack of 
trained lawyers and legal advisors who could provide the essential 
services required to foster private sector development, governance, and 
economic law reform.
  To overcome these barriers, the Institute offers, both in Rome and 
onsite in individual countries, practical training in lawyering--how to 
negotiate and draft an agreement; how to resolve disputes--
international commercial law--how to set up a joint venture, how to 
foster technology transfer--and economic law reform--how to deal with 
issues of corporate governance and bankruptcy--as well as courses 
addressing public law issues like environmental laws. The Institute has 
trained more than 4,600 lawyers from 153 countries preparing them to 
meet the evermore challenging demands of modern international trade.
  I am proud, Mr. Speaker, that one of the member states of IDLI is the 
United States. I have met Mr. Hager and was impressed with IDLI's 
commitment to its mission. It is my hope that our country will continue 
its support of this valuable Institute to provide critical resources to 
those countries which so very much need them.

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