[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 31 (Wednesday, February 15, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S427-S428]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DURBIN:
  S. 437. A bill to establish within the Office of Gender Equality and 
Women's Empowerment of the United States Agency for International 
Development a rural mobility program to promote mobility in rural 
communities through access to affordable, fit-for-purpose bicycles, 
provide support to sustainably increase access to rural areas, and for 
other purposes; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
  Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of 
the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 437

       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 ``Bicycles for Rural African 
     Transport Act''.

     SEC. 2. RURAL MOBILITY PROGRAM IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA.

       (a) Establishment.--
       (1) In general.--The Administrator of the United States 
     Agency for International Development (referred to in this Act 
     as ``USAID'') shall establish, within the Office of Gender 
     Equality and Women's Empowerment, a rural mobility program 
     (referred to in this section as the ``Program'') to carry out 
     the purposes described in paragraph (2), including through 
     grants made to eligible nongovernmental partner 
     organizations, prioritizing those organizations with 
     demonstrated success conducting rural mobility programs in 
     the region to so carry out such purposes.
       (2) Purpose.--The Program shall focus on country-driven 
     projects within sub-Saharan Africa--
       (A) to promote rural communities' access to critical 
     services and opportunities, including education, health care, 
     and livelihood opportunities, through access to affordable, 
     fit-for-purpose bicycles; and
       (B) to provide support to sustainably increase access to 
     critical services, such as education, health care, and 
     livelihood opportunities in rural areas, including through 
     support for rural-based mechanics, access to spare parts, 
     reduction of social and gender-based stigma, and community 
     project management capacity.
       (3) Partnerships.--To the greatest extent practicable, the 
     Program shall partner with existing entities overseas that 
     have successful models for providing access to affordable 
     bicycles to achieve development objectives.
       (4) Authorization of appropriations.--To carry out this 
     section, there is authorized to be appropriated--
       (A) $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2024;
       (B) $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2025;
       (C) $6,000,000 for fiscal year 2026;
       (D) $6,000,000 for fiscal year 2027; and
       (E) $12,000,000 for fiscal year 2028 and for each fiscal 
     year thereafter.
       (b) Report.--
       (1) Prior projects.--Not later than 30 days after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of USAID 
     shall submit a report to the Committee on Foreign Relations 
     of the Senate, the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, 
     the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
     Representatives, and the Committee on Appropriations of the 
     House of Representatives regarding projects carried out by 
     USAID during each of the fiscal years 2020, 2021, 2022, and 
     2023 relating to the purposes described in subsection (a)(2). 
     The report shall--
       (A) identify in which countries USAID embedded rural 
     bicycle mobility into strategies, programs, and projects of 
     USAID;
       (B) describe the mechanisms by which rural bicycle mobility 
     was so embedded;
       (C) specify the number of bicycles distributed each fiscal 
     year;
       (D) assess the outcomes for and impacts on participants in 
     such projects; and

[[Page S428]]

       (E) assess USAID's efforts to disseminate lessons learned 
     from such projects.
       (2) Current projects.--Not later than December 30, 2025, 
     and not later than each December 30 thereafter, the 
     Administrator of USAID shall submit a report to the 
     congressional committees listed in paragraph (1) regarding 
     projects carried out by USAID during the immediately 
     preceding fiscal year. Each such report shall include 
     information relating to the matters described in 
     subparagraphs (A) through (E) of paragraph (1).
                                 ______