[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 134 (Wednesday, September 7, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H5142-H5146]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
EDUCATION FOR ALL ACT OF 2016
Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 4481) to amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to provide
assistance for developing countries to promote quality basic education
and to establish the goal of all children in school and learning as an
objective of the United States foreign assistance policy, and for other
purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 4481
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Education
for All Act of 2016''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act
is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Sense of Congress.
Sec. 3. Assistance to promote sustainable, quality basic education.
Sec. 4. Comprehensive integrated United States strategy to promote
basic education.
Sec. 5. Improving coordination and oversight.
Sec. 6. Monitoring and evaluation of programs.
Sec. 7. Transparency and reporting to Congress.
Sec. 8. Definitions.
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) education lays the foundation for increased civic
participation, democratic governance, sustained economic
growth, and healthier, more stable societies;
(2) it is in the national interest of the United States to
promote access to sustainable, quality universal basic
education in developing countries;
(3) United States resources and leadership should be
utilized in a manner that best ensures a successful
international effort to provide children in developing
countries with a quality basic education in order to achieve
the goal of quality universal basic education; and
(4) promoting gender parity in basic education from
childhood through adolescence serves United States
diplomatic, economic, and security interests worldwide.
SEC. 3. ASSISTANCE TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE, QUALITY BASIC
EDUCATION.
Section 105 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22
U.S.C. 2151c) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(c) Assistance to Promote Sustainable, Quality Basic
Education.--
``(1) Policy.--In carrying out this section, it shall be
the policy of the United States to work with partner
countries, other donors, multilateral institutions, the
private sector, and nongovernmental and civil society
organizations, including faith-based organizations and
organizations that represent teachers, students, and parents,
to promote sustainable, quality basic education through
programs and activities that, consistent with Article 26 of
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights--
``(A) align with and respond to the needs, capacities, and
commitment of developing countries to strengthen educational
systems, expand access to safe learning environments, ensure
continuity of education, measurably improve teacher skills
and learning outcomes, and support the engagement of parents
in the education of their children, so that all children,
including marginalized children and other vulnerable groups,
may have access to and benefit from quality basic education;
and
``(B) promote education as a foundation for sustained
economic growth and development within a holistic assistance
strategy that places partner countries on a trajectory toward
graduation from assistance provided under this section and
contributes to improved--
``(i) early childhood development;
``(ii) life skills and workforce development;
``(iii) economic opportunity;
``(iv) gender parity;
``(v) food and nutrition security;
``(vi) water, sanitation, and hygiene;
``(vii) health and disease prevention and treatment;
``(viii) disaster preparedness;
``(ix) conflict and violence reduction, mitigation, and
prevention; and
``(x) democracy and governance; and
``(C) monitor and evaluate the effectiveness and quality of
basic education programs.
``(2) Principles.--In carrying out the policy referred to
in paragraph (1), the United States shall be guided by the
following principles of aid effectiveness:
``(A) Alignment.--Assistance provided under this section to
support programs and activities under this subsection shall
be aligned with and advance United States diplomatic,
development, and national security interests.
``(B) Country ownership.--To the greatest extent
practicable, assistance provided under this section to
support programs and activities under this subsection should
be aligned with and support the national education plans and
country development strategies of partner countries,
including activities that are appropriate for and meet the
needs of local and indigenous cultures.
``(C) Coordination.--
``(i) In general.--Assistance provided under this section
to support programs and activities under this subsection
should be coordinated with and leverage the unique
capabilities and resources of local and national governments
in partner countries, other donors, multilateral
institutions, the private sector, and nongovernmental and
civil society organizations, including faith-based
organizations and organizations that represent teachers,
students, and parents.
``(ii) Multilateral programs and initiatives.--Assistance
provided under this section to support programs and
activities under this subsection should be coordinated with
and support proven multilateral education programs and
financing mechanisms, which may include the Global
Partnership for Education, that demonstrate commitment to
efficiency, effectiveness, transparency, and accountability.
``(D) Efficiency.--The President shall seek to improve the
efficiency and effectiveness of assistance provided under
this section to support programs and activities under this
subsection by coordinating the related efforts of relevant
Executive branch agencies and officials, including efforts to
increase gender parity and to provide a continuity of basic
education activities in humanitarian responses and other
emergency settings.
``(E) Effectiveness.--Programs and activities supported
under this subsection shall be designed to achieve specific,
measurable goals and objectives and shall include appropriate
targets, metrics and indicators that can be applied with
reasonable consistency across such programs and activities to
measure progress and outcomes.
``(F) Transparency and accountability.--Programs and
activities supported under this subsection shall be subject
to rigorous monitoring and evaluation, which may include
impact evaluations, the results of which shall be made
publically available in a fully searchable, electronic
format.
``(3) Priority and other requirements.--The President shall
ensure that assistance provided under this section to support
programs and activities under this subsection is aligned with
the diplomatic, economic, and national security interests of
the United
[[Page H5143]]
States and that priority is given to developing countries in
which--
``(A) there is the greatest need and opportunity to expand
access to basic education and to improve learning outcomes,
including for marginalized and vulnerable groups,
particularly women and girls, or populations affected by
conflict or crisis; and
``(B) such assistance can produce a substantial, measurable
impact on children and educational systems.
``(4) Definitions.--In this subsection:
``(A) Basic education.--The term `basic education'
includes--
``(i) all program and policy efforts aimed at improving
early childhood, preprimary education, primary education, and
secondary education, which can be delivered in formal and
nonformal education settings, and in programs promoting
learning for out-of-school youth and adults;
``(ii) capacity building for teachers, administrators,
counselors, and youth workers;
``(iii) literacy, numeracy, and other basic skills
development that prepare an individual to be an active,
productive member of society and the workforce; and
``(iv) workforce development, vocational training, and
digital literacy that is informed by real market needs and
opportunities.
``(B) Partner country.--The term `partner country' means a
developing country that participates in or benefits from
basic education programs under this subsection pursuant to
the prioritization criteria described in paragraph (3),
including level of need, opportunity for impact, and the
availability of resources.
``(C) Relevant executive branch agencies and officials.--
The term `relevant Executive branch agencies and officials'
means--
``(i) the Department of State, the United States Agency for
International Development, the Department of the Treasury,
the Department of Labor, the Department of Education, the
Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of
Agriculture, and the Department of Defense;
``(ii) the Chief Executive Officer of the Millennium
Challenge Corporation, the Coordinator of United States
Government Activities to Combat HIV/AIDS Globally, the
National Security Advisor, the Director of the Peace Corps,
and the National Economic Advisor; and
``(iii) any other department, agency, or official of the
United States Government that participates in activities to
promote quality basic education pursuant to the authorities
of such department, agency, or official or pursuant to this
Act.
``(D) National education plan.--The term `national
education plan' means a comprehensive national education plan
developed by partner country governments in consultation with
other stakeholders as a means for wide-scale improvement of
the country's education system, including explicit, credible
strategies informed by effective practices and standards to
achieve quality universal basic education.
``(E) Hiv/aids.--The term `HIV/AIDS' has the meaning given
that term in section 104A(h).
``(F) Marginalized children and vulnerable groups.--The
term `marginalized children and vulnerable groups' includes
girls, children affected by or emerging from armed conflict
or humanitarian crises, children with disabilities, children
in remote or rural areas (including those who lack access to
safe water and sanitation), religious or ethnic minorities,
indigenous peoples, orphans and children affected by HIV/
AIDS, child laborers, married adolescents, and victims of
trafficking.
``(G) Gender parity in basic education.--The term `gender
parity in basic education' means that girls and boys have
equal access to quality basic education.
``(H) Nonformal education.--The term `nonformal
education'--
``(i) means organized educational activities outside the
established formal system, whether operating separately or as
an important feature of a broader activity, that are intended
to serve identifiable learning clienteles and learning
objectives; and
``(ii) includes youth programs and community training
offered by community groups and organizations.
``(I) Sustainability.--The term `sustainability' means,
with respect to any basic education program that receives
funding pursuant to this section, the ability of a service
delivery system, community, partner, or beneficiary to
maintain, over time, such basic education program.''.
SEC. 4. COMPREHENSIVE INTEGRATED UNITED STATES STRATEGY TO
PROMOTE BASIC EDUCATION.
(a) Strategy Required.--Not later than October 1, 2016,
October 1, 2021, and October 1, 2026, the President shall
submit to the appropriate congressional committees a
comprehensive United States strategy to promote quality basic
education in partner countries by--
(1) seeking to equitably expand access to basic education
for all children, particularly marginalized children and
vulnerable groups; and
(2) measurably improving the quality of basic education and
learning outcomes.
(b) Requirement to Consult.--In developing the strategy
required by subsection (a), the President shall consult
with--
(1) the appropriate congressional committees;
(2) relevant Executive branch agencies and officials;
(3) partner country governments; and
(4) local and international nongovernmental organizations,
including faith-based organizations and organizations
representing students, teachers, and parents, and other
development partners engaged in basic education assistance
programs in developing countries.
(c) Public Comment.--The President shall provide an
opportunity for public comment on the strategy required by
subsection (a).
(d) Initial Strategy.--For the purposes of this section,
the strategy entitled ``USAID education strategy'', as in
effect on the day before the date of the enactment of this
Act, shall be deemed to fulfill the initial requirements of
subsection (a) for 2016.
(e) Elements.--The strategy required by subsection (a)
shall be developed and implemented consistent with the
principles set forth in subsection (c) of section 105 of the
Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (as added by section 3 of this
Act) and shall seek to--
(1) build the capacity of relevant actors in partner
countries, including in government and in civil society, to
develop and implement national education plans that are
aligned with and advance country development strategies;
(2) identify and replicate successful interventions that
improve access to and quality of education;
(3) project general levels of resources needed to achieve
stated program objectives;
(4) leverage United States capabilities, including through
technical assistance, training and research; and
(5) improve coordination and reduce duplication among
relevant Executive branch agencies and officials, other
donors, multilateral institutions, nongovernmental
organizations, and governments in partner countries.
(f) Activities Supported.--Assistance provided under
section 105 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (as amended
by section 3 of this Act) should advance the strategy
required by subsection (a), including through efforts to--
(1) ensure an adequate supply and continued support for
trained, effective teachers;
(2) design and deliver relevant curricula, uphold quality
standards, and supply appropriate teaching and learning
materials;
(3) build the capacity of basic education systems in
partner countries by improving management practices and
supporting their ability to collect relevant data and
monitor, evaluate, and report on the status and quality of
education services, financing, and student-learning outcomes;
(4) help mobilize domestic resources to eliminate or offset
fees for educational services, including fees for tuition,
uniforms, and materials;
(5) support education on human rights and conflict-
resolution while ensuring that schools are not incubators for
violent extremism;
(6) work with communities to help girls overcome relevant
barriers to their receiving a safe, quality basic education,
including by improving girls' safety in education settings,
helping girls to obtain the skills needed to find safe and
legal employment upon conclusion of their education, and
countering harmful practices such as child, early, and forced
marriage and gender-based violence;
(7) ensure access to education for the most marginalized
children and vulnerable groups, including through the
provision of appropriate infrastructure, flexible learning
opportunities, accelerated and second-chance classes, and
opportunities that support leadership development;
(8) make schools safe and secure learning environments
without threat of physical, psychological, and sexual
violence, including by supporting safe passage to and from
schools and constructing separate latrines for boys and
girls; and
(9) support a communities-of-learning approach that
utilizes schools as centers of learning and development for
an entire community, to leverage and maximize the impact of
other development efforts, and reduce duplication and waste.
(g) Additional Activities Supported for Countries Affected
by Conflict and Crises.--In addition to the activities
supported under subsection (f), assistance provided under
section 105 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (as amended
by section 3 of this Act) to foreign countries or those parts
of the territories of foreign countries that are affected by
or emerging from armed conflict, humanitarian crises, or
other emergency situations may be used to support efforts
to--
(1) ensure a continuity of basic education for all children
through appropriate formal and nonformal education programs
and services;
(2) ensure that basic education assistance of the United
States to countries in emergency settings shall be informed
by the Minimum Standards of the Inter-Agency Network for
Education in Emergencies (``INEE Minimum Standards'');
(3) coordinate basic education programs with complementary
services to protect children from physical harm,
psychological and social distress, recruitment into armed
groups, family separation, and abuses related to their
displacement;
(4) support, train, and provide professional development
for educators working in emergency settings;
(5) help build national capacity to coordinate and manage
basic education during emergency response and through
recovery;
[[Page H5144]]
(6) promote the reintegration of teachers and students
affected by conflict, whether refugees or internally
displaced, into educational systems; and
(7) ensure the safety of children in school, including
through support for--
(A) the provision of safe learning environments with
appropriate facilities, especially for girls;
(B) safe passage to and from school, including landmine
awareness, the designation of schools as conflict-free zones,
the adoption and support of community-owned protective
measures to reduce the incidence of attacks on educational
facilities and personnel by local actors, armed groups, and
armed forces;
(C) out-of-school and flexible-hour education programs in
areas where security conditions are prohibitive;
(D) safety plans in case of emergency with clearly defined
roles for school personnel; and
(E) appropriate infrastructure, including emergency
communication systems and access to mobile telecommunications
with local police and security personnel.
SEC. 5. IMPROVING COORDINATION AND OVERSIGHT.
(a) Senior Coordinator of United States International Basic
Education Assistance.--There is established within the United
States Agency for International Development a Senior
Coordinator of United States International Basic Education
Assistance (referred to in this Act as the ``Senior
Coordinator''), who shall be appointed by the President.
(b) Duties.--
(1) In general.--The Senior Coordinator shall have primary
responsibility for the oversight and coordination of all
resources and activities of the United States Government
relating to the promotion of international basic education
programs and activities.
(2) Specific duties.--The Senior Coordinator shall--
(A) facilitate program and policy coordination of
international basic education programs and activities among
relevant Executive branch agencies and officials, partner
governments, multilateral institutions, the private sector,
and nongovernmental and civil society organizations;
(B) develop and revise the strategy required under section
4;
(C) monitor, evaluate, and report on activities undertaken
pursuant to the strategy required under section 4; and
(D) establish due diligence criteria for all recipients of
funds provided by the United States to carry out activities
under this Act and the amendments made by this Act.
(c) Offset.--To offset any costs incurred by the United
States Agency for International Development to carry out the
establishment and appointment of a Senior Coordinator of
United States International Basic Education Assistance in
accordance with subsection (a), the President shall eliminate
such positions within the United States Agency for
International Development, unless otherwise authorized or
required by law, as the President determines to be necessary
to fully offset such costs.
SEC. 6. MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF PROGRAMS.
The President shall seek to ensure that programs carried
out under the strategy required under section 4 shall--
(1) apply rigorous monitoring and evaluation methodologies
to focus on learning and accountability;
(2) include methodological guidance in the implementation
plan and support systemic data collection using
internationally comparable indicators, norms, and
methodologies, to the extent practicable and appropriate;
(3) disaggregate all data collected and reported by age,
gender, marital status, disability, and location, to the
extent practicable and appropriate;
(4) be planned and budgeted to include funding for both
short- and long-term monitoring and evaluation to enable
assessment of the sustainability and scalability of
assistance programs; and
(5) support the increased use and public availability of
education data for improved decision making, program
effectiveness, and monitoring of global progress.
SEC. 7. TRANSPARENCY AND REPORTING TO CONGRESS.
(a) Annual Report on the Implementation of Strategy.--Not
later than March 31 of each year through 2031, the President
shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a
report on the implementation of the strategy developed
pursuant to section 4 and make the report available to the
public.
(b) Matters to Be Included.--The report required under
subsection (a) shall include--
(1) a description of the efforts made by relevant Executive
branch agencies and officials to implement the strategy
developed pursuant to section 4 with a particular focus on
the activities carried out;
(2) a description of the extent to which each partner
country selected to receive assistance for basic education
meets the priority criteria specified in subsection (c) of
section 105 of the Foreign Assistance Act (as added by
section 3 of this Act); and
(3) a description of the progress achieved over the
reporting period toward meeting the goals, objectives,
benchmarks, and timeframes specified in the strategy
developed pursuant to section 4 at the program level, as
developed pursuant to monitoring and evaluation specified in
section 6.
SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS.
(a) Appropriate Congressional Committees.--In this Act, the
term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(1) the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on
Foreign Relations of the Senate; and
(2) the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on
Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives.
(b) Other Definitions.--In this Act, the terms ``basic
education'', ``partner country'', ``relevant Executive branch
agencies and officials'', ``national education plan'',
``marginalized children and vulnerable groups'', and ``gender
parity in basic education'' have the meanings given such
terms in subsection (c) of section 105 of the Foreign
Assistance Act of 1961 (as added by section 3 of this Act).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Royce) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
General Leave
Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to
include any extraneous material on this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, at the outset, let me thank our colleague, Nita Lowey,
the author of this measure. I very much appreciate her and her team's
good work on this bill. Also, Jessica Kelch, a staff member here on the
Committee on Foreign Affairs, I appreciate her efforts as well in
making sure that this came to the floor.
We all recognize the importance of education for economic growth. We
know the impact that it has on social mobility. We know that the
overall stability around the globe is partly dependent upon this, and
as Congresswoman Nita Lowey would tell you, education raises the
productivity of people. It empowers men, it empowers women to better
care for themselves, better care for their families, and increases
their civic participation. Even one extra year of schooling has been
found to significantly increase a worker's earnings and their lifespan.
But despite widespread agreement about the benefits of education, the
fact remains that an alarming number of children worldwide are out of
school. At present, over 120 million children around the globe have
never attended or have dropped out of school. More than one-third of
these children come from countries suffering from war and suffering
from conflict. With many recent conflicts lasting well over a decade,
it is easy to see how, tragically, we now have entire generations of
children who are failing to receive even the most basic education.
{time} 1715
Certainly, this is a humanitarian crisis. But there are clear
implications for global stability and our national security as well.
What opportunities are available to children who remain out of school
or leave school unable to read, write, or perform basic arithmetic?
Sadly, we know these children face a greatly increased risk of abuse at
the hands of traffickers, early marriage or forced marriage, and
recruitment by criminal or terrorist organizations.
Nowhere is this harsh reality more clear than in Syria, where an
estimated 4 million Syrian children are currently out of school. Inside
Syria, these children are being shaped by violence and a lack of
alternatives that place them at a high risk of exploitation and of
radicalization. As refugees, they are placing tremendous pressure on
the education systems of countries like Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey.
That is why I rise today in support of H.R. 4481, the Education for
All Act. This bill increases direction and accountability for U.S.
efforts to impose access to basic education in developing and in
conflict-torn countries.
It requires the President to establish a strategy for, and report to
Congress on, how the administration will work with other countries and
donors on how to build that capacity and how to reduce duplication, how
to measure progress, and how to replicate success
[[Page H5145]]
in its basic education programming, especially for children affected by
conflict and crisis. It also requires increased attention to some of
the specific barriers to education that women and girls face.
Lastly, the bill establishes a senior coordinator within the U.S.
Agency for International Development to ensure accountability and
oversight across all U.S. agencies that are involved in this work.
So, again, I want to thank Representative Lowey for her continued
bipartisan leadership on this issue, as well as my committee's ranking
member, Mr. Engel, and the chair of our Africa, Global Health, Global
Human Rights, and International Organizations Subcommittee, Mr. Smith,
for their work on this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation.
Let me again thank our chairman, Ed Royce, for his leadership; and I
want to acknowledge my good friend and neighbor from New York, Nita
Lowey, who authored this bill and has long been a champion for
expanding access to education not just here in the United States, but
around the world.
Mr. Speaker, a recent report from the United Nations tells us that,
around the world, more than 260 million young people are not in school.
That is 260 million, a staggering amount. Millions more are only able
to gain a substandard education.
We cannot overstate the importance of getting young people off to a
good start by getting them into the classroom. Every year of primary
school increases an individual's earning potential by 5 to 15 percent.
More educated populations are healthier and more productive, so it is a
win all the way around.
Promoting access to education isn't about helping young people
reaching their potential. It is also about enhancing security and
stability. For every year a young man spends in school, the likelihood
of him becoming involved in violence and extremism drops by 20 percent.
In places like Afghanistan and South Sudan, where roughly half of the
children are not in school, we know that violent extremists and others
are only too happy to provide a rotten alternative for these vulnerable
young people. That is why access to basic education needs to be a
foreign policy priority.
This legislation calls for a 5-year strategy for expanding
opportunities for kids to go to school all over the world, especially
where children are most vulnerable. It would put a new point person in
charge of making sure that our efforts across government are
coordinated and effective. It would place a special emphasis on
monitoring and evaluation so we know we are getting the best bang for
our buck when it comes to our investments in basic education.
This is a good bill that will actually help to put children in
classrooms around the world, giving them a better shot at a full and
successful life.
I, again, thank my friend Nita Lowey, and I thank the chairman.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from New
York (Mrs. Lowey), my friend and a wonderful colleague.
Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Royce and Ranking
Member Engel for their support and their enthusiasm for this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in full support of H.R. 4481, the Education for
All Act, which I introduced earlier this year with our colleague David
Reichert.
Today, millions of American children are settling into new classrooms
and getting back in the swing of their school routines. Despite the
challenges many students and schools face, it is hard for us to imagine
this time of year not being occupied with the excitement of new school
supplies, teachers, and school sporting events. Unfortunately, the
ability to access education at all remains a luxury in too many areas
around the world. In fact, in 2014, 263 million children, adolescents,
and youth were not in school. Our own U.S. Agency for International
Development has reported:
The world is in the midst of a global learning crisis.
As of 2014, an estimated 25 million children were never expected to
enroll in school, and 758 million adults could not read or write a
simple sentence. Women and girls represent two-thirds of these
staggering figures. Even daring to attend school requires taking life-
threatening risk for girls in many regions.
Malala Yousafzai was shot by the Taliban in Pakistan at the age of 15
for attending school and advocating for other girls to do so. Hundreds
of girls have been kidnapped by Boko Haram for seeking a basic
education and still remain hostage. That is why this legislation is so
critical.
The promotion of international basic education must be among our
chief development priorities. Not only is it in the national security
interests of the United States, it is simply the right thing to do.
The bill before us today prioritizes USAID's work with foreign
governments, NGOs, and multilateral organizations to help nations
develop and implement quality programs, address key barriers to school
attendance, and increase completion rates for the poorest and most
vulnerable children worldwide.
With a comprehensive strategy, the U.S. can lead the world in
expanding access to millions of children who aren't in school and
improving the quality of education for millions who are.
Measurable learning outcomes and updates to this strategy every 5
years, with feedback from local and international education and
development partners, will ensure we build upon our successes to make
progress toward universal education.
Additionally, the legislation strengthens Congress' role and enhances
oversight of these efforts by creating a Senior Coordinator of United
States International Basic Education Assistance tasked with improving
coordination, monitoring the education strategy, and reporting to
Congress on implementation. These efforts will not only teach students
the three Rs, they will ultimately help protect vulnerable children
from poverty, disease, hunger, and, ultimately, extremism.
I have long said there is no greater force multiplier than education.
An education is the fundamental tool with which girls and boys are
empowered to increase their economic potential, improve their health
outcomes, provide for their families, address cultural biases, and
participate in their communities.
Children who receive a quality education also contribute to more
prosperous economies and healthier, peaceful, and democratic societies.
That is why the 9/11 Commission concluded that ensuring educational
opportunity is essential to defeating global terrorism.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Mr. ENGLE. I yield the gentlewoman an additional 2 minutes.
Mrs. LOWEY. First introduced in 2004, the bill we consider today
represents many years of hard work to elevate the importance of global
education, bipartisan compromise, and the support of over 30 nonprofit
and advocacy organizations, including RESULTS, the Basic Education
Coalition, the Global Campaign for Education, the Global Poverty
Project, the Malala Fund, and many other vital partners.
So, in closing, I want to thank, again, Chairman Royce, Ranking
Member Engel, and their hardworking staffs for their diligent efforts
to bring the Education for All Act before the House today.
I urge immediate passage.
Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time to close.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
In closing, let me say that, if children around the world cannot get
a basic education, it will obviously be that much harder for them to
get ahead later on in life, to contribute to their economies and
communities, to help build stability and prosperity, and to deprive
violent extremists of potential recruits.
I think that is an important point. At a time that we are fighting
extremism, children who are uneducated are much more vulnerable to be
swayed by the allure of violent extremists.
[[Page H5146]]
That is why we have made expanding access to education a part of our
foreign policy. With this legislation, we are building on existing
efforts and making sure administrations--this one and ones to come--
will focus on this priority for many, many years to come.
So, again, I want to thank Chairman Royce for always working with me
hand in hand on important measures like this in a bipartisan fashion. I
want to thank Congresswoman Lowey for her hard work. She has been
championing this for many, many years. I support this bill
enthusiastically and urge all Members to do the same.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I, again, want to thank Nita Lowey and Eliot Engel.
Today, more than 65 million men, women, and children around the globe
have been displaced by conflict. This is the highest level of
displacement on record--even more than during World War II.
It is critical that we continue to work with other countries and
partners to help address the massive education deficit that so many
children now face and that our efforts be as efficient and effective as
possible. The Education for All Act outlines clear priorities for this
work, with an emphasis on sustainability and alignment with U.S.
diplomatic development and national security interests.
I urge Members to support this measure.
Again, I thank my colleagues for working on a bipartisan basis on the
provisions here.
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, H.R. 4481, 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.
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