[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1143 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]
H.R.1143
One Hundred Sixth Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE SECOND SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Monday,
the twenty-fourth day of January, two thousand
An Act
To establish a program to provide assistance for programs of credit and
other financial services for microenterprises in developing countries,
and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

80579e73575ccdc20c6458247bb9af79b1ea11655e91e427d28765d86a09ea69

This Act may be cited as the ``Microenterprise for Self-Reliance
and International Anti-Corruption Act of 2000''.

55ffd16939ee04175b30abb61fb372204238ae8304dc99b5d899a3966eaac15c

The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

3f9decdc7498325c7f33d0140642155ca7ac6de539b721a94926988ea6b8d3f7

09a2dd53390633aaee2adbb3d46d6ce02db9439c73076eac242fea032eb34dfa

TITLE I

-MICROENTERPRISE FOR SELF-RELIANCE ACT OF 2000

leader and coordinator of bilateral and multilateral
microenterprise assistance
activities.

9315e7cfdd6505e3a702f9b2421fe187ac1a386afc8863cd91775910c7945d2b

priority in microenterprise funding allocations.

949bffaed6906ca59e1d4aac14aafe581be9e9dbcb25d9a19038280c637e30a3

5a8a69a19f94766381099f293d3ad31ff7297fb07db17d02ae0e76fbd8cd2f2f

TITLE II

-INTERNATIONAL ANTI-CORRUPTION AND GOOD GOVERNANCE ACT OF 2000

college students of limited financial means.

019202b90a28d5b3e0201df3761d1bad8edc35f35e38e2f834931ec661423d9d

TITLE III

-INTERNATIONAL ACADEMIC OPPORTUNITY ACT OF 2000

6f802b33dcfcad44974da9225c8003359752d25e52c5af15024f8ed4f9ba400a

TITLE IV

-MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

assistance abroad by the Department of Defense.

9852b4eae8e452679fa4e940c6215e80ec5f7e66e160d56aabc163f2962201e4

of the United States mission to the United Nations provided
living quarters in New York.

0687b1c2be1f27d4a3bc86c178eccefa0905d566d47d944b2bd8498c6e2c1ae0

7c300c03ed4c25f7f852fb65bcfeeedb20888139614ff899d838a53b50cebced

This title may be cited as the ``Microenterprise for Self-Reliance
Act of 2000''.

7c91277d833bcbc18d349a7731859aaf30199a4726b13e75c3a9929500328128

Congress makes the following findings and declarations:
(1) According to the World Bank, more than 1,200,000,000 people
in the developing world, or one-fifth of the world's population,
subsist on less than $1 a day.
(2) Over 32,000 of their children die each day from largely
preventable malnutrition and disease.
(3)(A) Women in poverty generally have larger work loads and
less access to educational and economic opportunities than their
male counterparts.
(B) Directly aiding the poorest of the poor, especially women,
in the developing world has a positive effect not only on family
incomes, but also on child nutrition, health and education, as
women in particular reinvest income in their families.
(4)(A) The poor in the developing world, particularly women,
generally lack stable employment and social safety nets.
(B) Many turn to self-employment to generate a substantial
portion of their livelihood. In Africa, over 80 percent of
employment is generated in the informal sector of the self-employed
poor.
(C) These poor entrepreneurs are often trapped in poverty
because they cannot obtain credit at reasonable rates to build
their asset base or expand their otherwise viable self-employment
activities.
(D) Many of the poor are forced to pay interest rates as high
as 10 percent per day to money lenders.
(5)(A) The poor are able to expand their incomes and their
businesses dramatically when they can access loans at reasonable
interest rates.
(B) Through the development of self-sustaining microfinance
programs, poor people themselves can lead the fight against hunger
and poverty.
(6)(A) On February 2-4, 1997, a global Microcredit Summit was
held in Washington, District of Columbia, to launch a plan to
expand access to credit for self-employment and other financial and
business services to 100,000,000 of the world's poorest families,
especially the women of those families, by 2005. While this scale
of outreach may not be achievable in this short time-period, the
realization of this goal could dramatically alter the face of
global poverty.
(B) With an average family size of five, achieving this goal
will mean that the benefits of microfinance will thereby reach
nearly half of the world's more than 1,000,000,000 absolute poor
people.
(7)(A) Nongovernmental organizations, such as those that
comprise the Microenterprise Coalition (such as the Grameen Bank
(Bangladesh), K-REP (Kenya), and networks such as Accion
International, the Foundation for International Community
Assistance (FINCA), and the credit union movement) are successful
in lending directly to the very poor.
(B) Microfinance institutions such as BRAC (Bangladesh),
BancoSol (Bolivia), SEWA Bank (India), and ACEP (Senegal) are
regulated financial institutions that can raise funds directly from
the local and international capital markets.
(8)(A) Microenterprise institutions not only reduce poverty,
but also reduce the dependency on foreign assistance.
(B) Interest income on the credit portfolio is used to pay
recurring institutional costs, assuring the long-term
sustainability of development assistance.
(9) Microfinance institutions leverage foreign assistance
resources because loans are recycled, generating new benefits to
program participants.
(10)(A) The development of sustainable microfinance
institutions that provide credit and training, and mobilize
domestic savings, is a critical component to a global strategy of
poverty reduction and broad-based economic development.
(B) In the efforts of the United States to lead the development
of a new global financial architecture, microenterprise should play
a vital role. The recent shocks to international financial markets
demonstrate how the financial sector can shape the destiny of
nations. Microfinance can serve as a powerful tool for building a
more inclusive financial sector which serves the broad majority of
the world's population including the very poor and women and thus
generate more social stability and prosperity.
(C) Over the last two decades, the United States has been a
global leader in promoting the global microenterprise sector,
primarily through its development assistance programs at the United
States Agency for International Development. Additionally, the
Department of the Treasury and the Department of State have used
their authority to promote microenterprise in the development
programs of international financial institutions and the United
Nations.
(11)(A) In 1994, the United States Agency for International
Development launched the ``Microenterprise Initiative'' in
partnership with the Congress.
(B) The initiative committed to expanding funding for the
microenterprise programs of the Agency, and set a goal that, by the
end of fiscal year 1996, one-half of all microenterprise resources
would support programs and institutions that provide credit to the
poorest, with loans under $300.
(C) In order to achieve the goal of the microcredit summit,
increased investment in microfinance institutions serving the
poorest will be critical.
(12) Providing the United States share of the global investment
needed to achieve the goal of the microcredit summit will require
only a small increase in United States funding for international
microcredit programs, with an increased focus on institutions
serving the poorest.
(13)(A) In order to reach tens of millions of the poorest with
microcredit, it is crucial to expand and replicate successful
microfinance institutions.
(B) These institutions need assistance in developing their
institutional capacity to expand their services and tap commercial
sources of capital.
(14) Nongovernmental organizations have demonstrated competence
in developing networks of local microfinance institutions and other
assistance delivery mechanisms so that they reach large numbers of
the very poor, and achieve financial sustainability.
(15) Recognizing that the United States Agency for
International Development has developed very effective partnerships
with nongovernmental organizations, and that the Agency will have
fewer missions overseas to carry out its work, the Agency should
place priority on investing in those nongovernmental network
institutions that meet performance criteria through the central
funding mechanisms of the Agency.
(16) By expanding and replicating successful microfinance
institutions, it should be possible to create a global
infrastructure to provide financial services to the world's poorest
families.
(17)(A) The United States can provide leadership to other
bilateral and multilateral development agencies as such agencies
expand their support to the microenterprise sector.
(B) The United States should seek to improve coordination among
G-7 countries in the support of the microenterprise sector in order
to leverage the investment of the United States with that of other
donor nations.
(18) Through increased support for microenterprise, especially
credit for the poorest, the United States can continue to play a
leadership role in the global effort to expand financial services
and opportunity to 100,000,000 of the poorest families on the
planet.

9943cfa2c3710b6a71d66423580f2d3f26b7155f4d7cf5765d85ad9cb3473078

The purposes of this title are--
(1) to make microenterprise development an important element of
United States foreign economic policy and assistance;
(2) to provide for the continuation and expansion of the
commitment of the United States Agency for International
Development to the development of microenterprise institutions as
outlined in its 1994 Microenterprise Initiative;
(3) to support and develop the capacity of United States and
indigenous nongovernmental organization intermediaries to provide
credit, savings, training, technical assistance, and business
development services to microentrepreneurs;
(4) to emphasize financial services and substantially increase
the amount of assistance devoted to both financial services and
complementary business development services designed to reach the
poorest people in developing countries, particularly women; and
(5) to encourage the United States Agency for International
Development to coordinate microfinance policy, in consultation with
the Department of the Treasury and the Department of State, and to
provide global leadership among bilateral and multilateral donors
in promoting microenterprise for the poorest of the poor.

5c89db5807bbc24ca0c87920435a30ada7499bd180784bbe030908c72b40a226

In this title:
(1) Business development services.--The term ``business
development services'' means support for the growth of
microenterprises through training, technical assistance, marketing
assistance, improved production technologies, and other services.
(2) Microenterprise institution.--The term ``microenterprise
institution'' means an institution that provides services,
including microfinance, training, or business development services,
for microentrepreneurs.
(3) Microfinance institution.--The term ``microfinance
institution'' means an institution that directly provides, or works
to expand, the availability of credit, savings, and other financial
services to microentrepreneurs.
(4) Practitioner institution.--The term ``practitioner
institution'' means any institution that provides services,
including microfinance, training, or business development services,
for microentrepreneurs, or provides assistance to microenterprise
institutions.

3961f6fd6d61b23a92b6c6813432897ba7da2ea3d5609c9ca6765e97c87aa8eb

Chapter 1 of part I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22
U.S.C. 2151 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new
section:
``SEC. 131. MICROENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT GRANT ASSISTANCE.
``(a) Findings and Policy.--Congress finds and declares that--
``(1) the development of microenterprise is a vital factor in
the stable growth of developing countries and in the development of
free, open, and equitable international economic systems;
``(2) it is therefore in the best interest of the United States
to assist the development of microenterprises in developing
countries; and
``(3) the support of microenterprise can be served by programs
providing credit, savings, training, technical assistance, and
business development services.
``(b) Authorization.--
``(1) In general.--In carrying out this part, the President is
authorized to provide grant assistance for programs to increase the
availability of credit and other services to microenterprises
lacking full access to capital training, technical assistance, and
business development services, through--
``(A) grants to microfinance institutions for the purpose
of expanding the availability of credit, savings, and other
financial services to microentrepreneurs;
``(B) grants to microenterprise institutions for the
purpose of training, technical assistance, and business
development services for microenterprises to enable them to
make better use of credit, to better manage their enterprises,
and to increase their income and build their assets;
``(C) capacity-building for microenterprise institutions in
order to enable them to better meet the credit and training
needs of microentrepreneurs; and
``(D) policy and regulatory programs at the country level
that improve the environment for microentrepreneurs and
microenterprise institutions that serve the poor and very poor.
``(2) Implementation.--Assistance authorized under paragraph
(1)(A) and (B) shall be provided through organizations that have a
capacity to develop and implement microenterprise programs,
including particularly--
``(A) United States and indigenous private and voluntary
organizations;
``(B) United States and indigenous credit unions and
cooperative organizations; or
``(C) other indigenous governmental and nongovernmental
organizations.
``(3) Targeted assistance.--In carrying out sustainable
poverty-focused programs under paragraph (1), 50 percent of all
microenterprise resources shall be targeted to very poor
entrepreneurs, defined as those living in the bottom 50 percent
below the poverty line as established by the national government of
the country. Specifically, such resources shall be used for--
``(A) direct support of programs under this subsection
through practitioner institutions that--
``(i) provide credit and other financial services to
entrepreneurs who are very poor, with loans in 1995 United
States dollars of--
``(I) $1,000 or less in the Europe and Eurasia
region;
``(II) $400 or less in the Latin America region;
and
``(III) $300 or less in the rest of the world; and
``(ii) can cover their costs in a reasonable time
period; or
``(B) demand-driven business development programs that
achieve reasonable cost recovery that are provided to clients
holding poverty loans (as defined by the regional poverty loan
limitations in subparagraph (A)(i)), whether they are provided
by microfinance institutions or by specialized business
development services providers.
``(4) Support for central mechanisms.--The President should
continue support for central mechanisms and missions, as
appropriate, that--
``(A) provide technical support for field missions;
``(B) strengthen the institutional development of the
intermediary organizations described in paragraph (2);
``(C) share information relating to the provision of
assistance authorized under paragraph (1) between such field
missions and intermediary organizations; and
``(D) support the development of nonprofit global
microfinance networks, including credit union systems, that--
``(i) are able to deliver very small loans through a
significant grassroots infrastructure based on market
principles; and
``(ii) act as wholesale intermediaries providing a
range of services to microfinance retail institutions,
including financing, technical assistance, capacity-
building, and safety and soundness accreditation.
``(5) Limitation.--Assistance provided under this subsection
may only be used to support microenterprise programs and may not be
used to support programs not directly related to the purposes
described in paragraph (1).
``(c) Monitoring System.--In order to maximize the sustainable
development impact of the assistance authorized under subsection
(b)(1), the Administrator of the agency primarily responsible for
administering this part shall establish a monitoring system that--
``(1) establishes performance goals for such assistance and
expresses such goals in an objective and quantifiable form, to the
extent feasible;
``(2) establishes performance indicators to be used in
measuring or assessing the achievement of the goals and objectives
of such assistance;
``(3) provides a basis for recommendations for adjustments to
such assistance to enhance the sustainable development impact of
such assistance, particularly the impact of such assistance on the
very poor, particularly poor women; and
``(4) provides a basis for recommendations for adjustments to
measures for reaching the poorest of the poor, including proposed
legislation containing amendments to enhance the sustainable
development impact of such assistance, as described in paragraph
(3).
``(d) Level of Assistance.--Of the funds made available under this
part, the FREEDOM Support Act, and the Support for East European
Democracy (SEED) Act of 1989, including local currencies derived from
such funds, there are authorized to be available $155,000,000 for each
of the fiscal years 2001 and 2002, to carry out this section.
``(e) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Business development services.--The term `business
development services' means support for the growth of
microenterprises through training, technical assistance, marketing
assistance, improved production technologies, and other services.
``(2) Microenterprise institution.--The term `microenterprise
institution' means an institution that provides services, including
microfinance, training, or business development services, for
microentrepreneurs.
``(3) Microfinance institution.--The term `microfinance
institution' means an institution that directly provides, or works
to expand, the availability of credit, savings, and other financial
services to microentrepreneurs.
``(4) Practitioner institution.--The term `practitioner
institution' means any institution that provides services,
including microfinance, training, or business development services,
for microentrepreneurs, or provides assistance to microenterprise
institutions.''.

441b6e48bfe285def48863fe8b0bf7e9405cf9f97ec692b23607b26110459201

Section 108 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151f)
is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 108. MICRO- AND SMALL ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT CREDITS.
``(a) Findings and Policy.--Congress finds and declares that--
``(1) the development of micro- and small enterprises is a
vital factor in the stable growth of developing countries and in
the development and stability of a free, open, and equitable
international economic system; and
``(2) it is, therefore, in the best interests of the United
States to assist the development of the enterprises of the poor in
developing countries and to engage the United States private sector
in that process.
``(b) Program.--To carry out the policy set forth in subsection
(a), the President is authorized to provide assistance to increase the
availability of credit to micro- and small enterprises lacking full
access to credit, including through--
``(1) loans and guarantees to credit institutions for the
purpose of expanding the availability of credit to micro- and small
enterprises;
``(2) training programs for lenders in order to enable them to
better meet the credit needs of microentrepreneurs; and
``(3) training programs for microentrepreneurs in order to
enable them to make better use of credit and to better manage their
enterprises.
``(c) Eligibility Criteria.--The Administrator of the agency
primarily responsible for administering this part shall establish
criteria for determining which credit institutions described in
subsection (b)(1) are eligible to carry out activities, with respect to
micro- and small enterprises, assisted under this section. Such
criteria may include the following:
``(1) The extent to which the recipients of credit from the
entity do not have access to the local formal financial sector.
``(2) The extent to which the recipients of credit from the
entity are among the poorest people in the country.
``(3) The extent to which the entity is oriented toward working
directly with poor women.
``(4) The extent to which the entity recovers its cost of
lending.
``(5) The extent to which the entity implements a plan to
become financially sustainable.
``(d) Additional Requirement.--Assistance provided under this
section may only be used to support micro- and small enterprise
programs and may not be used to support programs not directly related
to the purposes described in subsection (b).
``(e) Procurement Provision.--Assistance may be provided under this
section without regard to section 604(a).
``(f) Availability of Funds.--
``(1) In general.--Of the amounts authorized to be available to
carry out section 131, there are authorized to be available
$1,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2001 and 2002 to carry out this
section.
``(2) Coverage of subsidy costs.--Amounts authorized to be
available under paragraph (1) shall be made available to cover the
subsidy cost, as defined in section 502(5) of the Federal Credit
Reform Act of 1990, for activities under this section.''.

777932ea7406bc6333fc5c64ec007595aa0cc7a5b0357a62c008cde2a9a5d5e2

(a) In General.--Chapter 1 of part I of the Foreign Assistance Act
of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.), as amended by section 105 of this
Act, is further amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``SEC. 132. UNITED STATES MICROFINANCE LOAN FACILITY.
``(a) Establishment.--The Administrator is authorized to establish
a United States Microfinance Loan Facility (in this section referred to
as the `Facility') to pool and manage the risk from natural disasters,
war or civil conflict, national financial crisis, or short-term
financial movements that threaten the long-term development of United
States-supported microfinance institutions.
``(b) Disbursements.--
``(1) In general.--The Administrator shall make disbursements
from the Facility to United States-supported microfinance
institutions to prevent the bankruptcy of such institutions caused
by--
``(A) natural disasters;
``(B) national wars or civil conflict; or
``(C) national financial crisis or other short-term
financial movements that threaten the long-term development of
United States-supported microfinance institutions.
``(2) Form of assistance.--Assistance under this section shall
be in the form of loans or loan guarantees for microfinance
institutions that demonstrate the capacity to resume self-sustained
operations within a reasonable time period.
``(3) Congressional notification procedures.--During each of
the fiscal years 2001 and 2002, funds may not be made available
from the Facility until 15 days after notification of the proposed
availability of the funds has been provided to the congressional
committees specified in section 634A in accordance with the
procedures applicable to reprogramming notifications under that
section.
``(c) General Provisions.--
``(1) Policy provisions.--In providing the credit assistance
authorized by this section, the Administrator should apply, as
appropriate, the policy provisions in this part that are applicable
to development assistance activities.
``(2) Default and procurement provisions.--
``(A) Default provision.--The provisions of section 620(q),
or any comparable provision of law, shall not be construed to
prohibit assistance to a country in the event that a private
sector recipient of assistance furnished under this section is
in default in its payment to the United States for the period
specified in such section.
``(B) Procurement provision.--Assistance may be provided
under this section without regard to section 604(a).
``(3) Terms and conditions of credit assistance.--
``(A) In general.--Credit assistance provided under this
section shall be offered on such terms and conditions,
including fees charged, as the Administrator may determine.
``(B) Limitation on principal amount of financing.--The
principal amount of loans made or guaranteed under this section
in any fiscal year, with respect to any single event, may not
exceed $30,000,000.
``(C) Exception.--No payment may be made under any
guarantee issued under this section for any loss arising out of
fraud or misrepresentation for which the party seeking payment
is responsible.
``(4) Full faith and credit.--All guarantees issued under this
section shall constitute obligations, in accordance with the terms
of such guarantees, of the United States of America, and the full
faith and credit of the United States of America is hereby pledged
for the full payment and performance of such obligations to the
extent of the guarantee.
``(d) Funding.--
``(1) Allocation of funds.--Of the amounts made available to
carry out this part for the fiscal year 2001, up to $5,000,000 may
be made available for--
``(A) the subsidy cost, as defined in section 502(5) of the
Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990, to carry out this section;
and
``(B) the administrative costs to carry out this section.
``(2) Relation to other funding.--Amounts made available under
paragraph (1) are in addition to amounts available under any other
provision of law to carry out this section.
``(e) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Administrator.--The term `Administrator' means the
Administrator of the agency primarily responsible for administering
this part.
``(2) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
`appropriate congressional committees' means the Committee on
Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on International
Relations of the House of Representatives.
``(3) United states-supported microfinance institution.--The
term `United States-supported microfinance institution' means a
financial intermediary that has received funds made available under
part I of this Act for fiscal year 1980 or any subsequent fiscal
year.''.
(b) Report.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the United States Agency
for International Development shall submit to the Committee on Foreign
Relations of the Senate and the Committee on International Relations of
the House of Representatives a report on the policies, rules, and
regulations of the United States Microfinance Loan Facility established
under section 132 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as added by
subsection (a).

ab909b99469bcb18e0491fd0667cb90d9d1781f5915621ca38b24b3b3489824b

INSTITUTIONS.
(a) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the President shall submit to the appropriate
congressional committees a report on the most cost-effective methods
and measurements for increasing the access of poor people overseas to
credit, other financial services, and related training.
(b) Contents.--The report described in subsection (a)--
(1) shall include how the President, in consultation with the
Administrator of the United States Agency for International
Development, the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of the
Treasury, will develop a comprehensive strategy for advancing the
global microenterprise sector in a way that maintains market
principles while ensuring that the very poor overseas, particularly
women, obtain access to financial services overseas;
(2) shall provide guidelines and recommendations for--
(A) instruments to assist microenterprise networks to
develop multi-country and regional microlending programs;
(B) technical assistance to foreign governments, foreign
central banks, and regulatory entities to improve the policy
environment for microfinance institutions, and to strengthen
the capacity of supervisory bodies to supervise microfinance
institutions;
(C) the potential for Federal chartering of United States-
based international microfinance network institutions,
including proposed legislation;
(D) instruments to increase investor confidence in
microfinance institutions which would strengthen the long-term
financial position of the microfinance institutions and attract
capital from private sector entities and individuals, such as a
rating system for microfinance institutions and local credit
bureaus;
(E) an agenda for integrating microfinance into United
States foreign policy initiatives seeking to develop and
strengthen the global finance sector; and
(F) innovative instruments to attract funds from the
capital markets, such as instruments for leveraging funds from
the local commercial banking sector, and the securitization of
microloan portfolios; and
(3) shall include a section that assesses the need for a
microenterprise accelerated growth fund and that includes--
(A) a description of the benefits of such a fund;
(B) an identification of which microenterprise institutions
might become eligible for assistance from such fund;
(C) a description of how such a fund could be administered;
(D) a recommendation on which agency or agencies of the
United States Government should administer the fund and within
which such agency the fund should be located; and
(E) a recommendation on how soon it might be necessary to
establish such a fund in order to provide the support necessary
for microenterprise institutions involved in microenterprise
development.
(c) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this section,
the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means the Committee
on International Relations of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.

0501364b7b79e24b97cab7d05510722d5c14150d4761dcefa498306cf161278a

LEADER AND COORDINATOR OF BILATERAL AND MULTILATERAL
MICROENTERPRISE ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES.
(a) Findings and Policy.--Congress finds and declares that--
(1) the United States can provide leadership to other bilateral
and multilateral development agencies as such agencies expand their
support to the microenterprise sector; and
(2) the United States should seek to improve coordination among
G-7 countries in the support of the microenterprise sector in order
to leverage the investment of the United States with that of other
donor nations.
(b) Sense of the Congress.--It is the sense of the Congress that--
(1) the Administrator of the United States Agency for
International Development and the Secretary of State should seek to
support and strengthen the effectiveness of microfinance activities
in United Nations agencies, such as the United Nations Development
Program (UNDP), which have provided key leadership in developing
the microenterprise sector; and
(2) the Secretary of the Treasury should instruct each United
States Executive Director of the multilateral development banks
(MDBs) to advocate the development of a coherent and coordinated
strategy to support the microenterprise sector and an increase of
multilateral resource flows for the purposes of building
microenterprise retail and wholesale intermediaries.

f48942813e7343279a191da0ae374ef5b6afbdb3ac69244ce5c925509a5ae057

PRIORITY IN MICROENTERPRISE FUNDING ALLOCATIONS.
(a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
(1) An estimated 45,000,000 of Mexico's 100,000,000 population
currently lives below the poverty line, accounting for 20 percent
of all poor in Latin America.
(2) Mexico cannot create enough salaried jobs to absorb new
workers entering the labor force.
(3) While many poor families depend on microenterprise
initiatives to generate a livelihood, the United States Agency for
International Development currently has two microcredit projects in
Mexico, receiving less than 1 percent of overall microenterprise
funding in Latin America and the Caribbean during the last decade.
(4) Mexico's microenterprise activity has been constrained
because its financial institutions cannot expand financial services
to a larger clientele due to a lack of capital, inefficient
financial and administrative management, and a lack of
institutional support for microfinance institutions' particular
needs.
(5) Mexican nongovernmental organizations, such as Compartamos,
have demonstrated competence in developing local microfinance
programs.
(6) On July 2, 2000, Vicente Fox Quesada of the Alliance for
Change was elected President of the United Mexican States.
(7) The President-elect of Mexico has identified
entrepreneurship and the start-up of new microcredit institutions
as key economic priorities.
(8) Microenterprise and entrepreneurial initiatives have proven
to be successful components of free market development and economic
stability.
(b) Sense of the Congress.--It is the sense of the Congress that--
(1) providing Mexico's poor with economic opportunity and
microfinance services is fundamental to Mexico's economic
development;
(2) microenterprise can have a positive impact on Mexico's free
market development; and
(3) the United States Agency for International Development
should consider Mexico as a key priority in its microenterprise
funding allocations.

9f50eadd832009a016924e10a99d47015c7b12157cb16cfd757d4a32d17d9fc9

This title may be cited as the ``International Anti-Corruption and
Good Governance Act of 2000''.

aaf976fb12d12a0e66cffb346b754244bfdc4ff773d85fdeba3404e751eb63c0

(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) Widespread corruption endangers the stability and security
of societies, undermines democracy, and jeopardizes the social,
political, and economic development of a society.
(2) Corruption facilitates criminal activities, such as money
laundering, hinders economic development, inflates the costs of
doing business, and undermines the legitimacy of the government and
public trust.
(3) In January 1997 the United Nations General Assembly adopted
a resolution urging member states to carefully consider the
problems posed by the international aspects of corrupt practices
and to study appropriate legislative and regulatory measures to
ensure the transparency and integrity of financial systems.
(4) The United States was the first country to criminalize
international bribery through the enactment of the Foreign Corrupt
Practices Act of 1977 and United States leadership was instrumental
in the passage of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD) Convention on Combatting Bribery of Foreign
Public Officials in International Business Transactions.
(5) The Vice President, at the Global Forum on Fighting
Corruption in 1999, declared corruption to be a direct threat to
the rule of law and the Secretary of State declared corruption to
be a matter of profound political and social consequence for our
efforts to strengthen democratic governments.
(6) The Secretary of State, at the Inter-American Development
Bank's annual meeting in March 2000, declared that despite certain
economic achievements, democracy is being threatened as citizens
grow weary of the corruption and favoritism of their official
institutions and that efforts must be made to improve governance if
respect for democratic institutions is to be regained.
(7) In May 1996 the Organization of American States (OAS)
adopted the Inter-American Convention Against Corruption requiring
countries to provide various forms of international cooperation and
assistance to facilitate the prevention, investigation, and
prosecution of acts of corruption.
(8) Independent media, committed to fighting corruption and
trained in investigative journalism techniques, can both educate
the public on the costs of corruption and act as a deterrent
against corrupt officials.
(9) Competent and independent judiciary, founded on a merit-
based selection process and trained to enforce contracts and
protect property rights, is critical for creating a predictable and
consistent environment for transparency in legal procedures.
(10) Independent and accountable legislatures, responsive
political parties, and transparent electoral processes, in
conjunction with professional, accountable, and transparent
financial management and procurement policies and procedures, are
essential to the promotion of good governance and to the combat of
corruption.
(11) Transparent business frameworks, including modern
commercial codes and intellectual property rights, are vital to
enhancing economic growth and decreasing corruption at all levels
of society.
(12) The United States should attempt to improve accountability
in foreign countries, including by--
(A) promoting transparency and accountability through
support for independent media, promoting financial disclosure
by public officials, political parties, and candidates for
public office, open budgeting processes, adequate and effective
internal control systems, suitable financial management
systems, and financial and compliance reporting;
(B) supporting the establishment of audit offices,
inspectors general offices, third party monitoring of
government procurement processes, and anti-corruption agencies;
(C) promoting responsive, transparent, and accountable
legislatures that ensure legislative oversight and whistle-
blower protection;
(D) promoting judicial reforms that criminalize corruption
and promoting law enforcement that prosecutes corruption;
(E) fostering business practices that promote transparent,
ethical, and competitive behavior in the private sector through
the development of an effective legal framework for commerce,
including anti-bribery laws, commercial codes that incorporate
international standards for business practices, and protection
of intellectual property rights; and
(F) promoting free and fair national, state, and local
elections.
(b) Purpose.--The purpose of this title is to ensure that United
States assistance programs promote good governance by assisting other
countries to combat corruption throughout society and to improve
transparency and accountability at all levels of government and
throughout the private sector.

b75c31f83bcd5f64c03f4efbc2bcfff992f9d767d2464a704e640849a7f366a3

(a) General Policy.--Section 101(a) of the Foreign Assistance Act
of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151(a)) is amended in the fifth sentence--
(1) by striking ``four'' and inserting ``five'';
(2) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (3);
(3) in paragraph (4), by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``; and''; and
(4) by adding at the end the following:
``(5) the promotion of good governance through combating
corruption and improving transparency and accountability.''.
(b) Development Assistance Policy.--Section 102(b) of the Foreign
Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151-1(b)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (4)--
(A) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (E);
(B) in subparagraph (F), by striking the period at the end
and inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(G) progress in combating corruption and improving
transparency and accountability in the public and private
sector.''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(17) Economic reform and development of effective
institutions of democratic governance are mutually reinforcing. The
successful transition of a developing country is dependent upon the
quality of its economic and governance institutions. Rule of law,
mechanisms of accountability and transparency, security of person,
property, and investments, are but a few of the critical governance
and economic reforms that underpin the sustainability of broad-
based economic growth. Programs in support of such reforms
strengthen the capacity of people to hold their governments
accountable and to create economic opportunity.''.

491bbfded6c33740a647f33b87b65f7b8c0dc68ac017888882f9591480c651b0

DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.
Section 129(b) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C.
2151aa(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(3) Emphasis on anti-corruption.--Such technical assistance
shall include elements designed to combat anti-competitive,
unethical, and corrupt activities, including protection against
actions that may distort or inhibit transparency in market
mechanisms and, to the extent applicable, privatization
procedures.''.

00bcf2a3a22b69afe7e4f7206eb4526b62859d84b20d384ce03204bfec3ce11f

(a) In General.--Chapter 1 of part I of the Foreign Assistance Act
of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151 et seq.), as amended by sections 105 and 107,
is further amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 133. PROGRAMS TO ENCOURAGE GOOD GOVERNANCE.
``(a) Establishment of Programs.--
``(1) In general.--The President is authorized to establish
programs that combat corruption, improve transparency and
accountability, and promote other forms of good governance in
countries described in paragraph (2).
``(2) Countries described.--A country described in this
paragraph is a country that is eligible to receive assistance under
this part (including chapter 4 of part II of this Act) or the
Support for East European Democracy (SEED) Act of 1989.
``(3) Priority.--In carrying out paragraph (1), the President
shall give priority to establishing programs in countries that
received a significant amount of United States foreign assistance
for the prior fiscal year, or in which the United States has a
significant economic interest, and that continue to have the most
persistent problems with public and private corruption. In
determining which countries have the most persistent problems with
public and private corruption under the preceding sentence, the
President shall take into account criteria such as the Transparency
International Annual Corruption Perceptions Index, standards and
codes set forth by the International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development and the International Monetary Fund, and other relevant
criteria.
``(4) Relation to other laws.--
``(A) In general.--Assistance provided for countries under
programs established pursuant to paragraph (1) may be made
available notwithstanding any other provision of law that
restricts assistance to foreign countries. Assistance provided
under a program established pursuant to paragraph (1) for a
country that would otherwise be restricted from receiving such
assistance but for the preceding sentence may not be provided
directly to the government of the country.
``(B) Exception.--Subparagraph (A) does not apply with
respect to--
``(i) section 620A of this Act or any comparable
provision of law prohibiting assistance to countries that
support international terrorism; or
``(ii) section 907 of the Freedom for Russia and
Emerging Eurasian Democracies and Open Markets Support Act
of 1992.
``(b) Specific Projects and Activities.--The programs established
pursuant to subsection (a) shall include, to the extent appropriate,
projects and activities that--
``(1) support responsible independent media to promote
oversight of public and private institutions;
``(2) implement financial disclosure among public officials,
political parties, and candidates for public office, open budgeting
processes, and transparent financial management systems;
``(3) support the establishment of audit offices, inspectors
general offices, third party monitoring of government procurement
processes, and anti-corruption agencies;
``(4) promote responsive, transparent, and accountable
legislatures and local governments that ensure legislative and
local oversight and whistle-blower protection;
``(5) promote legal and judicial reforms that criminalize
corruption and law enforcement reforms and development that
encourage prosecutions of criminal corruption;
``(6) assist in the development of a legal framework for
commercial transactions that fosters business practices that
promote transparent, ethical, and competitive behavior in the
economic sector, such as commercial codes that incorporate
international standards and protection of intellectual property
rights;
``(7) promote free and fair national, state, and local
elections;
``(8) foster public participation in the legislative process
and public access to government information; and
``(9) engage civil society in the fight against corruption.
``(c) Conduct of Projects and Activities.--Projects and activities
under the programs established pursuant to subsection (a) may include,
among other things, training and technical assistance (including
drafting of anti-corruption, privatization, and competitive statutory
and administrative codes), drafting of anti-corruption, privatization,
and competitive statutory and administrative codes, support for
independent media and publications, financing of the program and
operating costs of nongovernmental organizations that carry out such
projects or activities, and assistance for travel of individuals to the
United States and other countries for such projects and activities.
``(d) Annual Report.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary of State, in consultation with
the Secretary of Commerce and the Administrator of the United
States Agency for International Development, shall prepare and
transmit to the Committee on International Relations and the
Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Appropriations
of the Senate an annual report on--
``(A) projects and activities carried out under programs
established under subsection (a) for the prior year in priority
countries identified pursuant to subsection (a)(3); and
``(B) projects and activities carried out under programs to
combat corruption, improve transparency and accountability, and
promote other forms of good governance established under other
provisions of law for the prior year in such countries.
``(2) Required contents.--The report required by paragraph (1)
shall contain the following information with respect to each
country described in paragraph (1):
``(A) A description of all United States Government-funded
programs and initiatives to combat corruption and improve
transparency and accountability in the country.
``(B) A description of United States diplomatic efforts to
combat corruption and improve transparency and accountability
in the country.
``(C) An analysis of major actions taken by the government
of the country to combat corruption and improve transparency
and accountability in the country.
``(e) Funding.--Amounts made available to carry out the other
provisions of this part (including chapter 4 of part II of this Act)
and the Support for East European Democracy (SEED) Act of 1989 shall be
made available to carry out this section.''.
(b) Deadline for Initial Report.--The initial annual report
required by section 133(d)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as
added by subsection (a), shall be transmitted not later than 180 days
after the date of the enactment of this Act.

6e6588eabee2e5a1d549bceff8c7956d8fdb2f1222b1162f58a3db5cca1359df

This title may be cited as the ``International Academic Opportunity
Act of 2000''.

37f5b0a43e7c624c1723d4883e72c87c3ab576818fc940cef25b99fec38fd896

It is the purpose of this title to establish an undergraduate grant
program for students of limited financial means from the United States
to enable such students to study abroad. Such foreign study is intended
to broaden the outlook and better prepare such students of demonstrated
financial need to assume significant roles in the increasingly global
economy.

ab43742a6000c8fcf90df4e151750454ada26026231c5ea7859dbdc13ebab0b0

COLLEGE STUDENTS OF LIMITED FINANCIAL MEANS.
(a) Establishment.--Subject to the availability of appropriations
and under the authorities of the Mutual Educational and Cultural
Exchange Act of 1961, the Secretary of State shall establish and carry
out a program in each fiscal year to award grants of up to $5,000, to
individuals who meet the requirements of subsection (b), toward the
cost of up to one academic year of undergraduate study abroad. Grants
under this Act shall be known as the ``Benjamin A. Gilman International
Scholarships''.
(b) Eligibility.--An individual referred to in subsection (a) is an
individual who--
(1) is a student in good standing at an institution of higher
education in the United States (as defined in section 101(a) of the
Higher Education Act of 1965);
(2) has been accepted for up to one academic year of study on a
program of study abroad approved for credit by the student's home
institution;
(3) is receiving any need-based student assistance under title
IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965; and
(4) is a citizen or national of the United States.
(c) Application and Selection.--
(1) Grant application and selection shall be carried out
through accredited institutions of higher education in the United
States or a combination of such institutions under such procedures
as are established by the Secretary of State.
(2) In considering applications for grants under this section--
(A) consideration of financial need shall include the
increased costs of study abroad; and
(B) priority consideration shall be given to applicants who
are receiving Federal Pell Grants under title IV of the Higher
Education Act of 1965.

4d816ae24744de36c3e5ed80c83069fd1ec6fce26b4cf98ef501aae5c94af053

The Secretary of State shall report annually to the Congress
concerning the grant program established under this title. Each such
report shall include the following information for the preceding year:
(1) The number of participants.
(2) The institutions of higher education in the United States
that participants attended.
(3) The institutions of higher education outside the United
States participants attended during their study abroad.
(4) The areas of study of participants.

37d724080d418cfe4129e9029ab6cdc69a37a9544a7a3579cbe71326232ce640

There are authorized to be appropriated $1,500,000 for each fiscal
year to carry out this title.

0082e05c1eac327ac5b9da86f1990ca003eeabd7e465d46a9eeb31ba3b626f5b

This title shall take effect October 1, 2000.

4490a813ca4f710bcd1f411f052a79f40025a815537e5b9cb4b055cef901725e

(a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the ``Support for
Overseas Cooperative Development Act''.
(b) Findings.--The Congress makes the following findings:
(1) It is in the mutual economic interest of the United States
and peoples in developing and transitional countries to promote
cooperatives and credit unions.
(2) Self-help institutions, including cooperatives and credit
unions, provide enhanced opportunities for people to participate
directly in democratic decision-making for their economic and
social benefit through ownership and control of business
enterprises and through the mobilization of local capital and
savings and such organizations should be fully utilized in
fostering free market principles and the adoption of self-help
approaches to development.
(3) The United States seeks to encourage broad-based economic
and social development by creating and supporting--
(A) agricultural cooperatives that provide a means to lift
low income farmers and rural people out of poverty and to
better integrate them into national economies;
(B) credit union networks that serve people of limited
means through safe savings and by extending credit to families
and microenterprises;
(C) electric and telephone cooperatives that provide rural
customers with power and telecommunications services essential
to economic development;
(D) housing and community-based cooperatives that provide
low income shelter and work opportunities for the urban poor;
and
(E) mutual and cooperative insurance companies that provide
risk protection for life and property to under-served
populations often through group policies.
(c) General Provisions.--
(1) Declarations of policy.--The Congress supports the
development and expansion of economic assistance programs that
fully utilize cooperatives and credit unions, particularly those
programs committed to--
(A) international cooperative principles, democratic
governance and involvement of women and ethnic minorities for
economic and social development;
(B) self-help mobilization of member savings and equity and
retention of profits in the community, except for those
programs that are dependent on donor financing;
(C) market-oriented and value-added activities with the
potential to reach large numbers of low income people and help
them enter into the mainstream economy;
(D) strengthening the participation of rural and urban poor
to contribute to their country's economic development; and
(E) utilization of technical assistance and training to
better serve the member-owners.
(2) Development priorities.--Section 111 of the Foreign
Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151i) is amended by adding at
the end the following: ``In meeting the requirement of the
preceding sentence, specific priority shall be given to the
following:
``(1) Agriculture.--Technical assistance to low income farmers
who form and develop member-owned cooperatives for farm supplies,
marketing and value-added processing.
``(2) Financial systems.--The promotion of national credit
union systems through credit union-to-credit union technical
assistance that strengthens the ability of low income people and
micro-entrepreneurs to save and to have access to credit for their
own economic advancement.
``(3) Infrastructure.--The support of rural electric and
telecommunication cooperatives for access for rural people and
villages that lack reliable electric and telecommunications
services.
``(4) Housing and community services.--The promotion of
community-based cooperatives which provide employment opportunities
and important services such as health clinics, self-help shelter,
environmental improvements, group-owned businesses, and other
activities.''.
(d) Report.--Not later than 6 months after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the United States Agency
for International Development, in consultation with the heads of other
appropriate agencies, shall prepare and submit to Congress a report on
the implementation of section 111 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961
(22 U.S.C. 2151i), as amended by subsection (c).

2b50436ac4a4acdf98ca478687c309732855af3aa6ca7d78aab94a8cb1c38760

USAID.
(a) Allocation of Funds for Certain Environmental Activities.--Of
the amounts authorized to be appropriated for the fiscal year 2001 to
carry out chapter 1 of part I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22
U.S.C. 2151 et seq.; relating to development assistance), there is
authorized to be available at least $60,200,000 to carry out activities
of the type carried out by the Global Environment Center of the United
States Agency for International Development during fiscal year 2000.
(b) Allocation for Water and Coastal Resources.--Of the amounts
made available under subsection (a), at least $2,500,000 shall be
available for water and coastal resources activities under the natural
resources management function specified in that subsection.

16233605b4ccf724d8497c2d21f3c9cb071a9d183b0025c612b14346979c0f7e

ASSISTANCE ABROAD BY THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.
(a) Priority for Disaster Relief Assistance.--In processing
applications for the transportation of humanitarian assistance abroad
under section 402 of title 10, United States Code, the Administrator of
the United States Agency for International Development shall afford a
priority to applications for the transportation of disaster relief
assistance.
(b) Modification of Applications.--The Administrator of the United
States Agency for International Development shall take all possible
actions to assist applicants for the transportation of humanitarian
assistance abroad under such section 402 in modifying or completing
applications submitted under such section in order to meet applicable
requirements under such section. The actions shall include efforts to
contact such applicants for purposes of the modification or completion
of such applications.

1422b11e6f577860a996c043f20f227ac612fc69fe92db2aaabdb5b2078c74d1

Section 635 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2395)
is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(m)(1) There is established a working capital fund (in this
subsection referred to as the `fund') for the United States Agency for
International Development (in this subsection referred to as the
`Agency') which shall be available without fiscal year limitation for
the expenses of personal and nonpersonal services, equipment, and
supplies for--
``(A) International Cooperative Administrative Support
Services; and
``(B) rebates from the use of United States Government credit
cards.
``(2) The capital of the fund shall consist of--
``(A) the fair and reasonable value of such supplies,
equipment, and other assets pertaining to the functions of the fund
as the Administrator determines,
``(B) rebates from the use of United States Government credit
cards, and
``(C) any appropriations made available for the purpose of
providing capital,
minus related liabilities.
``(3) The fund shall be reimbursed or credited with advance
payments for services, equipment, or supplies provided from the fund
from applicable appropriations and funds of the Agency, other Federal
agencies and other sources authorized by section 607 at rates that will
recover total expenses of operation, including accrual of annual leave
and depreciation. Receipts from the disposal of, or payments for the
loss or damage to, property held in the fund, rebates, reimbursements,
refunds and other credits applicable to the operation of the fund may
be deposited in the fund.
``(4) At the close of each fiscal year the Administrator of the
Agency shall transfer out of the fund to the miscellaneous receipts
account of the Treasury of the United States such amounts as the
Administrator determines to be in excess of the needs of the fund.
``(5) The fund may be charged with the current value of supplies
and equipment returned to the working capital of the fund by a post,
activity, or agency, and the proceeds shall he credited to current
applicable appropriations.''.

8adb85dfc5ef839165dd4fa90d967754459cb56c94afaa0ea72ab0bb828b9ac4

REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES MISSION TO THE
UNITED NATIONS PROVIDED LIVING QUARTERS IN NEW YORK.
Section 9(2) of the United Nations Participation Act of 1945 (22
U.S.C. 287e-1(2)) is amended by striking ``18'' and inserting ``30''.

925d43303062242a89d0ca3f81253d6d5aef05f78975acc2130f39cf4a3b8ef4

READABLE TEXT AND VOICE RECORDINGS.
Section 1(b) of Public Law 104-269 (110 Stat. 3300) is amended by
striking ``5 years'' and inserting ``10 years''.

209e2d4c584e1f31006380a09388a55fe256458266a7cb486a42b0909113176b

(a) Authority.--
(1) In general.--Subject to the provisions of this section, the
Broadcasting Board of Governors (in this section referred to as the
``Board'') is authorized to make available to the Institute for
Media Development (in this section referred to as the
``Institute''), at the request of the Institute, previously
broadcast audio and video materials produced by the Africa Division
of the Voice of America.
(2) Deposit of materials.--Upon the request of the Institute
and the approval of the Board, materials made available under
paragraph (1) may be deposited with the University of California,
Los Angeles, or such other appropriate institution of higher
education (as defined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)) that is approved by the Board for such
purpose.
(3) Supersedes existing law.--Materials made available under
paragraph (1) may be provided notwithstanding section 501 of the
United States Information and Educational Exchange Act of 1948 (22
U.S.C. 1461) and section 208 of the Foreign Relations Authorization
Act, Fiscal Years 1986 and 1987 (22 U.S.C. 1461-1a).
(b) Limitations.--
(1) Authorized purposes.--Materials made available under this
section shall be used only for academic and research purposes and
may not be used for public or commercial broadcast purposes.
(2) Prior agreement required.--Before making available
materials under subsection (a)(1), the Board shall enter into an
agreement with the Institute providing for--
(A) reimbursement of the Board for any expenses involved in
making such materials available;
(B) the establishment of guidelines by the Institute for
the archiving and use of the materials to ensure that
copyrighted works contained in those materials will not be used
in a manner that would violate the copyright laws of the United
States (including international copyright conventions to which
the United States is a party);
(C) the indemnification of the United States by the
Institute in the event that any use of the materials results in
violation of the copyright laws of the United States (including
international copyright conventions to which the United States
is a party);
(D) the authority of the Board to terminate the agreement
if the provisions of paragraph (1) are violated; and
(E) any other terms and conditions relating to the
materials that the Board considers appropriate.
(c) Crediting of Reimbursements to Board Appropriations Account.--
Any reimbursement of the Board under subsection (b) shall be deposited
as an offsetting collection to the currently applicable appropriation
account of the Board.
(d) Termination of Authority.--The authority provided under this
section shall cease to have effect on the date that is 5 years after
the date of the enactment of this Act.

6e23f507b1a7db66213cfdcf29afcb3c50f7df0338a2141958012b6d05b27b8a

(a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the ``Paul D.
Coverdell Fellows Program Act of 2000''.
(b) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Paul D. Coverdell was elected to the George State Senate in
1970 and later became Minority Leader of the Georgia State Senate,
a post he held for 15 years.
(2) Paul D. Coverdell served with distinction as the 11th
Director of the Peace Corps from 1989 to 1991, where he promoted a
fellowship program that was composed of returning Peace Corps
volunteers who agreed to work in underserved American communities
while they pursued educational degrees.
(3) Paul D. Coverdell served in the United States Senate from
the State of Georgia from 1993 until his sudden death on July 18,
2000.
(4) Senator Paul D. Coverdell was beloved by his colleagues for
his civility, bipartisan efforts, and his dedication to public
service.
(c) Designation of Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Program.--
(1) In general.--Effective on the date of the enactment of this
Act, the program under section 18 of the Peace Corps Act (22 U.S.C.
2517) referred to before such date as the ``Peace Corps Fellows/USA
Program'' is redesignated as the ``Paul D. Coverdell Fellows
Program''.
(2) References.--Any reference before the date of the enactment
of this Act in any law, regulation, order, document, record, or
other paper of the United States to the Peace Corps Fellows/USA
Program shall, on and after such date, be considered to refer to
the Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Program.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.

461a1e81abb74cf05036c11fdd53ba4292992f0176c4b74721617fed11fa8116

International Academic Opportunity Act of 2000 — HR. 1143

Other Sections

TITLE I

TITLE II

TITLE III

TITLE IV

Want the full experience?