Peace Corps Online: June 12, 2003 - Committee on International Relations: Markup Summary of the Committee on International Relations to consider the Millennium Challenge Account Authorization and Peace Corps Expansion Act of 2003

June 12, 2003 - Committee on International Relations: Markup Summary of the Committee on International Relations to consider the Millennium Challenge Account Authorization and Peace Corps Expansion Act of 2003

Peace Corps Online: Peace Corps News: Headlines: Peace Corps Headlines - 2003: June 2003 Peace Corps Headlines: June 12, 2003 - Committee on International Relations: Markup Summary of the Committee on International Relations to consider the Millennium Challenge Account Authorization and Peace Corps Expansion Act of 2003

By Admin1 (admin) on Saturday, July 12, 2003 - 12:49 pm: Edit Post

Markup Summary of the Committee on International Relations to consider the Millennium Challenge Account Authorization and Peace Corps Expansion Act of 2003

Representative Henry Hyde, Chairman of the House International Relations Committee, architect of the compromise that led to HR 2441, the Millennium Challenge Account Authorization and Peace Corps Expansion Act.

Read and comment on this Markup Summary of the Committee on International Relations to consider the Millennium Challenge Account Authorization and Peace Corps Expansion Act of 2003 at:

Committee on International Relations*

* This link was active on the date it was posted. PCOL is not responsible for broken links which may have changed.

Committee on International Relations

Summary - 6/12/03 Markup

The Chair asked Unanimous Consent for approval of a motion to request consideration of each of the following fourteen measures on the House Suspension Calendar. There was no objection:

H.R. 1462, International Disability and Victims of Warfare and Civil Strife Assistance Act of 2003;

H. Res. 58, Recognizing the accomplishments of Ignacy Jan Paderewski as a musician, composer, statesman, and philanthropist and recognizing the 11th Anniversary of the return of his remains to Poland;

H. Res. 177, Commending the people of the Republic of Kenya for conducting free and fair elections, for the peaceful and orderly transfer of power in their government, and for the continued success of democracy in their nation since that transition, as amended;

H. Res. 194, Regarding the importance of international efforts to abolish slavery and other human rights abuses in the Sudan, as amended;

H. Res. 199, Calling on the Government of the People's Republic of China immediately and unconditionally to release Dr. Yang Jianli, calling on the President of the United States to continue working on behalf of Dr. Yang Jianli for his release, and for other purposes, as amended;

H. Res. 237, Honoring the life and work of Walter Sisulu, a critical leader in the movement to free South Africa of apartheid, on the occasion of his death;

H. Res. 242, Expressing the condolences of the House of Representatives to the families of the victims of the terrorist suicide bombing attacks that occurred on May 16, 2003, in Casablanca, Morocco;

H. Res. 264, Expressing sympathy for the victims of the devastating earthquake that struck Algeria on May 21, 2003;

H. Con. Res. 49, Expressing the sense of the Congress that the sharp escalation of anti-Semitic violence within many participating States of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is of profound concern and efforts should be undertaken to prevent future occurrences;

H. Con. Res. 80, Expressing the sense of Congress relating to efforts of the Peace Parks Foundation in the Republic of South Africa to facilitate the establishment and development of transfrontier conservation efforts in southern Africa;

H. Con. Res. 134, Acknowledging the deepening relationship between the United States and the Republic of Djibouti and recognizing Djibouti's role in combating terrorism;

H. Con. Res. 154, Concerning the transition to democracy in the Republic of Burundi;

H. Con. Res. 169, Expressing the sense of Congress that the United States Government should support the human rights and dignity of all persons with disabilities by pledging support for the drafting and working toward the adoption of a thematic convention on the human rights and dignity of persons with disabilities by the United Nations General Assembly to augment the existing United Nations human rights system, and for other purposes; and

H. Con. Res. 209, Commending the signing of the United States-Adriatic Charter, a charter of partnership among the United States, Albania, Croatia, and Macedonia.
The Committee then considered the following:

H.R. 2330 (Lantos) - Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003

- Lantos amendment to change the threshold for the Presidential waiver of the trade ban to “national interest,” and ensure that the U.S. visa ban is coordinated with, but not bound by the EU visa ban

- Pitts amendment to add findings noting the ethnic cleansing of minorities in Burma, and the need to work with other nations to promote freedom and human rights in Burma

** These two amendments were agreed to by Unanimous Consent. H.R. 2330 was reported favorably, as amended, by a voice vote.

H.R. 2441 (Hyde) - Millennium Challenge Account Authorization and Peace Corps Expansion Act of 2003

1. Royce amendment to return the Peace Corps to Sierra Leone was agreed to by voice vote.

The Royce amendment includes a Sense of Congress that the Peace Corps should return its program to Sierra Leone as soon as security conditions permit. Four findings in the Royce amendment recount the history of Peace Corps service in Sierra Leone, and recent progress through peacekeeping and elections in 2002.

2. Lee amendment to add the participation of small, minority-owned and disadvantaged U.S. businesses was agreed to by voice vote.

The Lee amendment requires that, “to the maximum extent practicable, the President, acting through the Chief Executive Officer, shall ensure that United States small, minority-owned, and disadvantaged business enterprises fully participate in the provision of goods and services that are financed with funds made available under this subtitle.” The Lee amendment also requires the Chief Executive Officer to prepare and submit to the appropriate congressional committees an annual report that contains a description of the extent to which this requirement has been met for the preceding year.

3. Royce amendment to take $10 million allocated for data collection and shift it to seed grants was agreed to by a voice vote.

The Royce amendment strikes Section 309 from the introduced version of H.R. 2441 and inserts a new Section 309, “Millennium Challenge Seed Grants.” This section authorizes the Chief Executive Officer to provide assistance not to exceed $10 million “in support of nongovernmental organizations in low-income and lower middle income countries which are undertaking research, education, and advocacy efforts aimed at promoting democratic societies, human rights, the rule of law, improved educational opportunities and health conditions, particularly for women and children, and economic freedom.

4. Payne amendment regarding the Millennium Challenge Compact, in particular, adding a provision on lower middle income countries, was agreed to by voice vote.

The Payne amendment changes Section 204, “Millennium Challenge Compact,” by requiring, with respect to lower middle income countries, that the Compacts of such countries “identify an appropriate contribution from the country relative to its national budget, taking into account the prevailing economic conditions, toward meeting the objectives of the Compact”, and that the contribution “shall be in addition to government spending allocated for such purposes in the country’s budget for the year immediately preceding the establishment of the Compact.”

5. Menendez amendment to make lower middle income countries eligible for assistance for FY 2004 through 2006 (as opposed to just FY 2006) was defeated by a vote of 10-24, with one “present.”

The Menendez amendment would have made lower middle income countries eligible for assistance in FY2004 and FY2005 (as opposed to only FY2006, as in the introduced bill H.R. 2441).

Voting yes: Menendez, Wexler, Engel, Delahunt, Crowley, Hoeffel, Berkley, Napolitano, Schiff and Bell

Voting no: Leach, Bereuter, Ballenger, Rohrabacher, Royce, Chabot, Houghton, Tancredo, Paul, Smith (MI), Davis, Green, Weller, Pence, McCotter, Janklow, Lantos, Berman, Faleomavaega, Payne, Lee, Blumenauer, McCollum, and Hyde

Present: Harris

MOTION TO REPORT H.R. 2441 FAVORABLY, AS AMENDED, WAS AGREED TO BY A VOTE OF 31-4.

Voting yes: Leach, Bereuter, Ros-Lehtinen, Ballenger, Rohrabacher, Royce, Houghton, Green, Weller, Pence, McCotter, Janklow, Harris, Lantos, Faleomavaega, Payne, Menendez, Brown, Wexler, Engel, Delahunt, Lee, Crowley, Hoeffel, Blumenauer, Berkley, Napolitano, Schiff, McCollum, Bell and Hyde

Voting no: Chabot, Paul, Smith (MI) and Davis

June 12, 2003 - Our original Report - House Committee approves Peace Corps Expansion Act

Caption: Henry Hyde, Chairman of the House Committee on International Relations, was the architect of the "Millennium Challenge Account Authorization and Peace Corps Expansion Act of 2003" that was reported out of committee today by an overwhelming vote of 31 - 4.

Read and comment on this Press Release from the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on International Relations that this afternoon the Committee passed HR 2441 "The Millennium Challenge Account Authorization and Peace Corps Expansion Act of 2003." PCOL attended the committee markup session and will be writing up our notes and filing a more detailed story tomorrow.

The basic facts are that the bill that passed is actually a combination of two separate bills: the Millennium Challenge Account Authorization bill that expands U.S. economic assistance to high-performing countries in the developing world and the Peace Corps Expansion Bill that is a modified version of Sam Farr's HR 250 that the Returned Volunteer Community has been lobbying for since the beginning of this session of Congress. The bill received bi-partisan support from both Democrats and Republicans, it was supported by Committee Chairman Henry Hyde and by the ranking minority member of the Committee, Tom Lantos, it was supported by the Bush Administration and it passed the committee by a roll call vote of 31 to 4.

Now that the bill has been overwhelmingly approved in committee and has bi-partisan support, it is expected to pass the House of Representatives. A senior Committee Staff member told us that it is possible that the bill may come to a vote before the full House of Representatives as early as next week and may be attached to the State Department Appropriations Bill which is expected to come up for a vote next Thursday.

If the bill passes the House then we will be waiting for the Senate version of the bill to pass. The Senate version has already been reported out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and is also expected the pass the full Senate.

If the bill passes both Houses of Congress then it will have to be reconciled in a joint Committee between the two houses. There are a number of differences between the House version and the Senate version of the bill. We will be doing a detailed side-by-side analysis of the differences between the two versions of the bill at a later date.

But for now, this has been a big victory and a big step for the Peace Corps in getting a bill out of committee that affirms the independence of the Peace Corps, that authorizes funding levels to expand the Peace Corps to meet the President's goal of doubling the Peace Corps by 2007, and that empowers the Returned Volunteer community with a revitalized Peace Corps Advisory Council and with a Peace Corps Innovation fund that will fund third goal projects by Returned Volunteers.

Keep in mind also that this bill only authorizes the expenditures for Peace Corps expansion and the innovation fund. A separate funding bill will have to be passed that appropriates funds for these expenditures.

Keep your eye on PCOL. We'll be publishing more detailed information on the Peace Corps bill in the next few days. Read the story at:

Committee Approves Historic Change in U.S. Foreign Assistance Programs; Hyde-Lantos Millennium Challenge Act Passes 31-4*

* This link was active on the date it was posted. PCOL is not responsible for broken links which may have changed.

Committee Approves Historic Change in U.S. Foreign Assistance Programs; Hyde-Lantos Millennium Challenge Act Passes 31-4

6/12/03 3:50:34 PM

To: National Desk

Contact: Sam Stratman of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on International Relations, 202-226-7875

WASHINGTON, June 12 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Legislation authorizing a historic shift in U.S. foreign assistance programs, drafted by U.S. Rep. Henry J. Hyde (R-Ill.) and Tom Lantos (D-Calif.), was approved Thursday by the House International Relations Committee.

The legislation, the Millennium Challenge Account Authorization and Peace Corps Expansion Act of 2003, was approved by a vote of 31-4.

The measure also doubles the size of the Peace Corps and includes a provision requiring the Department of State to develop an annual report on the effectiveness of all U.S. foreign assistance programs, a requirement Hyde has sought for more than a decade.

The Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) expands U.S. economic assistance to high-performing countries in the developing world with a proven track record of accomplishment in the areas of economic freedom, democracy, and investments in health and education sectors.

The Hyde-Lantos MCA legislation authorizes funding levels of $1.3 billion in FY04, $3 billion in FY05, and $5 billion in FY06.

"The philosophical underpinning of the MCA, and correctly so, is that the United States must be more selective in distributing its assistance by rewarding only those recipients who willingly adopt good policies and institutions," Hyde said.

Hyde added that, of the 70 countries currently eligible for all types of U.S. development assistance, only a select number of high-performing countries will meet the strict criteria stipulated by the MCA legislation.

"Too often in the past, U.S. assistance has allowed leaders and governments to abdicate responsibility for effective governance and pursue detrimental, self-destructive, or personally self-enriching policies. Other assistance has gone to consultants or middlemen, with little results to show in the end. These failures of the past should not lead us to turn our backs on the developing world - just the opposite," Hyde said.

Under provisions of the proposed law, implementation of the program would be done through a new entity to be known as the Millennium Challenge Corporation, with a mandate to negotiate contracts with foreign governments for projects.

"Now is the time for American leadership and for America to recognize, through its aid, those countries that respect the rights of citizens, promote democracy, and encourage economic freedom and prosperity," Hyde added.

http://www.usnewswire.com/

-0-

/© 2003 U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/

The Story we published on April 10 on the Senate Committee approval of Senator Dodd's Peace Corps bill

Read and comment on this exclusive story that today the Senate Foreign Relations Committee adopted Senator Dodd's amendment to the Foreign Relations Authorization Act that contains the language from last year's "Peace Corps Charter for the 21st Century" bill. The Amendment is essentially identical to S2667 that Senator Dodd introduced last year and which passed by unanimous consent in the Senate but that died in the House. The next step is action on the floor of the Senate in May. The full text of the Amendment is available at:

Senate Foreign Relations Committee adopts Senator Dodd's Peace Corps Amendment*

* This link was active on the date it was posted. PCOL is not responsible for broken links which may have changed.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee adopts Senator Dodd's Peace Corps Amendment

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee today adopted Senator Dodd's amendment to the Foreign Relations Authorization Act that contains the language from last year's "Peace Corps Charter for the 21st Century" bill (S2667) which passed the Senate last year by unanimous consent but that died in the House. The next step is action on the floor of the Senate in May.

The Amendment calls for the Peace Corps to develop a strategy for special volunteer recruitment and placement, especially countries with substantial Muslim populations.

The Amendment encourages the Director to utilize the experience and insight of returned volunteers from these countries to foster a greater Peace Corps presence there in the future, as well as an understanding of the most effective way to open or reopen Peace Corps programs in such countries.

The Amendment establishes a global infectious disease initiative for training of volunteers in cooperation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, the World Health Organization, the Pan American Health Organization, and local public health officials.

The Amendment streamlines membership of existing Peace Corps Advisory Council, requires the majority (4 of 7) of voting members of the council to be former Peace Corps Volunteers.

The Amendment raises volunteers’ readjustment allowances to $275 for each month of service.

The Amendment authorizes an additional $10 million for the Corporation for National and Community Service to fund projects of returned Peace Corps Volunteers to promote the third goal of the Peace Corps (relating to promoting a better understanding of other peoples on the part of the American people).

The Amendment authorizes appropriations at the administration’s requested levels for FY 2004-2007 to fund the doubling of volunteers by end of FY 2007.

The Amendment restates the independence of the Peace Corps from other government agencies.

The Amendment requires the following reports to Congress (1) on new initiatives to be undertaken by Peace Corps; (2) on status of security procedures in Peace Corps countries, including current conditions and recommendations; and (3) on current student loan forgiveness programs available to Volunteers, and a comparison with other government-sponsored loan forgiveness programs.

Click on a link below for more stories on PCOL

712/03

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This Month's Issue

A Volunteer's Courage

After Sara Evans was assaulted she left the Peace Corps and returned to the United States. But her ordeal was only beginning. Read about a volunteer's courage in this story.

PCOL Magazine: July Issue
A Volunteer's Courage: Health Care for RPCVs
Issues with the Peace Corps Bill in Congress
Americorps' Failure: Lessons for the Peace Corps
RPCVs dump ton of coal at US Capital
German Peace Corps celebrates 40 years
Bill Moyers talks about America's Future

More Feature Stories
Protest at the Peace Corps
Returned Volunteers honor Jack Vaughn
Alcohol Abuse a big issue for PCVs in Central Asia
Peace Corps to add 1,000 AIDS/HIV volunteers
Op-ed: The Future of the Peace Corps
Marine Sergeant says PC is "truly hardcore"
RPCV is wheelchair basketball champion
Watch Director Vasquez on web tv
Presidential Candidate calls for 25,000 Volunteers

Previous Issues and Special Reports
Exclusive: How RPCVs organized anti-war Ad
Improvements needed in Volunteer Support
From Russia with Love
Health Concerns: The Controversy over Lariam
GAO Reports on PCV Safety and Security
The Digital Freedom Initiative
PC/Washington: Senior Staff Appointments at PC HQ
PC Expansion: The Numbers Game?
Op-ed: Why Peace Corps needs Shriver's 4th Goal
When should PC return to Afghanistan?
RPCV Spy dies in Moscow
Op-ed: The Case for Peace Corps Independence
Preservation of an Independent Peace Corps
For the Peace Corps Fallen

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