[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 132 (Wednesday, July 28, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5143-S5144]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. KAINE (for himself and Mr. Rubio):
  S. 2509. A bill to authorize the New Partnerships Initiative to 
expand and diversify the partner base of the United States Agency for 
International Development and to provide more entry points for 
organizations to work with USAID; to the Committee on Foreign 
Relations.
  Mr. KAINE. Mr. President. The United States Agency for International 
Development's (USAID) New Partnerships Initiative (NPI) was formed to 
help small and local nonprofit organizations partner with the agency on 
humanitarian work, and was inspired in part by requests from Congress 
for USAID to cooperate more closely with these organizations. The 
program was founded on the principle that greater diversity and 
competition among the USAID partner base would lead to better and more 
effective development

[[Page S5144]]

work. Since its creation, NPI has helped USAID expand its collaboration 
with local nonprofits to undertake critical work overseas, but this 
vital program needs a clearly defined foundation in statute and long-
term authorization of funding to sustain its progress well beyond 2021.
  Today, I am pleased to introduce the New Partnerships Initiative 
Authorization Act with Senator Rubio. This legislation would cement 
USAID's commitment to diversifying its nonprofit partner base by 
authorizing the program and necessary funding through Fiscal Year 2026. 
Additionally, the New Partnerships Initiative Authorization Act would 
improve outcomes at the NPI program by outlining in statute core 
elements of the program, and requiring the USAID Administrator to 
adhere to certain criteria regarding program management and nonprofit 
recruitment.
  This bipartisan legislation is an opportunity to ensure that the New 
Partnerships Initiative continues to be an effective tool for 
diversifying USAID's partner base through the inclusion of locally 
based and underutilized partners. I look forward to working with USAID 
leadership and my colleagues on the Foreign Relations Committee to 
swiftly consider and implement the New Partnerships Initiative 
Authorization Act.
  Thank you, Mr. President.
                                 ______