[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 158 (Thursday, September 29, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5693-S5694]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 6154. Mr. VAN HOLLEN (for himself and Mr. Rounds) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 5499 submitted by Mr.
Reed (for himself and Mr. Inhofe) and intended to be proposed to the
bill H.R. 7900, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2023 for
military activities of the Department of Defense, for military
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy,
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the end of title XII, add the following:
Subtitle G--Young African Leaders Initiative Act of 2022
SEC. 1281. SHORT TITLE.
This subtitle may be cited as the ``Young African Leaders
Initiative Act of 2022'' or the ``YALI Act of 2022''.
SEC. 1282. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the Young African Leaders Initiative, launched in 2010,
is a signature effort to invest in the next generation of
African leaders;
(2) Africa is a continent of strategic importance and it is
vital for the United States to support strong and enduring
partnerships with the next generation of African leaders; and
(3) the United States Government should prioritize
investments to build the capacity of emerging young African
leaders in sub-Saharan Africa, including through efforts to
enhance leadership skills, encourage entrepreneurship,
strengthen public administration and the role of civil
society, and connect young African leaders continentally and
globally across the private, civic, and public sectors.
SEC. 1283. YOUNG AFRICAN LEADERS INITIATIVE PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--There is established in the Department of
State the Young African Leaders Initiative Program (referred
to in this Act as the ``YALI Program'').
(b) Purpose.--The YALI Program shall seek to build the
capacity of young African leaders in sub-Saharan Africa in
the areas of business, civic engagement, or public
administration, including through efforts--
(1) to support young African leaders by offering
professional development, training, and networking
opportunities, particularly in the areas of leadership,
innovation, civic engagement, elections, human rights,
entrepreneurship, good governance, and public administration;
and
(2) to provide increased economic and technical assistance
to young African leaders to promote economic growth and
strengthen ties between United States and African businesses.
(c) Fellowships.--The YALI Program shall award fellowships
through the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African
Leaders Program to young African leaders who--
(1) are between 18 and 35 years of age;
(2) have demonstrated strong capabilities in
entrepreneurship, innovation, public service, and leadership;
and
(3) have had a positive impact in their communities,
organizations, or institutions.
(d) Regional Leadership Centers.--The YALI Program shall
seek to establish regional leadership centers in sub-Saharan
Africa to offer training to young African leaders who--
(1) are between 18 and 35 years of age;
(2) have demonstrated strong capabilities in
entrepreneurship, innovation, public service and leadership;
and
(3) have had a positive impact in their communities,
organizations, or institutions.
(e) Activities.--
(1) United states-based activities.--The Secretary of
State, in coordination with the Administrator of the United
States Agency for International Development and the heads of
other relevant Federal departments and agencies, shall
oversee all United States-based activities carried out under
the YALI Program, including the participation of Mandela
Washington fellows in--
(A) a 6-week leadership institute at a United States
university or college in business, civic engagement, or
public management, including academic sessions, site visits,
professional networking opportunities, leadership training,
community service, and organized cultural activities; and
(B) an annual Mandela Washington Fellowship Summit to
provide such fellows the opportunity to meet with United
States leaders from the private, public, and nonprofit
sectors.
(2) Africa-based activities.--The Secretary of State, in
coordination with the Administrator of the United States
Agency for International Development and the heads of other
relevant Federal departments and agencies, should continue to
support existing Young African Leaders Initiative programs in
sub-Saharan Africa, including--
(A) access to continued leadership training and other
professional development opportunities for Mandela Washington
Fellowship for Young African Leaders alumni upon their return
to their home countries, including online courses, technical
assistance, and access to funding;
(B) training for young African leaders at regional
leadership centers established in accordance with subsection
(d), and through online and in-person courses offered by such
centers; and
(C) opportunities for networking and engagement with--
(i) other alumni of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for
Young African Leaders;
(ii) alumni of programs at regional leadership centers
established in accordance with subsection (d); and
(iii) United States and like-minded diplomatic missions,
business leaders, and others, as appropriate.
(3) Implementation.--The Secretary of State, in
coordination with the Administrator of the United States
Agency for International Development and the heads of other
relevant Federal departments and agencies, shall seek to
partner with the private sector to pursue public-private
partnerships, leverage private sector expertise, expand
networking opportunities, and identify funding opportunities
and fellowship and employment opportunities for participants
in the YALI Program.
(f) Implementation Plan.--Not later than 180 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in
coordination with the Administrator of the United States
Agency for International Development and the heads of other
relevant Federal departments and agencies, shall submit a
plan to the appropriate congressional committees for
implementing the YALI Program, which plan shall include--
(1) a description of clearly defined program goals,
targets, and planned outcomes for each year and for the
duration of implementation of the YALI Program;
(2) a strategy to monitor and evaluate the YALI Program and
progress made toward achieving such goals, targets, and
planned outcomes; and
(3) a strategy to ensure that the YALI Program is promoting
United States foreign policy goals in Africa, including
ensuring that the YALI Program is clearly branded and paired
with robust public diplomacy efforts.
(g) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for the
following 5 years, the Secretary of State, in coordination
with the Administrator of the United States Agency for
International Development, shall submit to the appropriate
congressional committees and publish in a publicly
accessible, internet-based form, a report that contains--
(1) a description of the progress made toward achieving the
goals, targets, and planned outcomes described in subsection
(f)(1), including an overview of the implementation of the
YALI Program during the previous year and an estimated number
of YALI Program beneficiaries during such year;
(2) an assessment of how the YALI Program is contributing
to and promoting United States-Africa relations, particularly
in areas of increased private sector investment, trade
promotion, support to civil society, improved public
administration, and fostering entrepreneurship and youth
empowerment; and
(3) recommendations for improvements or changes to the YALI
Program and implementation plan, if any, that would improve
its effectiveness during subsequent years of implementation
of the YALI Program.
(h) Defined Term.--In this section, the term ``appropriate
congressional committees'' means--
(1) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate;
(2) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
[[Page S5694]]
(3) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives; and
(4) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives.
(i) Sunset.--The YALI Program shall terminate on the date
that is 5 years after the date of the enactment of this Act.
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