S. 1310 

One Hundred Sixteenth Congress 

of the 

United States of America 

AT THE SECOND SESSION 

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Friday, 

the third day of January, two thousand and twenty 

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 InterAmerican 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’’. 
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(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, 
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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; 
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(2) a summary of the steps taken by the United States 

Mission to the OAS to strengthen anti-corruption and antiimpunity 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 
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(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. 

Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.