Saturday, February 23, 2008

Link to read the actual Global Poverty Act

Look what I found! The Global Poverty Act itself. If you would like to look at it for yourself, take a gander at this link.

http://www.thomas.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:S.2433:

I just read it and, as promised, it has no mention of any specific amount of money to be put into a Presidential plan for development assistance, despite what Limbaugh and Kincaid might be saying. Here are the meaty parts of it:

"SEC. 3. DECLARATION OF POLICY.
It is the policy of the United States 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 worldwide, between 1990 and 2015, who live on less than $1 per day.

SEC. 4. REQUIREMENT TO DEVELOP COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY.
(a) Strategy- The President, acting through the Secretary of State, and in consultation with the heads of other appropriate departments and agencies of the United States Government, international organizations, international financial institutions, the governments of developing and developed countries, United States and international nongovernmental organizations, civil society organizations, and other appropriate entities, shall 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.
(b) Content- The strategy required by subsection (a) shall include specific and measurable goals, efforts to be undertaken, benchmarks, and timetables to achieve the objectives described in subsection (a).
(c) Components- The strategy required by subsection (a) should include the following components:
(1) Continued investment or involvement in existing United States initiatives related to international poverty reduction, such as the United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 2003 (22 U.S.C. 7601 et seq.), the Millennium Challenge Act of 2003 (22 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.), and trade preference programs for developing countries, such as the African Growth and Opportunity Act (19 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.).
(2) Improving the effectiveness of development assistance and making available additional overall United States assistance levels as appropriate.
(3) Enhancing and expanding debt relief as appropriate.
(4) Leveraging United States trade policy where possible to enhance economic development prospects for developing countries.
(5) Coordinating efforts and working in cooperation with developed and developing countries, international organizations, and international financial institutions.
(6) Mobilizing and leveraging the participation of businesses, United States and international nongovernmental organizations, civil society, and public-private partnerships.
(7) Coordinating the goal of poverty reduction with other development goals, such as combating the spread of preventable diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, increasing access to potable water and basic sanitation, reducing hunger and malnutrition, and improving access to and quality of education at all levels regardless of gender.
(8) Integrating principles of sustainable development and entrepreneurship into policies and programs.
(d) Reports-
(1) INITIAL REPORT-
(A) IN GENERAL- Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President, acting through the Secretary of State, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the strategy required under subsection (a).
(B) CONTENT- The report required under subparagraph (A) shall include the following elements:
(i) A description of the strategy required under subsection (a).
(ii) An evaluation, to the extent possible, both proportionate and absolute, of the contributions provided by the United States and other national and international actors in achieving 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.
(iii) An assessment of the overall progress toward achieving 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.
(2) SUBSEQUENT REPORTS- Not later than December 31, 2012, and December 31, 2015, the President shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees reports on the status of the implementation of the strategy, progress made in achieving the global poverty reduction objectives described in subsection (a), and any changes to the strategy since the date of the submission of the last report."

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

i'm a frequent APB reader...and I'm thrilled that you're diving into the Global Poverty Act. I'm currently running a research project on the act for a policy class...well done. I will certainly cite your blog in my research!

Anonymous said...

When you have taken all the acts and declarations into account vice just passing over them, see United Nations Millennium Declaration, General Assembly Resolution 55/2 and the others, you can say these things. In a classic end around maneuver, these people are using voice votes to push treaties down our throats that we have already declined.
I think you will find BILLIONS of US dollars are being committed if this is passed.

CCYL said...

I certainly hope "BILLIONS of US dollars" will eventually be committed! That is what Bread for the World, Results and many more anti-poverty groups will be asking for throughout this year. We would aspire to committing 0.7% of our federal budget to programs that will address the first bullet point in Section III, item 19 of the resolution you cited. But in the meantime, this year we will be lobbying for a 5 billions dollar increase in 2009 for more poverty-focused development assistance.
So, yes. I hope, pray, and advocate for those billions to be provided by the US to fulfill the commitments we have already made. But, the Global Poverty Act itself does not make that commitment yet. It makes it a presidential requirement to strategize and report to Congress about it.
FYI, Anonymous is referencing a resolution that can be found at http://www.un.org/millennium/declaration/ares552e.pdf

CCYL said...

Actually, I shouldn't speak for what the org, Results, will be pushing for. I know they are advocating for ann increase in 2009 foreign aid, but I don't know exactly what level they are advocating.