On Tuesday, Representatives Howard Berman (D-CA), Chairman of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee and Mark Steven Kirk (R-IL) introduced the ‘Initiating Foreign Assistance Reform’ Act of 2009 (HR 2139). The bipartisan bill represents a remarkable step forward in the effort to better organize and coordinate US foreign assistance programs. What is particularly striking about this important bill is new language requiring increased transparency in American aid programs for developing countries.

As a key member of the group who launched Publish What You Fund (PWYF), ONE has been actively involved in the debate around increasing aid effectiveness and is very proud of the advisory role PWYF played during the drafting process of a new bipartisan bill designed to increase accountability and improve the effectiveness of U.S. foreign aid.

Section 4 of the bill addresses how US aid will become more transparent, stating that “the American taxpayers and recipients of United States foreign assistance should, to the maximum extent practicable, have full access to information on United States foreign assistance.” Departments and agencies responsible for directing foreign aid will be instructed to post information on the internet about the amount of money disbursed as well as information about contract agreements and monitoring reports for specific programs on a country-by-country basis. Additionally, the bill instructs that information should be posted in a timely way. In addition, the bill states that because of the importance of understanding the role of foreign assistance from the United States relative to funding from other donors, the US should participate in the International Aid Transparency Initiative, established on September 4, 2008, at the Accra High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness.

Aid effectiveness is critically important, especially in these tough budgetary times. We’re excited to see a bipartisan team of congressional leaders introduce this bill and looks forward to working with the powerful group of unlikely allies, like William Easterly, to increase aid effectiveness, accountability and transparency. Keep an eye on the ONE Blog for updates on how we can help move this bill through Congress.

-Lisa Fleisher

Howard Berman (D-CA), Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Mark Kirk (R-IL) have introduced a bi-partisan bill requiring the President to draft and implement a comprehensive National Strategy for Global Development. The Strategy requirement is one part of H.R. 2139 – Initiating Foreign Assistance Reform Act of 2009 – legislation that also strengthens monitoring and evaluation of US foreign aid programs and mandates greater transparency of aid resources provided by the United States.

With at least 12 departments, 25 different agencies, and nearly 60 government offices involved in US foreign assistance operations, a key element of the Strategy will be its interagency approach to set out a coherent framework to guide US efforts to reduce global poverty and promote broad-based economic growth in the developing world. Ideally, this will be led by the National Security Council, reaching out across all of government. Importantly, the Strategy will go beyond simply development assistance programs and consider broadly US development policies that affect poverty and economic growth in poor countries, including trade, debt relief, climate change and others. The legislation further requires the creation of a process to improve and strengthen coordination among the various departments and agencies engaged in foreign assistance.

With Development as one of the three pillars of US national security, along with Defense and Diplomacy, a National Strategy on Global Development is long over-due. President Obama has committed to a series of important global development actions, including a doubling of foreign assistance and major agriculture, education, and health initiatives. To avoid the existing fragmentation and conflicting purposes of US foreign aid policies, the implementation of a National Strategy will be a significant first step. But a more comprehensive overhaul of aid programs and apparatus is necessary. Chairman Berman promises that this bill is a “down payment” on a much broader and much more difficult task to re-write the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, an effort he plans for later this year.

-Larry Nowels

Last weekend, at an event called “International 10 for the 10th”, Congressman Mark Kirk honored 10 people in his district who have made a difference in the world.

District residents were invited to come and hear what their neighbors had done to (among other things) empower Afghan women; build clean water wells and promote education in Africa; and to help health care systems in Mexico.

ONE was also given the opportunity to let the people in the 10th Congressional District in Illinois know how they could join the fight against extreme poverty and global disease. Volunteers Ryan Steel and Dana Salmond were on hand to answer people’s questions about ONE, and Ryan took advantage of the opportunity to invite Rep. Kirk to a ONE event he is planning at Libertyville High School in April!

-Annisa Wanat