[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 133 (Friday, August 1, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5261-S5262]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 3502. Mr. VAN HOLLEN (for himself and Mr. Rounds) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 2296, to
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2026 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 subtitle A of title XII, add the following:
SEC. 1210. YOUNG AFRICAN LEADERS INITIATIVE.
(a) Short Titles.--This section may be cited as the ``Young
African Leaders Initiative Act of 2025'' or the ``YALI Act of
2025''.
(b) 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;
(3) the United States Government should prioritize
investments to build the capacity of emerging young African
leaders in sub-Saharan Africa, including through efforts
that--
(A) enhance leadership skills;
(B) encourage entrepreneurship;
(C) strengthen public administration and the role of civil
society;
(D) enhance peace and security in their respective
countries of origin and across Africa; and
(E) connect young African leaders continentally and
globally across the private, civic, and public sectors;
(4) youth in Africa have a positive impact on efforts to
foster economic growth, improve public sector transparency
and governance, and counter extremism, and should be an area
of focus for United States outreach on the African continent;
and
(5) the Secretary of State should--
(A) increase the number of fellows from Africa
participating in the Mandela Washington Fellowship above the
estimated 700 fellows who participated during fiscal year
2024; and
(B) identify additional ways to connect YALI alumni to
United States public and private resources and institutions.
(c) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate;
(B) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
(C) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives; and
(D) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives.
(2) YALI.--The term ``YALI'' means the Young African
Leaders Initiative established under this section.
(d) Establishment.--There is established the Young African
Leaders Initiative (referred to in this section as ``YALI''),
which shall be carried out by the Secretary of State.
(e) Purpose.--YALI 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 that--
(1) 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, peace and security, and public administration;
and
(2) provide increased economic and technical assistance to
young African leaders to promote economic growth, strengthen
ties between United States and African businesses, build
resilience to predatory lending practices, and improve
capacity in key economic areas such as tendering, bidding,
and contract negotiations, budget management and oversight,
anti-corruption, and establishment of clear policy and
regulatory practices.
(f) Fellowships.--
(1) In general.--YALI shall support the participation in
the United States in the Mandela Washington Fellowship for
Young African Leaders of fellows from Africa who--
(A) are between 25 and 35 years of age;
(B) have demonstrated strong capabilities in
entrepreneurship, innovation, public service, and leadership;
and
(C) have had a positive impact in their communities,
organizations, or institutions.
(2) Oversight.--The fellowships described in paragraph (1)
shall be overseen by the Secretary of State through the
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
(3) Eligibility.--The Secretary of State shall establish
and publish--
(A) eligibility criteria for participation as a fellow
under paragraph (1); and
(B) criteria for determining which eligible applicants will
be selected.
(g) Reciprocal Exchanges.--Subject to the approval of the
Secretary of State, United States citizens may--
(1) engage in reciprocal exchanges in connection with
alumni of the fellowship described in subsection (f); and
(2) collaborate on projects with such fellowship alumni.
(h) Regional Leadership Centers and Networks.--The
Administrator of the United States Agency for International
Development shall establish--
(1) not fewer than 4 regional leadership centers in sub-
Saharan Africa to offer in-person and online training
throughout the year on business and entrepreneurship, civic
leadership, and public management to young African leaders
who--
(A) are between 18 and 35 years of age;
(B) have demonstrated strong capabilities in
entrepreneurship, innovation, public service and leadership,
and peace-building and conflict resolution; and
(C) have had a positive impact in their communities,
organizations, or institutions; and
(2) an online network that provides information and courses
on, and connections with leaders in, the private and public
sectors of Africa.
(i) Activities.--
(1) United states-based activities.--The Secretary of
State, in coordination with the heads of relevant Federal
departments and agencies, shall oversee all United States-
based activities carried out under YALI, including--
(A) the participation of Mandela Washington Fellows in a 6-
week Leadership Institute at a United States educational
institution 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) the participation by Mandela Washington fellows in 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.
[[Page S5262]]
(2) Africa-based activities.--The Secretary of State, in
coordination with the Administrator for the United States
Agency for International Development and the heads of other
relevant Federal departments and agencies, should continue to
support YALI activities in sub-Saharan Africa, including--
(A) 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 pursuant to subsection (h),
and through online and in-person courses offered by such
centers; and
(C) opportunities for networking and engagement with--
(i) alumni of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young
African Leaders;
(ii) alumni of programs at regional leadership centers
established pursuant to subsection (h);
(iii) United States and like-minded diplomatic missions,
business leaders, and others as appropriate; and
(iv) where practicable and appropriate, other United
States-funded regional leadership programs, including the
Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI), the Young
Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI), the Young Pacific
Leaders (YPL), and the Young Transatlantic Innovation Leaders
Initiative (YTILI), and through Department of State programs
such as the Community Engagement Exchange Program and other
initiatives.
(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 carry out
this subsection by seeking to partner with the private
sector--
(A) to pursue public-private partnerships;
(B) to leverage private sector expertise;
(C) to expand networking opportunities; and
(D) to identify funding opportunities and fellowship and
employment opportunities for YALI.
(j) 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 YALI, including--
(1) a description of clearly defined program goals,
targets, and planned outcomes for each year and for the
duration of implementation of the program;
(2) a strategy to monitor and evaluate the program and
progress made toward achieving such goals, targets, and
planned outcomes; and
(3) a strategy to ensure the program is promoting United
States foreign policy goals in Africa, including ensuring
that the program is clearly branded, paired with robust
public diplomacy efforts, and incorporates diversity among
participants as practicable, including countries and
communities in Africa facing economic distress, civil
conflict, marginalization, and other challenges.
(k) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for the
following 4 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 includes--
(1) a description of the progress made toward achieving the
goals, targets, and planned outcomes described in subsection
(j)(1), including an overview of the program implemented in
the previous year and an estimated number of beneficiaries;
(2) an assessment of how YALI 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, promoting peace and security, and fostering
entrepreneurship and youth empowerment;
(3) recommendations for improvements or changes to YALI and
the implementation plan, if any, that would improve their
effectiveness during subsequent years of YALI's
implementation; and
(4) for the first report submitted under this subsection,
an assessment of the feasibility of expanding YALI to
Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt.
(l) Sunset.--This section shall cease to have effect on the
date that is 5 years after the date of the enactment of this
Act.
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