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[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1310 Engrossed in Senate (ES)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 1310

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

 
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.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Organization of American States 
Legislative Engagement Act of 2020''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) The Charter of the Organization of American States 
        establishes that ``representative democracy is an indispensable 
        condition for the stability, peace and development of the 
        region''.
            (2) Article 2 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter of 
        the Organization of American States affirms that ``the 
        effective exercise of representative democracy is the basis for 
        the rule of law and of the constitutional regimes of the member 
        states of the Organization of American States''.
            (3) Article 26 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter 
        states that ``the OAS will continue to carry out programs and 
        activities designed to promote democratic principles and 
        practices and strengthen a democratic culture in the 
        Hemisphere''.
            (4) In accordance with the OAS Charter and the Inter-
        American Democratic Charter, the OAS General Assembly, OAS 
        Permanent Council, and OAS Secretariat have established a wide 
        range of cooperative agreements with domestic and international 
        organizations, including national legislative institutions.
            (5) In 2004, OAS General Assembly Resolution 2044 (XXXIV-O/
        04) appealed for the ``strengthening of legislatures, as well 
        as inter-parliamentary cooperation on key items of the inter-
        American agenda, with a view, in particular, to generating 
        initiatives to fight corruption, poverty, inequality, and 
        social exclusion''.
            (6) In 2005, OAS General Assembly Resolution 2095 (XXXV-O/
        05) called on the OAS Secretariat to ``invite [. . .] the 
        presidents or speakers of the national legislative institutions 
        of the Americas, i.e., congresses, parliaments, or national 
        assemblies, [. . .] to attend a special meeting of the 
        Permanent Council [. . .] for the initiation of a dialogue on 
        topics on the hemispheric agenda''.
            (7) In 2014 and 2015, the OAS Secretariat expanded its 
        engagement with elected national legislators from OAS member 
        states by convening two meetings of presidents of national 
        legislatures, first in Lima, Peru and subsequently in Santiago, 
        Chile.
            (8) However, no permanent procedures exist to facilitate 
        the participation of elected national legislators from OAS 
        member states in OAS activities.
            (9) The Organization for Security and Co-operation in 
        Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly has proven successful at 
        strengthening inter-parliamentary cooperation among its member 
        states.

SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is that sense of Congress that--
            (1) elected national legislators play an essential role in 
        the exercise of representative democracy in the Americas, 
        including by--
                    (A) promoting economic freedom and respect for 
                property rights;
                    (B) promoting the rule of law and combating 
                corruption;
                    (C) defending human rights and fundamental 
                freedoms; and
                    (D) advancing the principles and practices 
                expressed in the Charter of the Organization of 
                American States, the American Declaration on the Rights 
                and Duties of Man, and the Inter-American Democratic 
                Charter;
            (2) establishing procedures and mechanisms to facilitate 
        the participation of elected national legislators from OAS 
        member states in OAS activities could contribute to the 
        promotion of democratic principles and practices and strengthen 
        a democratic culture in the Western Hemisphere;
            (3) increasing and strengthening the participation of 
        elected national legislators from OAS member states in OAS 
        activities could advance the principles and proposals expressed 
        in section 4 of the Organization of American States 
        Revitalization and Reform Act of 2013 (Public Law 113-41; 127 
        Stat. 549);
            (4) the OAS General Assembly, OAS Permanent Council, and 
        OAS Secretariat should take steps to facilitate greater 
        participation of elected national legislators from OAS member 
        states in OAS activities;
            (5) the OAS Permanent Council resolutions titled 
        ``Guidelines for the Participation of Civil Society in OAS 
        Activities'' and ``Strategies for Increasing and Strengthening 
        Participation by Civil Society Organizations in OAS 
        Activities'' should serve as important references for efforts 
        to bolster the participation of elected national legislators 
        from OAS member states in OAS activities; and
            (6) the successful experience of the Organization for 
        Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly 
        should serve as a model to the OAS in creating a similar 
        mechanism.

SEC. 4. STRENGTHENING PARTICIPATION OF ELECTED NATIONAL LEGISLATORS AT 
              THE OAS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of State, acting through the United 
States Mission to the Organization of American States, should use the 
voice and vote of the United States to support the creation of 
procedures for the Organization of American States that--
            (1) enhance the participation of democratically elected 
        national legislators from OAS member state countries in OAS 
        activities that advance the principles of the Inter-American 
        Democratic Charter and the core values of the OAS consistent 
        with the principles and proposals expressed in section 4 of the 
        Organization of American States Revitalization and Reform Act 
        of 2013 (Public Law 113-41; 127 Stat. 549);
            (2) create an annual forum for democratically elected 
        national legislatures from OAS member states to discuss issues 
        of hemispheric importance, including regional efforts to defend 
        human rights and combat transnational criminal activities, 
        corruption, and impunity;
            (3) permit elected national legislators from OAS member 
        states to make presentations, contribute information, and 
        provide expert advice, as appropriate, to the OAS Secretariat, 
        OAS Permanent Council, and OAS General Assembly about OAS 
        activities on issues of hemispheric importance;
            (4) lead to the creation of a mechanism to regularly 
        facilitate the participation of elected national legislators in 
        OAS activities; and
            (5) reinforce OAS Secretariat programs that provide 
        technical assistance for the modernization and institutional 
        strengthening of national legislatures from OAS member states.
    (b) Expenses.--The Secretary of State, acting through the United 
States Mission to the Organization of American States, as appropriate, 
shall seek to ensure that expenses related to the procedures set forth 
in this Act do not increase member quotas, assessed fees, or voluntary 
contributions and that the Secretariat of the OAS shall seek to ensure 
shared financial responsibilities among the member states in 
facilitating the financial support necessary to carry out this 
initiative.

SEC. 5. SUPPORT FOR OAS HUMAN RIGHTS AND ANTI-CORRUPTION INITIATIVES.

    (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) the efforts of the OAS Secretary General and 
        Secretariat to combat corruption and impunity in the Americas 
        represent important contributions to strengthening the rule of 
        law and democratic governance in the Americas; and
            (2) the United States should support efforts to ensure the 
        effectiveness and independence of OAS initiatives to combat 
        corruption and impunity in the Americas.
    (b) Anti-corruption and Human Rights Promotion Strategy.--Not later 
than 180 days after the date of the enactment of the Act, the Secretary 
of State shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
Representatives a strategy for supporting OAS anti-corruption and human 
rights promotion efforts. The strategy should include--
            (1) an assessment of United States programs, activities, 
        and initiatives with the OAS to support anti-corruption and 
        human rights promotion in the Americas;
            (2) a summary of the steps taken by the United States 
        Mission to the OAS to strengthen anti-corruption and anti-
        impunity efforts in the Americas;
            (3) an assessment of necessary reforms and initiatives to 
        prioritize and reinforce the OAS Secretary General and 
        Secretariat's efforts to advance human rights and combat 
        corruption and impunity in the Americas;
            (4) a detailed plan to facilitate increased OAS 
        collaboration, as appropriate, with relevant stakeholders, 
        including elected national legislators and civil society, in 
        support of an approach to promote human rights and combat 
        transnational criminal activities, corruption, and impunity in 
        the Americas; and
            (5) a detailed plan for implementing the strategy set forth 
        in this section of the Act.

SEC. 6. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the 
Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on 
Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on OAS 
processes, initiatives, and reforms undertaken to implement section 4, 
actions taken to implement the strategy required under section 5(b), 
and steps taken to implement the Organization of American States 
Revitalization and Reform Act of 2013 (Public Law 113-41). The report 
should include--
            (1) an analysis of the progress made by the OAS to adopt 
        and effectively implement reforms and initiatives to advance 
        human rights and combat corruption and impunity in the 
        Americas; and
            (2) a detailed assessment of OAS efforts to increase 
        stakeholder engagement to advance human rights and combat 
        corruption and impunity in the Americas.
    (b) Briefings.--Not later than one year after the Secretary of 
State submits the report required under subsection (a), and annually 
thereafter for two additional years, the Secretary shall provide to the 
Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on 
Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives a briefing on the 
information required to be included in such report.

SEC. 7. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON ELECTED NATIONAL LEGISLATOR.

    It is the sense of Congress that an elected national legislator 
participating in the activities outlined in this Act should be an 
individual that--
            (1) was elected as a result of periodic, free and fair 
        elections; and
            (2) is not known to be under investigation or convicted for 
        corruption or transnational criminal activities, including 
        trafficking of people, goods, or illicit narcotics, money-
        laundering, terrorist financing, acts of terrorism, campaign 
        finance violations, bribery, or extortion.

            Passed the Senate December 10, 2020.

            Attest:

                                                             Secretary.
116th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                S. 1310

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

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.
```