Bicycles for Rural African Transport Act

To establish within the Office of Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment of the United States Agency for International Development a rural mobility program to promote mobility in rural communities through access to affordable, fit-for-purpose bicycles, to provide support to sustainably increase access to rural areas, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Bicycles for Rural African Transport Act 2. Rural mobility program in sub-Saharan Africa (a) Establishment (1) In general The Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (referred to in this section as USAID Program (2) Purpose The Program shall focus on country-driven projects within sub-Saharan Africa that— (A) promote rural communities’ access to critical services and opportunities, including education, health care, and livelihood opportunities, through access to affordable, fit-for-purpose bicycles; and (B) provide support to sustainably increase access to critical services, such as education, health care, and livelihood opportunities in rural areas, including through support for rural-based mechanics, access to spare parts, reduction of social and gender-based stigma, and community project management capacity. (3) Partnerships To the greatest extent practicable, the Program shall partner with existing entities outside the United States that have successful models for providing access to affordable bicycles to achieve development objectives. (4) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section— (A) $3,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2023 and 2024; (B) $6,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2025 and 2026; and (C) $12,000,000 for fiscal year 2027 and for each fiscal year thereafter. (b) Report (1) Prior projects Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of USAID shall submit a report to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate Committee on Appropriations of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives (A) describes the projects carried out by USAID that relate to any of the purposes described in subsection (a)(2); (B) identifies the countries in which USAID embedded rural bicycle mobility into strategies, programs, and projects of USAID and describes the mechanisms by which rural bicycle mobility was so embedded; (C) specifies the number of bicycles distributed through projects carried out by USAID; and (D) assesses the outcomes for, and impacts on, participants in such projects and the efforts of USAID to disseminate lessons learned from such projects. (2) Current projects Not later than December 30, 2024, and each December 30 thereafter, the Administrator of USAID shall submit a report to the congressional committees referred to in paragraph (1) that— (A) describes the projects carried out by USAID during the most recently concluded fiscal year; and (B) includes information relating to the matters described in subparagraphs (B) through (D) of paragraph (1).

Summary: Bicycles for Rural African Transport Act The bill requires the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to establish a program to provide bicycles in rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa.  The program must focus on providing bicycles to rural communities to promote access to education, health care, and livelihood opportunities.