II 

Calendar No. 333 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1310 

To strengthen the participation of elected national legislators in the activities 

of the Organization of American States and reaffirm United States 

support for Organization of American States human rights and anticorruption initiatives, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 2, 2019 

Mr. CARDIN (for himself, Mr. WICKER, and Mr. KAINE) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

DECEMBER 17, 2019 

Reported by Mr. RISCH, with an amendment 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

A BILL 

To strengthen the participation of elected national legislators 

in the activities of the Organization of American States 

and reaffirm United States support for Organization of 

American States human rights and anti-corruption initiatives, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Organization of Amer3 ican States Legislative Engagement Act of 2019’’. 

4 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

5 Congress makes the following findings: 

6 (1) The Charter of the Organization of Amer7 ican States establishes that ‘‘representative democ8 racy is an indispensable condition for the stability, 

9 peace and development of the region’’. 

10 (2) Article 2 of the Inter-American Democratic 

11 Charter of the Organization of American States af12 firms that ‘‘the effective exercise of representative 

13 democracy is the basis for the rule of law and of the 

14 constitutional regimes of the member states of the 

15 Organization of American States’’. 

16 (3) Article 26 of the Inter-American Demo17 cratic Charter states that ‘‘the OAS will continue to 

18 carry out programs and activities designed to pro19 mote democratic principles and practices and 

20 strengthen a democratic culture in the Hemisphere’’. 

21 (4) In accordance with the OAS Charter and 

22 the Inter-American Democratic Charter, the OAS 

23 General Assembly, OAS Permanent Council, and 

24 OAS Secretariat have established a wide range of co25 operative agreements with domestic and interVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:22 Dec 18, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6401 E:\BILLS\S1310.RS S1310

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1 national organizations, including national legislative 

2 institutions. 

3 (5) In 2004, OAS General Assembly Resolution 

4 2044 (XXXIV–O/04) appealed for the ‘‘strength5 ening of legislatures, as well as inter-parliamentary 

6 cooperation on key items of the inter-American 

7 agenda, with a view, in particular, to generating ini8 tiatives to fight corruption, poverty, inequality, and 

9 social exclusion’’. 

10 (6) In 2005, OAS General Assembly Resolution 

11 2095 (XXXV–O/05) called on the OAS Secretariat 

12 to ‘‘invite [. . .] the presidents or speakers of the 

13 national legislative institutions of the Americas, i.e., 

14 congresses, parliaments, or national assemblies, 

15 [. . .] to attend a special meeting of the Permanent 

16 Council [. . .] for the initiation of a dialogue on top17 ics on the hemispheric agenda’’. 

18 (7) In 2014 and 2015, the OAS Secretariat ex19 panded its engagement with elected national legisla20 tors from OAS member states by convening two 

21 meetings of presidents of national legislatures, first 

22 in Lima, Peru and subsequently in Santiago, Chile. 

23 (8) However, no formal, permanent procedures 

24 exist to facilitate the participation of elected national 


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1 legislators from OAS member states in OAS activi2 ties. 

3 (9) The Organization for Security and Co-oper4 ation in Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly 

5 has proven successful at strengthening inter-par6 liamentary cooperation among its member states. 

7 SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

8 It is that sense of Congress that— 

9 (1) elected national legislators play an essential 

10 role in the exercise of representative democracy in 

11 the Americas, including— 

12 (A) promoting the rule of law and com13 bating corruption; 

14 (B) defending human rights and funda15 mental freedoms; and 

16 (C) advancing the principles and practices 

17 expressed in the Charter of the Organization of 

18 American States, the American Declaration on 

19 the Rights and Duties of Man, and the Inter20 American Democratic Charter; 

21 (2) establishing procedures and formal mecha22 nisms to facilitate and formalize the participation of 

23 elected national legislators from OAS member states 

24 in OAS activities would contribute to the promotion 


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1 of democratic principles and practices and strength2 en a democratic culture in the Western Hemisphere; 

3 (3) increasing and strengthening the participa4 tion of elected national legislators from OAS mem5 ber states in OAS activities would advance the prin6 ciples and proposals expressed in section 4 of the 

7 Organization of American States Revitalization and 

8 Reform Act of 2013 (Public Law 113–41; 127 Stat. 

9 549); 

10 (4) the OAS General Assembly, OAS Perma11 nent Council, and OAS Secretariat should take all 

12 necessary steps to ensure greater participation of 

13 elected national legislators from OAS member states 

14 in OAS activities; 

15 (5) the OAS Permanent Council resolutions ti16 tled ‘‘Guidelines for the Participation of Civil Society 

17 in OAS Activities’’ and ‘‘Strategies for Increasing 

18 and Strengthening Participation by Civil Society Or19 ganizations in OAS Activities’’ should serve as im20 portant references for efforts to bolster the partici21 pation of elected national legislators from OAS 

22 member states in OAS activities; and 

23 (6) the successful experience of the Organiza24 tion for Security and Co-operation in Europe ParVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:22 Dec 18, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6401 E:\BILLS\S1310.RS S1310

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1 liamentary Assembly should serve as a model to the 

2 OAS in creating a similar mechanism. 

3 SEC. 4. STRENGTHENING PARTICIPATION OF LEGISLATORS 

4 AT THE OAS. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State, acting 

6 through the United States Mission to the Organization of 

7 American States, shall take all necessary steps to establish 

8 formal procedures for the Organization of American 

9 States that— 

10 (1) increase the participation of elected national 

11 legislators from OAS member state countries in 

12 OAS activities, specifically including activities that 

13 advance the principles of the Inter-American Demo14 cratic Charter; 

15 (2) create an annual forum for the presidents 

16 of national legislatures from OAS member states to 

17 discuss issues of hemispheric importance, including 

18 regional efforts to combat corruption and defend 

19 human rights; 

20 (3) permit elected national legislators from 

21 OAS member states to make presentations, con22 tribute information, and provide expert advice, as 

23 appropriate, to the OAS Secretariat, OAS Perma24 nent Council, and OAS General Assembly; 


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1 (4) leads to the creation of a formalized body 

2 or mechanism to permanently facilitate the partici3 pation of national legislators in OAS activities; and 

4 (5) strengthen OAS Secretariat programs that 

5 provide technical assistance for the modernization 

6 and institutional consolidation of national legisla7 tures from OAS member states. 

8 (b) DIPLOMATIC ENGAGEMENT AND COORDINA9 TION.—The Secretary of State, as appropriate, shall carry 

10 out diplomatic engagement to secure political and financial 

11 support for the establishment of the procedures set forth 

12 in subsection (a). 

13 (c) PROGRESS REPORT.—Not later than one year 

14 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 

15 of State shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Rela16 tions of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

17 of the House of Representatives a report on OAS proc18 esses, initiatives, and reforms undertaken to implement 

19 this section. 

20 SEC. 5. SUPPORT FOR OAS HUMAN RIGHTS AND ANTI-COR21 RUPTION INITIATIVES. 

22 (a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con23 gress that— 

24 (1) the Organization of American States’ Inter25 American Commission on Human Rights is the preVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:22 Dec 18, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6401 E:\BILLS\S1310.RS S1310

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1 eminent institution for defending human rights in 

2 the Americas; 

3 (2) the United States should take all necessary 

4 steps to support and strengthen the role of the 

5 Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and 

6 its work in the Americas; 

7 (3) the efforts of the OAS Secretary General 

8 and Secretariat to combat corruption and impunity 

9 in the Americas represent important contributions to 

10 strengthening the rule of law and democratic govern11 ance in the Americas; and 

12 (4) the United States should support efforts to 

13 ensure the effectiveness and independence of OAS 

14 initiatives to combat corruption and impunity in the 

15 Americas. 

16 (b) ANTI-CORRUPTION AND HUMAN RIGHTS PRO17 MOTION STRATEGY.—Not later than 180 days after the 

18 date of the enactment of the Act, the Secretary of State 

19 shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 

20 Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 

21 House of Representatives a strategy for supporting OAS 

22 anti-corruption and human rights promotion efforts, in23 cluding— 

24 (1) an assessment of United States programs, 

25 activities, and initiatives with the OAS to support 


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1 anti-corruption and human rights promotion in the 

2 Americas; 

3 (2) a summary of steps taken by the United 

4 States Mission to the OAS to strengthen the role of 

5 the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, 

6 and to support anti-corruption and anti-impunity ef7 forts in the Americas; 

8 (3) an assessment of necessary reforms and ini9 tiatives to prioritize and reinforce the OAS Secretary 

10 General and Secretariat’s efforts to advance human 

11 rights and combat corruption and impunity in the 

12 Americas; 

13 (4) a detailed strategy to facilitate increased 

14 OAS collaboration, as appropriate, with relevant 

15 stakeholders, including legislators and civil society, 

16 in support of a multi-sectoral approach to anti-cor17 ruption, anti-impunity, and human rights promotion 

18 efforts in the Americas; and 

19 (5) a detailed plan for implementing the strat20 egy set forth in this section of the Act. 

21 (c) ANNUAL REPORT.—General.—Not later than one 

22 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annu23 ally thereafter, the Secretary of State shall submit to the 

24 Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the 

25 Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of RepresentaVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:22 Dec 18, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6401 E:\BILLS\S1310.RS S1310

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1 tives a report on actions taken to implement the strategy 

2 mandated under subsection (b). The report shall include— 

3 (1) an analysis of the progress made by the 

4 OAS to adopt and effectively implement reforms and 

5 initiatives to advance human rights and combat cor6 ruption and impunity in the Americas; and 

7 (2) a detailed assessment of OAS efforts to in8 crease multi-sectoral stakeholder engagement to ad9 vance human rights and combat corruption and im10 punity in the Americas. 

11 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

12 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Organization of Amer13 ican States Legislative Engagement Act of 2019’’. 

14 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

15 Congress makes the following findings: 

16 (1) The Charter of the Organization of American 

17 States establishes that ‘‘representative democracy is 

18 an indispensable condition for the stability, peace and 

19 development of the region’’. 

20 (2) Article 2 of the Inter-American Democratic 

21 Charter of the Organization of American States af22 firms that ‘‘the effective exercise of representative de23 mocracy is the basis for the rule of law and of the 

24 constitutional regimes of the member states of the Or25 ganization of American States’’. 


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1 (3) Article 26 of the Inter-American Democratic 

2 Charter states that ‘‘the OAS will continue to carry 

3 out programs and activities designed to promote 

4 democratic principles and practices and strengthen a 

5 democratic culture in the Hemisphere’’. 

6 (4) In accordance with the OAS Charter and the 

7 Inter-American Democratic Charter, the OAS General 

8 Assembly, OAS Permanent Council, and OAS Secre9 tariat have established a wide range of cooperative 

10 agreements with domestic and international organiza11 tions, including national legislative institutions. 

12 (5) In 2004, OAS General Assembly Resolution 

13 2044 (XXXIV–O/04) appealed for the ‘‘strengthening 

14 of legislatures, as well as inter-parliamentary co15 operation on key items of the inter-American agenda, 

16 with a view, in particular, to generating initiatives 

17 to fight corruption, poverty, inequality, and social ex18 clusion’’. 

19 (6) In 2005, OAS General Assembly Resolution 

20 2095 (XXXV–O/05) called on the OAS Secretariat to 

21 ‘‘invite [. . .] the presidents or speakers of the na22 tional legislative institutions of the Americas, i.e., 

23 congresses, parliaments, or national assemblies, [. . .] 

24 to attend a special meeting of the Permanent Council 


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1 [. . .] for the initiation of a dialogue on topics on the 

2 hemispheric agenda’’. 

3 (7) In 2014 and 2015, the OAS Secretariat ex4 panded its engagement with elected national legisla5 tors from OAS member states by convening two meet6 ings of presidents of national legislatures, first in 

7 Lima, Peru and subsequently in Santiago, Chile. 

8 (8) However, no permanent procedures exist to 

9 facilitate the participation of elected national legisla10 tors from OAS member states in OAS activities. 

11 (9) The Organization for Security and Co-oper12 ation in Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly 

13 has proven successful at strengthening inter-par14 liamentary cooperation among its member states. 

15 SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

16 It is that sense of Congress that— 

17 (1) elected national legislators play an essential 

18 role in the exercise of representative democracy in the 

19 Americas, including by— 

20 (A) promoting economic freedom and re21 spect for property rights; 

22 (B) promoting the rule of law and com23 bating corruption; 

24 (C) defending human rights and funda25 mental freedoms; and 


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1 (D) advancing the principles and practices 

2 expressed in the Charter of the Organization of 

3 American States, the American Declaration on 

4 the Rights and Duties of Man, and the Inter5 American Democratic Charter; 

6 (2) establishing procedures and mechanisms to 

7 facilitate the participation of elected national legisla8 tors from OAS member states in OAS activities would 

9 contribute to the promotion of democratic principles 

10 and practices and strengthen a democratic culture in 

11 the Western Hemisphere; 

12 (3) increasing and strengthening the participa13 tion of elected national legislators from OAS member 

14 states in OAS activities would advance the principles 

15 and proposals expressed in section 4 of the Organiza16 tion of American States Revitalization and Reform 

17 Act of 2013 (Public Law 113–41; 127 Stat. 549); 

18 (4) the OAS General Assembly, OAS Permanent 

19 Council, and OAS Secretariat should take steps to fa20 cilitate greater participation of elected national legis21 lators from OAS member states in OAS activities; 

22 (5) the OAS Permanent Council resolutions ti23 tled ‘‘Guidelines for the Participation of Civil Society 

24 in OAS Activities’’ and ‘‘Strategies for Increasing 

25 and Strengthening Participation by Civil Society OrVerDate Sep 11 2014 04:22 Dec 18, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00013 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\S1310.RS S1310

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1 ganizations in OAS Activities’’ should serve as im2 portant references for efforts to bolster the participa3 tion of elected national legislators from OAS member 

4 states in OAS activities; and 

5 (6) the successful experience of the Organization 

6 for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamen7 tary Assembly should serve as a model to the OAS in 

8 creating a similar mechanism. 

9 SEC. 4. STRENGTHENING PARTICIPATION OF ELECTED NA10 TIONAL LEGISLATORS AT THE OAS. 

11 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State, acting 

12 through the United States Mission to the Organization of 

13 American States, should use the voice and vote of the United 

14 States to support the creation of procedures for the Organi15 zation of American States that— 

16 (1) enhance the participation of elected national 

17 legislators from OAS member state countries in OAS 

18 activities that— 

19 (A) advance the principles of the Inter20 American Democratic Charter; 

21 (B) support the adoption and implementa22 tion of a results-based budgeting process for the 

23 OAS; 


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1 (C) support the adoption and effective im2 plementation of transparent and merit-based 

3 human resource standards at the OAS; 

4 (D) support the adoption and effective im5 plementation of practices to solicit member 

6 quotas to be paid on a schedule that will im7 prove consistency of the operating budget of the 

8 OAS; and 

9 (E) support the review, streamlining, and 

10 prioritization of OAS mandates to focus on core 

11 missions and make efficient and effective use of 

12 available funding; 

13 (2) create an annual forum for the presidents of 

14 national legislatures from OAS member states to dis15 cuss issues of hemispheric importance, including re16 gional efforts to defend human rights and combat 

17 transnational criminal activities, corruption, and im18 punity; 

19 (3) permit elected national legislators from OAS 

20 member states to make presentations, contribute infor21 mation, and provide expert advice, as appropriate, to 

22 the OAS Secretariat, OAS Permanent Council, and 

23 OAS General Assembly about OAS activities on issues 

24 of hemispheric importance; 


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1 (4) lead to the creation of a mechanism to regu2 larly facilitate the participation of elected national 

3 legislators in OAS activities; and 

4 (5) reinforce OAS Secretariat programs that 

5 provide technical assistance for the modernization 

6 and institutional strengthening of national legisla7 tures from OAS member states. 

8 (b) EXPENSES.—The Secretary of State, acting 

9 through the United States Mission to the Organization of 

10 American States, as appropriate, shall seek to ensure that 

11 expenses related to the procedures set forth in this Act do 

12 not increase member quotas or assessed fees. 

13 SEC. 5. SUPPORT FOR OAS HUMAN RIGHTS AND ANTI-COR14 RUPTION INITIATIVES. 

15 (a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Congress 

16 that— 

17 (1) the Organization of American States’ Inter18 American Commission on Human Rights is the pre19 eminent institution for defending human rights in the 

20 Americas; 

21 (2) the United States should take all necessary 

22 steps to support and strengthen the role of the Inter23 American Commission on Human Rights and its 

24 work in the Americas; 


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1 (3) the efforts of the OAS Secretary General and 

2 Secretariat to combat corruption and impunity in the 

3 Americas represent important contributions to 

4 strengthening the rule of law and democratic govern5 ance in the Americas; and 

6 (4) the United States should support efforts to 

7 ensure the effectiveness and independence of OAS ini8 tiatives to combat corruption and impunity in the 

9 Americas. 

10 (b) ANTI-CORRUPTION AND HUMAN RIGHTS PRO11 MOTION STRATEGY.—Not later than 180 days after the date 

12 of the enactment of the Act, the Secretary of State shall sub13 mit to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate 

14 and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Rep15 resentatives a strategy for supporting OAS anti-corruption 

16 and human rights promotion efforts. The strategy should 

17 include— 

18 (1) an assessment of United States programs, ac19 tivities, and initiatives with the OAS to support anti20 corruption and human rights promotion in the Amer21 icas; 

22 (2) a summary of steps taken by the United 

23 States Mission to the OAS to strengthen the role of the 

24 Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, and 


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1 to support anti-corruption and anti-impunity efforts 

2 in the Americas; 

3 (3) an assessment of necessary reforms and ini4 tiatives to prioritize and reinforce the OAS Secretary 

5 General and Secretariat’s efforts to advance human 

6 rights and combat corruption and impunity in the 

7 Americas; 

8 (4) a detailed plan to facilitate increased OAS 

9 collaboration, as appropriate, with relevant stake10 holders, including elected national legislators and 

11 civil society, in support of a multi-sectoral approach 

12 to promote human rights and combat transnational 

13 criminal activities, corruption, and impunity in the 

14 Americas; and 

15 (5) a detailed plan for implementing the strategy 

16 set forth in this section of the Act. 

17 SEC. 6. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. 

18 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the 

19 date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State 

20 shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 

21 Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 

22 of Representatives a report on OAS processes, initiatives, 

23 and reforms undertaken to implement section 4, actions 

24 taken to implement the strategy mandated under section 

25 5(b), and steps taken to implement the Organization of 


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1 American States Revitalization and Reform Act of 2013 

2 (Public Law 113–41). The report should include— 

3 (1) an analysis of the progress made by the OAS 

4 to adopt and effectively implement reforms and ini5 tiatives to advance human rights and combat corrup6 tion and impunity in the Americas; and 

7 (2) a detailed assessment of OAS efforts to in8 crease multi-sectoral stakeholder engagement to ad9 vance human rights and combat corruption and im10 punity in the Americas. 

11 (b) BRIEFINGS.—Not later than one year after the Sec12 retary of State submits the report required under subsection 

13 (a), and annually thereafter for two additional years, the 

14 Secretary shall provide to the Committee on Foreign Rela15 tions of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

16 of the House of Representatives a briefing on the informa17 tion required to be included in such report. 

18 SEC. 7. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON ELECTED NATIONAL LEG19 ISLATOR. 

20 It is the sense of Congress that an elected national leg21 islator participating in the activities outlined in this Act 

22 should be an individual that— 

23 (1) was elected as a result of periodic, free and 

24 fair elections; 


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1 (2) respects internationally recognized human 

2 rights and basic freedoms as set forth in the United 

3 Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the 

4 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 

5 the American Convention on Human Rights, and the 

6 principles of the Inter-American Democratic Charter; 

7 and 

8 (3) is not known to be under investigation or 

9 convicted for corruption or transnational criminal 

10 activities, including trafficking of people, goods, or il11 licit narcotics, money-laundering, terrorist financing, 

12 acts of terrorism, campaign finance violations, brib13 ery, or extortion. 


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Calendar No. 333 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1310 

A BILL 

To strengthen the participation of elected national 

other purposes. rights and anti-corruption initiatives, and for port for Organization of American States human American States and reaffirm United States suplegislators in the activities of the Organization of 

DECEMBER 17, 2019 

Reported with an amendment 


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