[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 155 (Saturday, September 27, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10006-S10007]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. Kerry, and Mrs. Murray):
  S. 3643. A bill to enhance the capacity of the United States to 
undertake global development activities, and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on Foreign Relations.
  Mr. DURBIN. Events of the last decade are stark reminders that 
security in the U.S. is closely linked to the stability of far-flung 
places beyond our borders. From food riots to failed states, we have 
become more aware of how important it is to help the poorest around the 
world live healthier, more productive, and stable lives.
  Foreign assistance for development is not only the right thing to do; 
it's in our national interest. In the U.S., the responsibility for such 
development falls largely to the U.S. Agency for International 
Development, or USAID.
  USAID was founded by the Kennedy administration in 1961. It became 
the first U.S. foreign assistance organization whose primary emphasis 
was on long term economic and social development efforts overseas.
  During its first decade, it had more than 5,000 dedicated Foreign 
Service Officers serving all over the world, often in the most 
difficult of conditions. They helped build clinics in Nepal, provide 
clean water in Honduras, and boost the agricultural and industrial 
sectors of Pakistan.
  Today, when the U.S. needs to show its leadership overseas more than 
ever, USAID operates with just 1,000 Foreign Service Officers.
  Many people on both sides of the aisle agree that USAID is no longer 
equipped to do its job effectively. We simply are not meeting the 
international development goals of the United States.
  USAID has not received adequate funding, staffing, or political 
support--and America's efforts abroad have suffered as a result.
  It is time to make a change.
  We should be sending bright, talented public servants to help improve 
child and maternal health, treat those with AIDS, TB and malaria, 
provide clean water and sanitation for the world's poor, help farmers 
and women start or improve their business, and assist reformers and 
civic leaders to build stronger democratic institutions.
  Today, along with Senator Kerry and Senator Murray, I am introducing 
the Increasing America's Global Development Capacity Act of 2008 to 
take the first step toward putting the Agency for International 
Development on firmer footing.
  The bill would authorize USAID to hire an additional 700 Foreign 
Service Officers. This would basically double the current number of 
development officers available to work in targeted countries. This is 
fundamental to rebuilding the agency's capacity.
  Senator Leahy, Chair of the Foreign Operations Appropriations 
Subcommittee, shares a commitment to rebuilding USAID. I am heartened 
by the Subcommittee's recommended increase in funding for USAID's 
operating expenses for fiscal year 2009. This was a priority for me in 
the bill, and Chairman Leahy has been very supportive.
  My bill also would establish a goal of hiring an additional 1,300 
Foreign Service Officers by 2011.
  After three years, USAID would have more than 3,000 of talented, 
committed Americans serving in the world's most difficult locations 
helping to improve the lives of others. It won't be the 5,000 experts 
of the 1960s, but it will be a big improvement from today.
  Foreign development assistance is as important a foreign policy tool 
as diplomacy and defense. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is perhaps 
the most persuasive advocate for rebuilding our civilian development 
capacity. He argues that we need to engage in nonmilitary ways to 
pursue global development goals.
  The civilian instruments of national security--diplomacy, development 
assistance, sharing expertise on civil society--are becoming more and 
more important. Secretary Gates argues

[[Page S10007]]

that these tools are good for the world's poor, our national security, 
and our country.
  I agree.
  Let us take one concrete step to rebuild that important civilian 
capacity, which would help improve our ability to help the world's 
poorest countries and people.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 3643

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Increasing America's Global 
     Development Capacity Act of 2008''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds that--
       (1) foreign development assistance is an important foreign 
     policy tool in addition to diplomacy and defense;
       (2) development assistance is part of any comprehensive 
     United States response to regional conflicts, terrorist 
     threats, weapons proliferation, disease pandemics, and 
     persistent widespread poverty;
       (3) in 2002 and 2006, the United States National Security 
     Strategy includes global development, along with defense and 
     diplomacy, as the 3 pillars of national security;
       (4) in its early years, the United States Agency for 
     International Development (USAID) had more than 5,000 full-
     time Foreign Service Officers;
       (5) as of 2008, USAID has slightly more than 1,000 full-
     time Foreign Service Officers;
       (6) the budget at USAID, calculated in real dollars, has 
     dropped 27 percent since 1985;
       (7) this decline in personnel and operating budgets has 
     diminished the capacity of USAID to provide development 
     assistance and implement foreign assistance programs; and
       (8) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate 
     recommended increasing the amount to be appropriated for 
     USAID operating expenses for fiscal year 2009 by $171,000,000 
     compared to the amount appropriated for such expenses for 
     fiscal year 2008.

     SEC. 3. HIRING OF ADDITIONAL FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICERS AS 
                   USAID EMPLOYEES.

       (a) Initial Hirings.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of USAID 
     shall use additional amounts appropriated to USAID for fiscal 
     year 2009 compared to fiscal year 2008 to increase by not 
     less than 700 the total number of full-time Foreign Service 
     Officers employed by USAID compared to the number of such 
     officers employed by USAID on the date of the enactment of 
     this Act. These officers shall be used to enhance the ability 
     of USAID to--
       (1) carry out development activities around the world by 
     providing USAID with additional human resources and expertise 
     needed to meet important development and humanitarian needs 
     around the world;
       (2) strengthen its institutional capacity as the lead 
     development agency of the United States; and
       (3) more effectively help developing nations to become more 
     stable, healthy, democratic, prosperous, and self-sufficient.
       (b) Subsequent Hirings.--
       (1) In general.--Except as provided under paragraph (2), 
     during the 2-year period beginning 1 year after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of USAID shall 
     increase by not less than 1,300 the total number of full-time 
     Foreign Service Officers over the number of such Officers at 
     the beginning of such 2-year period to carry out the 
     activities described in subsection (a), contingent upon 
     sufficient appropriations.
       (2) Reprogramming.--If the Administrator of USAID 
     determines that USAID has competing needs that are more 
     urgent than the hirings described in paragraph (1), the 
     Administrator may use amounts available for such hirings for 
     such competing needs if the Administrator submits to the 
     Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Foreign 
     Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Appropriations 
     and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
     Representatives a report describing such competing needs.
                                 ______