[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Page 20423]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 20423]]

MICROENTERPRISE FOR SELF-RELIANCE AND INTERNATIONAL ANTI-CORRUPTION ACT 
                                OF 2000

  Mr. DeWINE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Foreign 
Relations Committee be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 
1143, and the Senate then proceed to its immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk 
will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 1143) to establish a program to provide 
     assistance for programs of credit and other financial 
     services for microenterprises in developing countries, and 
     for other purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.


                           Amendment No. 4287

  Mr. DeWINE. Mr. President, Senator Helms has an amendment at the 
desk, and I ask for its consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Ohio [Mr. DeWINE], for Mr. Helms, proposes 
     an amendment numbered 4287.

  Mr. DeWINE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent reading of the 
amendment be dispensed with.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  (The text of the amendment is printed in today's Record under 
``Amendments Submitted.'')
  Mr. DeWINE. Mr. President, I am pleased the Senate is considering the 
``Microenterprise for Self-Reliance Act''--legislation that would 
ensure the continuation of international microenterprise grant and loan 
programs that are administered worldwide by the U.S. Agency for 
International Development (USAID). This is legislation that I 
introduced last year, along with Senators Bingaman, Chafee, Durbin, 
Kennedy, Schumer, Torricelli, Boxer, Collins, Feinstein, Mikulski, and 
Snowe. Representatives Ben Gilman of New York and Sam Gejdenson of 
Connecticut introduced a similar measure, which the House approved last 
year.
  I thank the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Senator Helms, 
and ranking member of the committee, Senator Biden, and the committee 
staff for their cooperation and insistence on this legislation. My 
staff and I have been working closely with these offices since last 
fall as well as with the administration and the Microenterprise 
Coalition. I thank Chairman Gilman and the House International 
Relations Committee staff for their ongoing cooperation and support of 
this initiative.
  We believe the investment in microenterprise programs that we are now 
investing will reduce the need for foreign assistance in the future. By 
passing the Microenterprise Self-Reliance Act, the Senate has a chance 
to ensure the future of these very successful programs and help provide 
a sense of hope and a future of possibilities for the poor in 
developing countries.
  I thank my colleagues for their support of this legislation and I 
look forward to the continued success of the microenterprise programs.
  I ask unanimous consent that the substitute amendment be agreed to, 
the bill be read the third time and passed, as amended, the motion to 
reconsider be laid upon the table, and any statements relating to the 
bill be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment (No. 4287) was agreed to.
  The bill (H.R. 1143), as amended, was read the third time and passed.
  Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The absence of a quorum has been suggested. 
The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. DeWINE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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