29–010 

Calendar No. 87 

113TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! SENATE 1st Session 113–43 

ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES REVITALIZATION 

AND REFORM ACT OF 2013 

JUNE 13, 2013.—Ordered to be printed 

Mr. MENENDEZ, from the Committee on Foreign Relations, 

submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany S. 793] 

The Committee on Foreign Relations, having had under consideration the bill (S. 793) to support revitalization and reform of the 

Organization of American States, and for other purposes, reports 

favorably thereon, without amendment and recommends that the 

bill do pass. 

CONTENTS 

Page 

I. Purpose ........................................................................................................... 1 

II. Committee Action .......................................................................................... 1 

III. Discussion ....................................................................................................... 1 

IV. Cost Estimate ................................................................................................. 2 

V. Evaluation of Regulatory Impact .................................................................. 3 

VI. Changes in Existing Law .............................................................................. 3 

I. PURPOSE

The purpose of S. 793 is to support revitalization and reform of 

the Organization of American States, and for other purposes. 

II. COMMITTEE ACTION

Senator Menendez introduced S. 793 on April 24, 2013. On May 

14, 2013, the committee ordered the bill reported favorably by voice 

vote. 

III. DISCUSSION

The stated purpose of S. 793 is to support revitalization and reform of the Organization of American States, and for other purposes. The Act finds that the Charter of the Organization of AmerVerDate Mar 15 2010 20:34 Jun 14, 2013 Jkt 029010 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\SR043.XXX SR043

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ican States (OAS) recognizes that representative democracy is indispensable for the stability, peace, and development of the Western Hemisphere; and a purpose of the OAS is to promote and consolidate representative democracy, with due respect for the principle of nonintervention. It also finds that the U.S. supports the 

purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the OAS, the 

Inter-American Democratic Charter, and the American Declaration 

of the Rights and Duties of Man. Finally, the Act finds that the 

U.S. supports the OAS in its efforts with all member states to meet 

its commitments under the instruments outlined above, and Congress supports the OAS as it operates in a manner consistent with 

the Inter-American Democratic Charter. 

The Act states that it is the policy of the U.S. to promote democracy and the rule of law throughout the Western Hemisphere, to 

promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms in 

the Western Hemisphere, and to support the practices, purposes, 

and principles expressed in the instruments noted in the Findings 

section. 

S. 793 states the sense of Congress on the importance of the 

OAS, key strengths of the OAS, and a desire to see the Summit of 

the Americas process formally and more effectively integrated into 

the work of the OAS, the Inter-American Development Bank, and 

other Members of the Joint Summit Working Group. The Act expresses a sense that the OAS should regularly review its core functions and seek opportunities to reduce the number of mandates not 

directly related to its core functions and that the OAS would benefit from effective implementation of transparent and merit-based 

human resource standards and processes and transparent hiring, 

firing, and promotion standards and processes. 

Finally, the Act requires the Secretary of State to submit a strategy to Congress that identifies a path toward the adoption of necessary reforms that prioritize and reinforce the OAS’s core competencies. It directs the Secretary of State to carry out diplomatic 

engagement to build support for reforms and budgetary burden 

sharing among OAS member states and observers. It also requires 

the Secretary of State to offer a quarterly briefing to Congress on 

assessed and voluntary contributions as well as OAS financial and 

management reforms. 

IV. COST ESTIMATE

In accordance with Rule XXVI, paragraph 11(a) of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, the committee provides this estimate of the 

costs of this legislation prepared by the Congressional Budget Office. 

UNITED STATES CONGRESS, 

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, 

Washington, DC, May 23, 2013. 

Hon. ROBERT MENENDEZ, 

Chairman, Committee on Foreign Relations, 

U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. 

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 793, the Organization of 

American States Revitalization and Reform Act of 2013. 


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If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased 

to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Sunita D’Monte. 

Sincerely, 

DOUGLAS W. ELMENDORF. Enclosure. 

S. 793, The Organization of American States Revitalization and Reform Act of 2013. 

S. 793 would require the Secretary of State to develop a 

multiyear strategy to bolster the Organization of American States 

(OAS) and improve the OAS’s processes for managing its budget 

and personnel. The bill would require the Secretary to provide 

quarterly briefings to the Congress on the progress of implementing that strategy. CBO estimates that implementing S. 793 

would have discretionary costs of less than $500,000 each year and 

total $1 million over the 2014-2018 period, assuming the availability of appropriated funds. Pay-as-you-go procedures do not 

apply to this legislation because it would not affect direct spending 

or revenues. 

S. 793 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates 

as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would not 

affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal governments. 

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Sunita D’Monte. The 

estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. 

V. EVALUATION OF REGULATORY IMPACT

Pursuant to Rule XXVI, paragraph 11(b) of the Standing Rules 

of the Senate, the committee has determined that there is no regulatory impact as a result of this legislation. 

VI. CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

In compliance with Rule XXVI, paragraph 12 of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, the committee has determined that there is no 

change to existing law made by the bill, as reported. 

Æ 


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