[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 122 (Tuesday, September 17, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H5567-H5569]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES REVITALIZATION AND REFORM ACT OF 2013

  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(S. 793) to support revitalization and reform of the Organization of 
American States, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                 S. 793

       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 ``Organization of American 
     States Revitalization and Reform Act of 2013''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) The Charter of the Organization of American States 
     recognizes that--
       (A) representative democracy is indispensable for the 
     stability, peace, and development of the Western Hemisphere; 
     and
       (B) a purpose of the Organization of American States is to 
     promote and consolidate representative democracy, with due 
     respect for the principle of nonintervention.
       (2) The United States supports the purposes and principles 
     enshrined in--
       (A) the Charter of the Organization of American States;
       (B) the Inter-American Democratic Charter; and
       (C) the American Declaration on the Rights and Duties of 
     Man.
       (3) The United States supports the Organization of American 
     States in its efforts with all member states to meet our 
     commitments under the instruments set forth in paragraph (2).
       (4) Congress supports the Organization of American States 
     as it operates in a manner consistent with the Inter-American 
     Democratic Charter.

     SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY.

       It is the policy of the United States--
       (1) to promote democracy and the rule of law throughout the 
     Western Hemisphere;
       (2) to promote and protect human rights and fundamental 
     freedoms in the Western Hemisphere; and
       (3) to support the practices, purposes, and principles 
     expressed in the Charter of the Organization of American 
     States, the American Declaration on the Rights and Duties of 
     Man, the Inter-American Democratic Charter, and other 
     fundamental instruments of democracy.

     SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

       It is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) the Organization of American States (OAS) should be the 
     primary multi-lateral diplomatic entity for regional dispute 
     resolution and promotion of democratic governance and 
     institutions;
       (2) the OAS is a valuable platform from which to launch 
     initiatives aimed to benefit the countries of the Western 
     Hemisphere;

[[Page H5568]]

       (3) the Summit of the Americas institution and process 
     embodies a valuable complement to regional dialogue and 
     cooperation;
       (4) the Summit of the Americas process should be formally 
     and more effectively integrated into the work of the OAS, the 
     Inter-American Development Bank, and other Members of the 
     Joint Summit Working Group, and the OAS should play a central 
     role in overseeing and managing the Summit process;
       (5) the OAS General Assembly and the Summit of the Americas 
     events should be combined geographically and chronologically 
     in the years in which they coincide;
       (6) the OAS has historically accepted too many mandates 
     from its member states, resulting in both lack of clarity on 
     priorities and loss of institutional focus, which in turn has 
     reduced the effectiveness of the organization;
       (7) to ensure an appropriate balance of priorities, the OAS 
     should review its core functions no less than annually and 
     seek opportunities to reduce the number of mandates not 
     directly related to its core functions;
       (8) key OAS strengths lie in strengthening peace and 
     security, promoting and consolidating representative 
     democracy, regional dispute resolution, election assistance 
     and monitoring, fostering economic growth and development 
     cooperation, facilitating trade, combating illicit drug 
     trafficking and transnational crime, and support for the 
     Inter-American Human Rights System;
       (9) the core competencies referred to in paragraph (8) 
     should remain central to the strategic planning process of 
     the OAS and the consideration of future mandates;
       (10) any new OAS mandates should be accepted by the member 
     states only after an analysis is conducted and formally 
     presented consisting of a calculation of the financial costs 
     associated with the mandate, an assessment of the comparative 
     advantage of the OAS in the implementation of the mandate, 
     and a description of the ways in which the mandate advances 
     the organization's core mission;
       (11) any new mandates should include, in addition to the 
     analysis described in paragraph (10), an identification of 
     the source of funding to be used to implement the mandate;
       (12) the OAS would benefit from enhanced coordination 
     between the OAS and the Inter-American Development Bank on 
     issues that relate to economic development;
       (13) the OAS would benefit from standard reporting 
     requirements for each project and grant agreement;
       (14) the OAS would benefit from effective implementation 
     of--
       (A) transparent and merit-based human resource standards 
     and processes; and
       (B) transparent hiring, firing, and promotion standards and 
     processes, including with respect to factors such as gender 
     and national origin; and
       (15) it is in the interest of the United States, OAS member 
     states, and a modernized OAS to move toward an assessed fee 
     structure that assures the financial sustainability of the 
     organization and establishes, not later than five years after 
     the date of the enactment of this Act, that no member state 
     pays more than 50 percent of the organization's assessed 
     fees.

     SEC. 5. ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES REVITALIZATION AND 
                   REFORM STRATEGY.

       (a) Strategy.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall 
     submit to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate 
     and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
     Representatives a multiyear strategy that--
       (A) identifies a path toward the adoption of necessary 
     reforms that prioritize and reinforce the OAS's core 
     competencies described in section 4(8);
       (B) outlines an approach to secure from the OAS effective 
     adoption of--
       (i) a results-based budgeting process in order to 
     strategically prioritize, and where appropriate, reduce 
     current and future mandates; and
       (ii) transparent hiring, firing, and promotion practices;
       (C) reflects the inputs and coordination from other 
     Executive Branch agencies, as appropriate; and
       (D) identifies a path toward the adoption of necessary 
     reforms that would--
       (i) lead to an assessed fee structure in which no member 
     state would pay more than 50 percent of the OAS's assessed 
     yearly fees; and
       (ii) seek to minimize the negative financial impact on the 
     OAS and its operations.
       (2) Policy priorities and coordination.--The Secretary of 
     State shall--
       (A) carry out diplomatic engagement to build support for 
     reforms and budgetary burden sharing among OAS member states 
     and observers; and
       (B) promote donor coordination among OAS member states.
       (b) Briefings.--The Secretary of State shall offer to the 
     committees referred to in subsection (a)(1) a quarterly 
     briefing that--
       (1) reviews assessed and voluntary contributions;
       (2) analyzes the progress made by the OAS to adopt and 
     effectively implement a results-based budgeting process in 
     order to strategically prioritize, and where appropriate, 
     reduce current and future mandates;
       (3) analyzes the progress made by the OAS to adopt and 
     effectively implement transparent and merit-based human 
     resource standards and practices and transparent hiring, 
     firing, and promotion standards and processes, including with 
     respect to factors such as gender and national origin;
       (4) analyzes the progress made by the OAS to adopt and 
     effectively implement a practice of soliciting member quotas 
     to be paid on a schedule that will improve the consistency of 
     its operating budget; and
       (5) analyzes the progress made by the OAS to review, 
     streamline, and prioritize mandates to focus on core missions 
     and make efficient and effective use of available funding.

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


                             General Leave

  Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include extraneous material on this measure in the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume to explain that this legislation would require the 
Secretary of State to develop a multiyear strategy to bolster the 
Organization of American States, OAS as we know it, and improve the 
performance and the process for managing the budget and the personnel 
at the OAS.
  When it was founded in 1948, it was the sole multilateral body in the 
Western Hemisphere. As the premier hemispheric organization, the OAS' 
key institutional documents--its charter, the American Declaration of 
Rights, the Inter-American Democratic Charter--enshrine values that are 
the foundation for political systems in the Americas.
  Since its founding, the OAS has accepted too many mandates from its 
member states, resulting in a loss of international focus, and in turn 
has reduced, frankly, the organization's effectiveness. This bill seeks 
to push the OAS to refocus on those two core principles of promoting 
democratic governance and institutions and resolving regional disputes.
  This push comes as other regional bodies are competing with the OAS 
for regional influence. There is the Central American System of 
Integration, the Union of South American Nations, and the Community of 
Latin American and Caribbean States, which includes Cuba but excludes 
both the United States and Canada.
  Many of these political bodies do not represent our values. Most 
exclude the U.S. Many are used by governments in the region to 
undermine the U.S., thus undermining U.S. diplomacy in the hemisphere.
  In order to maintain the OAS as an influential, positive force and to 
defend U.S. engagement, it is important that the U.S. spearhead an 
effort to reform the OAS and address its many administrative 
challenges.
  This bill calls on the administration to develop a strategy that 
helps the OAS focus on its core mission, shed nonessential programs, 
install a results-based budgeting process, and adopt transparent, 
competitive personnel practices.
  Additionally, this bill was strengthened in committee to recognize 
that it is not politically or financially viable for any OAS member 
state, including the United States, to pay more than 50 percent of the 
institution's assessed fees.
  I reserve the balance of my time, Mr. Speaker.
  Mr. MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in strong support of S. 793, as amended.
  Mr. Speaker, the OAS remains the premier regional forum for the 
countries of the Americas to conduct multilateral business, an 
important aspect of U.S. relations with its neighbors.
  The bill before us today seeks to support the organization, 
particularly with respect to democracy promotion and the protection of 
human rights.
  The version we are poised to pass today in the House adds an 
important provision to the bipartisan Senate bill introduced by the 
Senator from New Jersey, Bob Menendez, the chairman of the Senate 
Foreign Relations Committee.

[[Page H5569]]

  This new provision requires the State Department to examine ways to 
ensure that in the future no OAS member state pays more than 50 percent 
of the regular budget.
  Currently, based on a legacy fee structure from a different era, the 
U.S. does pay more than 50 percent, with a series of distorting 
results.
  A modernized OAS would benefit from a more egalitarian fee structure. 
The new provision asks State to lay out a roadmap to achieve such a fee 
structure, and hopefully opens up the conversation with our fellow 
member states in the OAS in the spirit of consensus and partnership.
  I would like to thank Chairman Royce and Ranking Member Engel for 
working, truly, again, as we have done and seen time and time again on 
the Foreign Affairs Committee, really working in a bipartisan manner on 
this bill. We know sometimes it is not easy, but they have managed to 
do it. I thank them for that.
  I urge my colleagues to support it, and reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. ROYCE. I would like to thank Mr. Meeks.
  Mr. Speaker, at this time, I ask unanimous consent to yield the 
balance of my time to the gentlelady from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) 
and that she be able to control that time.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I thank our esteemed chairman for this privilege to speak about an 
important bill before us.
  I would like to commend Senator Bob Menendez, my dear friend from New 
Jersey, for introducing this pivotal bill, an important bipartisan 
bill, to bring desperately needed reforms to this failed Organization 
of American States.
  I remain deeply disappointed, Mr. Speaker, that the OAS continues to 
fail to live up to the principles of the Inter-American Democratic 
Charter. The OAS should be, but is not, an important regional body that 
stands up for democratic principles, that promotes the rule of law and 
condemns human rights violations.
  However, the OAS has strayed. This bill is a positive step forward to 
bring it back onto the right path.
  Throughout the region, Mr. Speaker, we have seen ALBA nations 
continue to ignore their own constitution and deprive their people of 
the most basic human rights.
  Has the OAS spoken out against the illegitimate elections in 
Venezuela? How about the illegitimate elections in Nicaragua? Or what 
about the continued human rights abuses against the people of Cuba?
  Just this past Sunday, Mr. Speaker, more than 30 pro-democracy 
advocates who were peacefully gathering in Cuba were detained and 
beaten by agents of the regime--for doing nothing. But the OAS remains 
silent on all of these important topics, and in doing so it fails to 
hold accountable the authoritarian regimes that oppress millions in our 
own hemisphere.

                              {time}  1730

  That is why real and concrete reforms are needed at the OAS. I fully 
support this legislation because it strengthens our mission at the OAS, 
and it ensures that U.S. taxpayer dollars are used well and no longer 
go to waste as they are at the OAS right now.
  With that, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MEEKS. I have no further requests for time and am ready to close, 
and so I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, let me just state again about the hard work of Chairman 
Royce and Ranking Member Engel and their working in a bipartisan manner 
to get this bill done. It's difficult at times when you have different 
views on different issues; but I think that, when you have individuals 
working together across the aisle who are trying to come up with the 
appropriate compromise for an organization that is needed to have the 
strength to protect human rights and to make sure there is democracy, 
working together to get them on the right track, as Mr. Royce has 
indicated, is important. To also have the other body, the Senate, 
working with us so it's bicameral is a tremendous effort, I think, on 
both sides in trying to make sure that we have an organization in our 
hemisphere that is doing the right thing, and we've got to do it on a 
continuous basis, being sturdy, being forceful but also being 
bipartisan.
  Let me just finally say that the manner in which this bill has come 
together is the manner in which I wish many bills could come together 
on this floor and in working with the other body.
  I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, in closing, I want to thank our esteemed chairman, Mr. 
Ed Royce of California, and our committee's ranking member, Mr. Eliot 
Engel of New York, for their work on this bipartisan-bicameral effort 
to take one step--just the first step--at deep OAS reform.
  I want to thank Senator Bob Menendez, the author of the bill, who has 
been a longtime supporter and a leader in favor of human rights, the 
rule of law and democracy, especially in our hemisphere. All of us and 
our committee look forward to working with Senator Menendez and with 
all of our Members and the other body, as well, as we move forward to 
enact this bill and make sure that we have true, meaningful reforms and 
that we endeavor to get the OAS, once again, focused back on their core 
mission, which should be and remains promoting democracy and human 
rights in the Americas, a mission from which it has strayed far too 
often, including up to today.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, S. 793, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. 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, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

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