[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 70 (Tuesday, May 1, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S5397]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. CLINTON (for herself and Mr. Smith):
  S. 1259. A bill to amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to 
provide assistance for developing countries to promote quality basic 
education and to establish the achievement of universal basic education 
in all developing countries as an objective of United States foreign 
assistance policy, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Foreign 
Relations.
  Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, today, I am proud to introduce, along 
with Senator Gordon Smith, the Education for All Act of 2007. This bill 
would enable us to increase our spending on global education 
initiatives in order to help millions of children around the world have 
the opportunity to receive an education.
  Worldwide, more than 77 million children do not have access to 
primary school education. The majority of these--approximately 44 
million--are girls. Approximately half of the school-age children who 
start primary school do not complete it. And there are hundreds of 
millions more children who are denied the opportunity to complete a 
secondary school education--to become the next generation of doctors, 
nurses, lawyers, scientists, and teachers. These statistics represent a 
unconscionable misuse of human potential--a misuse that we can and must 
remedy.
  In 2000, the United States, along with other governments around the 
world, committed to the goal of achieving universal basic education by 
2015. Through some of the initiatives and partnership in which our 
government is participating, such as the Education for All Fast Track 
Initiative, we have made progress. Since the Fast Track Initiative was 
launched in 2002, approximately 4 million children each year have 
gained access to school.
  Yet despite such gains, we are not on track to meet our 2015 goal. In 
order to do so, we would need to help millions more children enter 
school each year--requiring a global financial commitment of more than 
$7 billion every year.
  The Education for All Act of 2007 would authorize $10 billion in 
spending over the next 5 years, enabling the U.S. Government to make a 
significant commitment to reach the 2015 goal, and help children in 
developing countries, particularly areas experiencing conflict or 
humanitarian emergencies, have access to a quality basic education. The 
bill that I am introducing today will make a tangible difference in the 
lives of children around the world, by helping them to attend school 
and receive a quality education. And its impact will go far beyond the 
individual, but will also benefit families, communities, and countries.
  A 2004 report by Barbara Herz and Gene Sperling from the Center on 
Universal Education at the Council on Foreign Relations detailed the 
gains that are to be made when we invest in education, particularly for 
girls. A single year of primary education correlates with a 10-20 
percent increase in women's wages later in life. An extra year of a 
woman's education has been shown to reduce the risk that her children 
will die in infancy by 5-10 percent, and a study of South Asia and Sub-
Saharan Africa found that from 1960 to 1992, equality in education 
between men and women could have led to nearly 1 percent higher annual 
per capita GDP growth.
  We have the data to show that education is the path to good jobs, 
strong democracies, and stable societies. We have the capacity, 
responsibility, and opportunity to help millions of children worldwide. 
All it takes now is the will to expand access to educational 
opportunity.
  I believe with bipartisan support we can turn this bill into law, and 
lead the world in meeting the goal of universal basic education, and I 
look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress in making 
education for all a reality.
  Mr. SMITH. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Education for 
All Act of 2007 with my colleague from New York, Senator Hillary 
Clinton. This legislation will focus U.S. efforts to help provide all 
children worldwide with a basic education. At this time, at least 77 
million children of primary school age around the world are not in 
school.
  Basic education is a critical part of a child's development. In 
addition to providing children the tools necessary to succeed in life, 
education provides a secondary purpose of helping to reduce poverty and 
inequality. A strong basic education system also lays the foundation 
for sound governance, civic participation, and strong familial 
institutions. Without an education, children are less able to 
contribute to a country's development, often becoming a burden on 
society.
  A recent Government Accountability Office concluded there are seven 
U.S. Federal agencies providing international basic education services 
in approximately 70 countries. Unfortunately, the GAO also found 
instances when agencies did not coordinate the planning or delivery of 
international basic education activities. To maximize the impact of 
U.S. aid dollars, we must efficiently coordinate between government 
agencies to decrease redundant spending on overlapping programs. The 
Education for All Act will help achieve this.
  In 2000, at the World Education Forum in Dakar, Senegal, the United 
States was one of 180 countries to commit to the goal of universal 
basic education by 2015. Since then, we have enhanced our efforts to 
provide basic education overseas. From fiscal years 2001 to 2006, 
USAID, the Departments of State and Defense and the Millennium 
Challenge Corporation allocated $2.2 billion to support our basic 
international education efforts. During this same period, the 
Departments of Agriculture and Labor further allocated an estimated $1 
billion to programs with basic education as a component. I am proud of 
our country's generosity and commitment to this important goal.
  Our bill will ensure the United States provides the resources and 
leadership necessary to supply all children with a quality basic 
education. It calls on the President to establish a comprehensive 
strategy for achieving universal basic education by 2015. This strategy 
should include actions toward improving coordination, reducing 
duplication, expanding public-private partnerships, leveraging 
resources and maximizing the use of American technical experts. The 
bill also establishes a U.S. Education for All Coordinator, an 
ambassador-level position appointed by the President and confirmed by 
the Senate. The Coordinator will manage U.S. efforts to ensure aid 
dollars are used in the most effective manner possible.
  The bill further establishes a fellowship program at USAID which 
allows qualified individuals to serve 3-year terms as Basic Education 
fellows, helping establish and carry out basic education policy and 
programming. This fellowship will broaden U.S. capabilities in the 
areas of technical assistance and training. Finally, the bill 
authorizes $1 billion for fiscal year 2008, $1.5 billion for fiscal 
year 2009, $2 billion for fiscal year 2010, $2.5 billion for fiscal 
year 2011, and $3 billion for fiscal year 2012 for international basic 
education programs.
  I hope my colleagues will join us in supporting the noble ambition of 
achieving universal basic education by endorsing the Education for All 
Act of 2007.
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