[Senate Report 110-331]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 718
110th Congress Report
SENATE
2d Session 110-331
======================================================================
THE GLOBAL POVERTY ACT OF 2007
_______
April 24, 2008.--Ordered to be printed
Mr. Biden, from the Committee on Foreign Relations,
submitted the following
REPORT
[To accompany S. 2433]
The Committee on Foreign Relations, having had under
consideration the bill (S. 2433) to require the President to
develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to further the
United States foreign policy objective of promoting the
reduction of global poverty, the elimination of extreme global
poverty, and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goal
of reducing by one-half the proportion of people worldwide,
between 1990 and 2015, who live on less than $1 per day, having
considered the same, reports favorably thereon with amendments
and recommends that the bill, as amended, do pass.
CONTENTS
Page
I. Purpose..........................................................1
II. Committee Action.................................................2
III. Discussion.......................................................2
IV. Cost Estimate....................................................3
V. Evaluation of Regulatory Impact..................................4
VI. Changes in Existing Law..........................................4
I. PURPOSE
The purpose of S. 2433 is to require the President to
develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to further the
United States foreign policy objective of promoting the
reduction of global poverty, the elimination of extreme global
poverty, and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goal
of reducing by one-half the proportion of people worldwide,
between 1990 and 2015, who live on less than $1 per day.
II. COMMITTEE ACTION
S. 2433 was introduced by Senators Obama, Hagel, and
Cantwell on December 7, 2007. It is cosponsored by Senators
Feinstein, Lugar, Durbin, Menendez, Biden, Dodd, Feingold,
Snowe, Murray, Harkin, Johnson, and Smith. On February 13,
2008, the committee considered the bill, and approved several
minor amendments to it. The committee then ordered the bill, as
amended, reported favorably by voice vote.
III. DISCUSSION
The Global Poverty Act of 2007 (GPA) directs the President
to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to further
the U.S. foreign policy objective of promoting the reduction of
global poverty, the elimination of extreme global poverty, and
the achievement of the Millennium Development Goal of reducing
by one-half the proportion of people, between 1990 and 2015,
who live on less than $1 per day.
Currently, over 1 billion people worldwide live on less
than $1 per day, and another 1.6 billion people struggle to
survive on less than $2 per day. The United States has
recognized the need for increased financial and technical
assistance to countries burdened by extreme poverty, as well as
the need for strengthened economic and trade opportunities for
those countries. At the United Nations Millennium Summit in
2000, the United States joined more than 180 other countries in
committing to work toward goals to improve life for the world's
poorest people by 2015. Goal 1 of the Millennium Development
Goals aims to reduce by one-half the proportion of people,
between 1990 and 2015, who live on less than $1 per day. The
U.S. has established several significant initiatives in recent
years that are consistent with this goal, including the
Millennium Challenge Act of 2003, the United States Leadership
Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 2003, the
Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative, and trade
preference programs for developing countries, such as the
African Growth and Opportunity Act.
Initiatives by the United States to reduce global poverty
reflect the basic American principle of helping those in need
to live with dignity and opportunity. They are also consistent
with our national security priorities. The bipartisan Final
Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the
United States (2004) recommends: ``A comprehensive United
States strategy to counter terrorism should include economic
policies that encourage development, more open societies, and
opportunities for people to improve the lives of their families
and enhance prospects for their children.''
The Global Poverty Act declares it official U.S. policy to
promote the reduction of global poverty, the elimination of
extreme global poverty, and the achievement of the Millennium
Development Goal of reducing by one-half the proportion of
people, between 1990 and 2015, who live on less than $1 per
day. It would require the President to develop and implement a
comprehensive strategy to advance that policy and includes
guidelines for what the strategy should include--from foreign
aid, trade, economic development, and debt relief, to working
with the international community and leveraging the
participation of businesses and nongovernmental organizations.
The bill requires that the President's strategy include
specific and measurable goals, efforts to be undertaken,
benchmarks, and timetables. The President would also be
required to report back to Congress on progress made in the
implementation of the global poverty reduction strategy.
The Global Poverty Act does not mandate new spending by the
United States, nor does it commit the United States to any
future spending. This bill does not commit the United States to
advance the other Millennium Development Goals. Similarly, this
bill does not commit the United States to other United Nations
policy goals or imply concurrence with any other United Nations
statements.
The bill requires the Secretary of State to designate a
coordinator who will have primary responsibility for drafting
the global poverty reduction strategy and assisting in its
implementation. The language allows the Secretary discretion to
designate a coordinator in the existing bureaucracy or to
create a new position as the Secretary deems appropriate. It
does not require the Secretary to create a staff for the
coordinator; the coordinator should draw upon capabilities and
resources already present at the Department of State, the
United States Agency for International Development, and other
relevant agencies.
The House version of the bill (H.R. 1302), which was
sponsored by Representatives Adam Smith and Spencer Bachus, was
approved by the U.S. House of Representatives last September
with bipartisan support.
IV. COST ESTIMATE
In accordance with rule XXVI, paragraph 11(a) of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the committee provides this
estimate of the costs of this legislation prepared by the
Congressional Budget Office.
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, March 28, 2008.
Hon. Joseph R. Biden, Jr.,
Chairman, Committee on Foreign Relations,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 2433, the Global
Poverty Act of 2007.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Michelle S.
Patterson.
Sincerely,
Robert A. Sunshine
(For Peter R. Orszag, Director).
Enclosure.
S. 2433--Global Poverty Act of 2007
S. 2433 would require the President to develop and
implement a comprehensive strategy to reduce global poverty.
The strategy should include, among other things, more effective
forms of development assistance, coordination of efforts with
other countries and international organizations, and
continuation of existing initiatives to reduce poverty and
disease in developing countries. The bill also would require
the State Department to prepare several reports describing the
strategy, its implementation, and the progress made on
achieving the objectives for reducing global poverty.
Based on information from the State Department, CBO
estimates that implementing S. 2433 would cost less than $1
million per year, assuming the availability of appropriated
funds. Enacting the bill would not affect direct spending or
receipts.
S. 2433 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and
would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal
governments.
The CBO staff contact to this estimate is Michelle S.
Patterson. This estimate was approved by Peter H. Fontaine,
Assistant Director for Budget Analysis.
V. EVALUATION OF REGULATORY IMPACT
Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 11(b) of the Standing
Rules of the Senate, the committee has determined that there is
no regulatory impact as a result of this legislation.
VI. CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW
In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the committee notes that no
changes to existing law are made by this bill.