[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 143 (Tuesday, September 25, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H10778-H10781]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       GLOBAL POVERTY ACT OF 2007

  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 1302) to require the President to develop and 
implement a comprehensive strategy to further the United States foreign 
policy objective of promoting the reduction of global poverty, the 
elimination of extreme global poverty, and the achievement of the 
United Nations Millennium Development Goal of reducing by one-half the 
proportion of people worldwide, between 1990 and 2015, who live on less 
than $1 per day, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 1302

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

[[Page H10779]]

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Global Poverty Act of 
     2007''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) More than one billion people worldwide live on less 
     than $1 per day, and another 1.6 billion people struggle to 
     survive on less than $2 per day, according to the World Bank.
       (2) At the United Nations Millennium Summit in 2000, the 
     United States joined more than 180 other countries in 
     committing to work toward the United Nations Millennium 
     Development Goals to improve life for the world's poorest 
     people by 2015.
       (3) The United Nations Millennium Development Goals include 
     the goal of reducing by one-half the proportion of people 
     worldwide, between 1990 and 2015, that live on less than $1 
     per day, cutting in half the proportion of people suffering 
     from hunger and unable to access safe drinking water and 
     sanitation, reducing child mortality by two-thirds, ensuring 
     basic education for all children, and reversing the spread of 
     HIV/AIDS and malaria, while sustaining the environment upon 
     which human life depends.
       (4) On March 22, 2002, President George W. Bush stated: 
     ``We fight against poverty because hope is an answer to 
     terror. We fight against poverty because opportunity is a 
     fundamental right to human dignity. We fight against poverty 
     because faith requires it and conscience demands it. We fight 
     against poverty with a growing conviction that major progress 
     is within our reach.''.
       (5) The 2002 National Security Strategy of the United 
     States notes: ``[A] world where some live in comfort and 
     plenty, while half of the human race lives on less than $2 
     per day, is neither just nor stable. Including all of the 
     world's poor in an expanding circle of development and 
     opportunity is a moral imperative and one of the top 
     priorities of United States international policy.''.
       (6) The 2006 National Security Strategy of the United 
     States notes: ``America's national interests and moral values 
     drive us in the same direction: to assist the world's poor 
     citizens and least developed nations and help integrate them 
     into the global economy.''.
       (7) The bipartisan Final Report of the National Commission 
     on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States recommends: ``A 
     comprehensive United States strategy to counter terrorism 
     should include economic policies that encourage development, 
     more open societies, and opportunities for people to improve 
     the lives of their families and enhance prospects for their 
     children.''.
       (8) At the summit of the Group of Eight (G-8) nations in 
     July 2005, leaders from all eight countries committed to 
     increase aid to Africa from the current $25 billion annually 
     to $50 billion by 2010, and to cancel 100 percent of the debt 
     obligations owed to the World Bank, African Development Bank, 
     and International Monetary Fund by 18 of the world's poorest 
     nations.
       (9) At the United Nations World Summit in September 2005, 
     the United States joined more than 180 other governments in 
     reiterating their commitment to achieve the United Nations 
     Millennium Development Goals by 2015.
       (10) The United States has recognized the need for 
     increased financial and technical assistance to countries 
     burdened by extreme poverty, as well as the need for 
     strengthened economic and trade opportunities for those 
     countries, through significant initiatives in recent years, 
     including the United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, 
     Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 2003, the Millennium 
     Challenge Act of 2003, the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries 
     Initiative, and trade preference programs for developing 
     countries, such as the African Growth and Opportunity Act.
       (11) In January 2006, United States Secretary of State 
     Condoleezza Rice initiated a restructuring of the United 
     States foreign assistance program, including the creation of 
     a Director of Foreign Assistance, who maintains authority 
     over Department of State and United States Agency for 
     International Development (USAID) foreign assistance funding 
     and programs.
       (12) In January 2007, the Department of State's Office of 
     the Director of Foreign Assistance added poverty reduction as 
     an explicit, central component of the overall goal of United 
     States foreign assistance. The official goal of United States 
     foreign assistance is: ``To help build and sustain 
     democratic, well-governed states that respond to the needs of 
     their people, reduce widespread poverty and conduct 
     themselves responsibly in the international system.''.

     SEC. 3. DECLARATION OF POLICY.

       It is the policy of the United States to promote the 
     reduction of global poverty, the elimination of extreme 
     global poverty, and the achievement of the United Nations 
     Millennium Development Goal of reducing by one-half the 
     proportion of people worldwide, between 1990 and 2015, who 
     live on less than $1 per day.

     SEC. 4. REQUIREMENT TO DEVELOP COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY.

       (a) Strategy.--The President, acting through the Secretary 
     of State, and in consultation with the heads of other 
     appropriate departments and agencies of the Government of the 
     United States, international organizations, international 
     financial institutions, the governments of developing and 
     developed countries, United States and international 
     nongovernmental organizations, civil society organizations, 
     and other appropriate entities, shall develop and implement a 
     comprehensive strategy to further the United States foreign 
     policy objective of promoting the reduction of global 
     poverty, the elimination of extreme global poverty, and the 
     achievement of the United Nations Millennium Development Goal 
     of reducing by one-half the proportion of people worldwide, 
     between 1990 and 2015, who live on less than $1 per day.
       (b) Contents.--The strategy required by subsection (a) 
     shall include, but not be limited to, specific and measurable 
     goals, efforts to be undertaken, benchmarks, and timetables 
     to achieve the objectives described in subsection (a).
       (c) Components.--The strategy required by subsection (a) 
     should include, but not be limited to, the following 
     components:
       (1) Continued investment in existing United States 
     initiatives related to international poverty reduction, such 
     as the United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, 
     Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 2003, the Millennium 
     Challenge Act of 2003, the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries 
     Initiative, and trade preference programs for developing 
     countries, such as the African Growth and Opportunity Act.
       (2) Improving the effectiveness of development assistance 
     and making available additional overall United States 
     assistance levels as appropriate.
       (3) Enhancing and expanding debt relief as appropriate.
       (4) Leveraging United States trade policy where possible to 
     enhance economic development prospects for developing 
     countries.
       (5) Coordinating efforts and working in cooperation with 
     developed and developing countries, international 
     organizations, and international financial institutions.
       (6) Mobilizing and leveraging the participation of 
     businesses, United States and international nongovernmental 
     organizations, civil society, and public-private 
     partnerships.
       (7) Coordinating the goal of poverty reduction with other 
     development goals, such as combating the spread of 
     preventable diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and 
     malaria, increasing access to potable water and basic 
     sanitation, reducing hunger and malnutrition, and improving 
     access to and quality of education at all levels regardless 
     of gender.
       (8) Integrating principles of sustainable development into 
     policies and programs.
       (d) Reports.--
       (1) Initial report.--Not later than one year after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act, the President, acting through 
     the Secretary of State, shall transmit to the appropriate 
     congressional committees a report that describes the strategy 
     required by subsection (a).
       (2) Subsequent reports.--Not less than once every two years 
     after the submission of the initial report under paragraph 
     (1) until and including 2015, the President shall transmit to 
     the appropriate congressional committees a report on the 
     status of the implementation of the strategy, progress made 
     in achieving the global poverty reduction objectives 
     described in subsection (a), and any changes to the strategy 
     since the date of the submission of the last report.

     SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
     ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
       (A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on 
     Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and
       (B) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on 
     Appropriations of the Senate.
       (2) Extreme global poverty.--The term ``extreme global 
     poverty'' refers to the conditions in which individuals live 
     on less than $1 per day, adjusted for purchasing power parity 
     in 1993 United States dollars, according to World Bank 
     statistics.
       (3) Global poverty.--The term ``global poverty'' refers to 
     the conditions in which individuals live on less than $2 per 
     day, adjusted for purchasing power parity in 1993 United 
     States dollars, according to World Bank statistics.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Washington (Mr. Smith) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-
Lehtinen) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Washington.


                             General Leave

  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Washington?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  I rise in support of the Global Poverty Act, and want to explain 
first what the bill does and then why it is so important. It declares 
the official U.S. policy to promote the reduction of global poverty, 
the elimination of extreme global poverty, and the achievement of the 
U.N. Millennium Development Goal of cutting extreme poverty

[[Page H10780]]

in half by 2015. It requires the President to develop and implement a 
comprehensive strategy to carry out this policy. It includes guidelines 
for what the strategy should include, from aid, trade and debt relief, 
to working with the international community, businesses and NGOs to 
ensuring environmental sustainability.
  It also requires that the President's strategy include specific and 
measurable goals, efforts to be undertaken, benchmarks and time tables. 
And, lastly, it requires that the President report back to Congress 
biannually on the progress made in the implementation of the global 
poverty strategy.
  There are nearly 2.7 billion people in the world who are living on 
less than $2 a day. There are close to a billion who are living on less 
than a dollar a day. Arguably, there is no greater problem facing the 
globe right now than poverty and the vast number of people who suffer 
from it, the countries and communities who, every day, get up, simply 
wondering whether or not they and their children are going to live to 
see the end of that day. It causes instability, disease, and all kinds 
of problems from one end of the globe to the other.
  But the other thing that is simply immoral is that there are this 
many people on that level of despair and on that level of poverty. And 
we in the United States have the power to at least try to help, and we 
are, in many, many ways.
  I actually want to thank the President for the Millennium Challenge 
accounts, an effort to try to make sure that countries not just get 
foreign aid but use it wisely; the efforts to fund prevention of AIDS 
in Africa. The PEPFAR effort that's been going on for a number of years 
is a significant step forward.
  We also have a large number of organizations and groups that are 
trying to combat global poverty. We have the world coming together in 
many ways as it never has before to try to combat this menace.
  As mentioned, the U.N. set out their millennial development goals. 
The G8 set global poverty as its prime purpose a couple years ago. We 
have groups like the Gates Foundation and Results and Bread for the 
World and a large number of other organizations that are combating 
global poverty from every conceivable angle. And they are learning a 
lot as they do. They are learning what works, what moves forward, what 
doesn't work, what the best way to spend money is.
  We are in the position, I believe, to consolidate those resources to 
get the maximum return on our effort to reduce global poverty. And I 
feel that the United States of America should be, not just a leader, 
but the leader in this effort.
  And we have, as I mentioned, done a lot. But the one thing we haven't 
done is stated clearly and unequivocally that eliminating global 
poverty, or at least reducing it, is going to be a foremost goal of our 
foreign policy; and we have not implemented a comprehensive plan. It's 
great that there are so many different organizations working at this 
problem from a variety of different angles; but if we could bring that 
together, we could get more out of those resources. And I think the 
United States should coordinate that effort.
  I want to thank a large number of people for helping make this 
happen. Certainly Chairman Tom Lantos has been a tremendous leader on 
these issues and has been very helpful in this particular piece of 
legislation, as has the ranking member, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, and the 
Republicans on the committee. This is a bipartisan effort. I want to 
thank Representative Bachus, who I believe is going to speak, he and I 
were the original two sponsors on this bill, stepped up and helped.
  I think this is something that we can come together on, and I think 
it is very, very important that the United States takes this leadership 
role. I believe if we do so we will be able to better combat global 
poverty, and I also think we will be better able to build alliances 
throughout the world and let the world know that the United States 
wants to use its power for the betterment of the entire world, not just 
ourselves. And we're willing to work with them on this problem that 
affects so many different countries throughout the world.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the gentleman's bill, H.R. 1302, 
the Global Poverty Act of 2007. We certainly have serious needs and 
poverty right here in our own country. The suffering of the world's 
extremely poor, however, is beyond the imagining of most Americans.
  Many Americans might be shocked to know just how many men, women and 
children around the world die each hour of every day simply because 
they are too poor to obtain food, shelter or basic medical care. While 
we quite often see the fatal impact of famines or natural disasters, we 
rarely see the images of the ongoing suffering caused by persistent 
hunger and chronic poverty.
  The bill seeks to better organize the approaches to fighting poverty 
that are employed by the Agency for International Development and other 
agencies in our own government. It would seek to accomplish that by 
calling on the President to create an overall strategy for these 
efforts.
  I note that the sponsor of the bill, my good friend, Mr. Smith from 
Washington, agreed to an amendment adopted by our Foreign Affairs 
Committee that made two important changes. First, while referencing 
foreign aid and debt relief as components of a strategy to address 
global poverty, the bill now makes it clear that the strategy that the 
President would draw up would not have to be based on the assumption 
that the United States foreign aid and debt relief will always continue 
to rise.
  The United States certainly has been generous in its provisions of 
foreign aid and debt relief. But no one can predict whether those two 
types of assistance will always rise.
  Moreover, to address poverty comprehensively, the President may want 
to focus on expanding other types of interactions with countries 
suffering from widespread poverty, such as promoting trade, promoting 
investment, for example.
  The bill, in the amended text before us today, Mr. Speaker, will 
allow the greater flexibility in deciding what might work best at a 
given time, in the particular circumstances, rather than insisting that 
he devise a strategy that assumes that more foreign aid and debt relief 
are always required.
  Secondly, the bill, as amended, requires that the President submit to 
Congress a report on the implementation of the strategy once every 2 
years, rather than once a year, as originally intended. And I 
appreciate the sponsor of the bill agreeing to that change. The change 
in the frequency of the reports, of the submission of the reports, Mr. 
Speaker, will enhance the substance of the periodic reports as 
significant statements on the progress being made under a global 
poverty reduction strategy.
  Mr. Speaker, it is my hope that Mr. Smith's bill will promote a 
greater focus on how we might best provide assistance to those in dire 
poverty overseas, while ensuring a realistic view of the resources and 
the means available to us to provide such assistance.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of our time.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I 
will reserve the balance of my time for purposes of closing.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, if I might, I would like to yield such 
time as he may consume to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Bachus), the 
ranking member of the Committee on Financial Services and an original 
cosponsor of the resolution before us.
  Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, first of all, let me commend the chairman 
and the ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee. It's been a 
pleasure working with Congressman Adam Smith on this legislation, and I 
commend you, Adam.
  This is a bipartisan bill with a goal that should bring all of us 
together. And that goal is the reduction of extreme poverty and to make 
that reduction of extreme poverty a foreign policy priority for the 
United States.
  Today, in dozens of poor countries all over the world, little boys 
and girls are born into poverty, disease, and hunger. Hopelessness and 
despair are their daily companions. Their burdens are day-to-day; 
they're painful and they're heavy.
  In debating debt relief, I quoted Sister Rebecca Trujillo. She was 
asked,

[[Page H10781]]

How do they make it? How do they get through the day? Her answer was: 
``How do they survive? Since being in Nicaragua I have taken to answer 
in a matter of fact way. Often they do not. Often they do not survive 
the day.''
  Each day, even on our bad days, and we're fond of saying we've had a 
really bad day, but we ought to be reminded that for billions of people 
throughout the world, that even on our worst days, we have more food, 
more shelter, more clothes, more security, more health care, more of 
everything than our poor brothers and sisters have on their best days.
  And, finally, a lot of people said, well, the reality is 
overwhelming. Half the world lives on $2 a day. But we can make a 
difference and we can do so at a very small cost.
  We've had successes. We have made a difference. Debt relief has been 
a success. It has improved the lives of millions of people for almost 
no monetary cost to this country. Since the Millennium Development 
Goals were set 7 years ago, the poverty rate in sub-Saharan Africa is 
down 6 percent. There are more children receiving health care, in fact, 
over a million more children in that area alone, and medical treatment. 
Vaccinations are up throughout Africa. The percentage of students 
enrolled in primary schools has gone up considerably.
  So, in closing, let me simply say this: cost should never be the 
overriding consideration. But when we consider cost, and doing the 
right thing is the imperative, but when we consider the cost, let us 
realize that the cost of not acting is not only hopelessness and unrest 
throughout the world, but is also terrorism and confrontation and wars 
that can be avoided if these programs work.

                              {time}  1230

  Global poverty is in our economic interest. It is in our national 
security interest as well. This bill will focus our battle against 
global poverty, and it is a powerful statement that Americans are 
committed to making this world a better place for all.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  I want to thank and again appreciate the efforts of my Republican 
colleagues and agree with their comments. A comprehensive strategy is 
what we are looking for here, and that is certainly trade, efforts at 
economic development, capacity-building to help countries figure out 
how to better use trade, microcredit. There are a lot of different 
strategies out there that can be employed. Certainly aid and debt 
relief are part of it but not the only part. In fact, the better part 
is when you can figure out how to make the economies work, how to make 
the governments work in these countries so that they can begin to 
develop their own economies and grow and lift themselves out of poverty 
in that manner. That is more sustainable and more long term. I 
personally believe that aid and debt relief will continue to be a 
significant part of the strategy for a while, but certainly the goal is 
also to be as comprehensive as possible and employ economic means to 
help lift people out of poverty as well.
  I also think the other exciting thing about all this is the 
possibility of public-private partnerships, and I do not envision 
personally that the Federal Government or any federal government will 
wind up being the sole or even necessarily the leading organization in 
terms of driving the dollars out. We have a large number of groups, in 
my own neck of the woods, the Gates Foundation to the tune of over $30 
billion, that are pumping money into a variety of different ideas to 
help alleviate global poverty. Nongovernmental organizations are making 
an enormous difference, and I would hope that the strategy would 
reflect that public-private partnership to maximize those resources.
  And, lastly, I just want to agree with what Representative Bachus 
said at the close there about how this does impact all of us. 
Instability leads to all manner of problems in the world, and poverty 
leads to instability more quickly than anything else. It is in our best 
interests to try to alleviate that instability and bring greater 
fairness, justice, and economic opportunities to the world. And I 
sincerely believe that this bill will have that effect, and I urge all 
Members of the body to support it.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Blumenauer). The question is on the 
motion offered by the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Smith) that the 
House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1302, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________