[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 162 (Tuesday, November 3, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H12256-H12257]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              CONGRATULATING THE INTER-AMERICAN FOUNDATION

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 858) congratulating the Inter-American Foundation 
(IAF) on its 40th anniversary and recognizing its significant 
accomplishments and contributions.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 858

       Whereas the IAF was originally created as an independent 
     Federal agency to provide a new alternative model to 
     traditional United States foreign assistance that promotes 
     greater community-ownership and self-sustainability of 
     development initiatives;
       Whereas the IAF has enabled millions of marginalized and 
     poor people in Latin America and the Caribbean to improve 
     their lives through nearly 5,000 self-help grants for income 
     and employment generation, civic education and citizen 
     participation, access to credit and public resources, food 
     security, environmental sustainability, and cultural and 
     social development;
       Whereas the IAF has proven that its people-to-people 
     approach to foreign assistance, delivering aid funds directly 
     to grassroots groups and local organizations of poor 
     communities, is remarkably cost-effective, targeting aid 
     funds to those with the greatest need and those who will use 
     them best;
       Whereas each year, hundreds of thousands of IAF grant 
     participants benefit from improved nutrition, medical care, 
     access to clean water, agricultural and vocational skills, 
     microcredit loans, small business management training, 
     increased educational opportunities, and knowledge of 
     sustainable agricultural techniques and environmental 
     practices;
       Whereas many grassroots leaders supported by the IAF have 
     gone on to leadership roles at the local and national levels;
       Whereas the IAF's beneficiary-driven, responsive approach 
     has fostered trust between Latin American and Caribbean 
     citizens and the United States Government by listening and 
     responding to needs the people have identified, partnering 
     with community-based groups and investing in projects that 
     utilize and validate local knowledge and expertise;
       Whereas the IAF's status as an independent United States 
     Government aid agency allows for a streamlined grant-making 
     process, the flexibility to respond quickly and adapt to 
     people's needs on the ground, and the ability to maintain a 
     positive United States presence in the region;
       Whereas the IAF continues to demonstrate the political, 
     diplomatic, and strategic value of an independent United 
     States Government aid agency with the ability to reach those 
     on the economic, social, and cultural fringes of society in 
     neighboring countries, facilitating greater access to the 
     licit economy, markets, and public policy decisionmaking 
     processes;
       Whereas the IAF's projects complement and strive to 
     maximize the impact of other larger United States aid 
     agencies operating in Latin America and the Caribbean by 
     enabling an important link between poor communities and 
     larger-scale development activities; and
       Whereas the IAF was designed with strong bipartisan support 
     and has maintained this balanced support throughout the four 
     decades of its operations: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) congratulates the Inter-American Foundation (IAF) on 
     its 40th anniversary;
       (2) recognizes that the IAF has demonstrated that its 
     grassroots model for United States foreign assistance is 
     effective; and
       (3) declares that the IAF is a vital component of United 
     States foreign policy in the Americas and of the United 
     States development agenda.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Engel) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) each will 
control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in strong support of H. Res. 858, a resolution I offered 
congratulating the Inter-American Foundation, or the IAF, on its 40th 
anniversary, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I first of all want to thank Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman 
Howard Berman and Ranking Member Ileana Ros-Lehtinen for their support 
of this resolution. And, I am particularly grateful to Connie Mack, the 
ranking member of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee of the House 
Foreign Affairs Committee, which I chair, for being my colead on this 
resolution.
  Over the years, the Inter-American Foundation has enabled millions of 
marginalized and poor people in Latin America and the Caribbean to 
improve their lives through grants promoting income and employment 
generation, civic education and citizen participation, access to credit 
and public resources, food security, environmental sustainability, and 
cultural and social development.
  During Democratic and Republican administrations alike, the IAF has 
been an important model of grassroots foreign assistance in Latin 
America and the Caribbean.

                              {time}  1900

  Furthermore, it is a vital component of United States foreign policy 
in the Americas and of the United States development agenda.
  As chairman of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, I have had the 
pleasure of visiting Inter-American Foundation projects throughout the 
region in Latin America and the Caribbean, both places. In Ecuador, I 
visited with the Community Corporation and Action Foundation, CACMU, a 
women's microcredit cooperative where I saw firsthand the benefits 
reaped by IAF's relatively small investment. During that same visit, I 
also had the privilege of meeting with representatives of the Agro-
ecology and Agro-tourism Foundation, a community organization focused 
on food security and natural resource management.
  The IAF's work does not simply provide tangible benefits to the poor. 
It is also extremely useful in maintaining a positive United States 
presence in Latin America and the Caribbean.
  As President Obama reengages with our neighbors in the hemisphere, 
the work of the IAF is more important than ever. In April, I had the 
pleasure of attending the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago 
as the leader of the U.S. congressional delegation. At the summit, 
President Obama pledged that the United States would ``be partners in 
helping to alleviate poverty'' in the region.
  One of the best ways that Congress can stand with President Obama in 
supporting a robust social agenda in the hemisphere is through 
continued strong support of the Inter-American Foundation. So I 
congratulate the IAF on its 40th anniversary, and I urge my colleagues 
to support this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I rise today and join my colleagues in congratulating the Inter-
American Foundation, the IAF, on its 40th anniversary. I would like to 
thank Congressman Engel and his staff for working to put this 
resolution together.
  The foundation began as part of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1969 as 
an alternative to the larger USAID. The foundation presented a new 
model for funding grass-roots development with an emphasis on improving 
lives at the community level, not just on the national level. The 
foundation receives its funds through annual allocations by Congress 
and from the Social Progress Trust Fund. Since beginning its operations 
in 1972, the IAF has made 4,578 grants for more than $586 million.
  For 40 years now, the IAF has used small-dollar, targeted grants to 
make significant, long-lasting changes in the lives of people 
throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. By focusing on self-help 
development projects, the IAF encourages partnerships directed at 
improving the quality of life for poor

[[Page H12257]]

people and strengthening democratic practices.
  While the economic benefits of these efforts cannot be dismissed, it 
is the sense of ownership at the grass-roots level and the pride these 
grants help to cultivate that has made the real difference in hundreds 
of thousands of lives.
  Empowering people to take control of their own future, allowing 
parents to provide for their families, supporting communities to 
strengthen stability and prosperity, these are the keystones for 
strengthening democracy in the region.
  As country after country in our hemisphere faces new and increasing 
challenges to their democracies, their institutions and the rule of 
law, our shared goal must be to advance U.S. interests and, in so 
doing, help to preserve and protect democratic institutions and 
fundamental freedoms around the world.
  We must listen to the people of these nations and remain committed to 
our founding values and democratic principles. It is through the 
efforts of organizations like the Inter-American Foundation, the IAF, 
that we are able to do this.
  I would like to commend and thank the Inter-American Foundation for 
its hard work and commitment and congratulate them on their 40th 
anniversary.
  I rise in strong support of this resolution, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentleman from Texas for his 
good words.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 858.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

                          ____________________