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[Senate Report 113-43]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

                                                        Calendar No. 87
113th Congress                                                   Report
                                 SENATE
 1st Session                                                     113-43

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 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

                                 REPORT

                         [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 American 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.
    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.

                                  
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