Microenterprise Results and Accountability Act of 2004

Bill: 108-hr-3818
Sponsor: Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4]
Introduced: 2004-02-24 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Business education
Charities
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Commerce
Congress
Congress and foreign policy
Congressional reporting requirements
Cooperative societies
Credit
Credit unions
Crime and Law Enforcement
Crimes against women
Developing countries
Development credit institutions
Economic assistance
Economic development
Economics and Public Finance
Electronic government information
Entrepreneurs
Executive reorganization
Federally-guaranteed loans
Finance and Financial Sector
Financial services
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Foreign banks and banking
Foreign loans
Government Operations and Politics
Government publicity
Human rights
Loans
Nongovernmental organizations
Nonprofit organizations
Performance measurement
Poverty
Prostitution
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Public-private partnerships
Saving and investment
Science, Technology, Communications
Slavery
Small business
Social Welfare
Sustainable development
U.S. Agency for International Development
Victims of crimes
Women
Women in business

Summary:
action_date: 2004-02-24
text: 
Microenterprise Results and Accountability Act of 2004 - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to repeal existing microenterprise development grant authority and reestablish and revise it as a separate title, title VI - Microenterprise Development Assistance, which shall be administered by an Office of Microenterprise Development (established by this Act) within the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

action_date: 2004-04-02
text: 
Microenterprise Results and Accountability Act of 2004 - (Sec. 3) Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to repeal existing microenterprise development grant authority and reestablish and revise it as a separate title, title VI - Microenterprise Development Assistance.
 
Authorizes microenterprise development grant assistance in developing countries for: (1) expanding credit, savings, and other financial services; (2) training, technical assistance, and business development services; (3) capacity-building; and (4) policy and regulatory programs at the country level that improve the environment for microenterprise institutions serving the poor and very poor.
 
Establishes the Office of Microenterprise Development within the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which shall be responsible for approving and administering assistance under this title to eligible partner organizations.
 
Targets 50 percent of microenterprise assistance for very poor clients (individuals living in the bottom 50 percent below a country's poverty level). 
 
Directs the Office to establish an assistance monitoring system which shall provide for performance goals and indicators, and use of poverty assessment tools.
 
Directs USAID, by October 30, 2004, to develop and certify for use at least two poverty measurement methods for partner organization use, which shall be used by such organizations no later than October 1, 2005.
 
Authorizes FY 2005 and 2006 appropriations. States that amounts appropriated pursuant to such authorization: (1) may be referred to as the Microenterprise Development Assistance Account; (2) shall be allocated to the Office, and upon approval by the Director of the Office, may be reallocated to USAID field missions; and (3) are in addition to amounts otherwise available for such purposes.
 
(Sec. 4) Transfers to this title authority for the: (1) microenterprise and small enterprise development credit program; and (2) United States Microfinance Loan Facility.
 
(Sec. 6) Directs the Administrator to report annually on implementation of this title.
 
Defines specified terms.

action_date: 2004-11-20
text: 
Microenterprise Results and Accountability Act of 2004 - (Sec. 3) Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to repeal existing microenterprise development grant authority and reestablish and revise it as a separate title, title VI - Microenterprise Development Assistance.
 
Authorizes microenterprise development grant assistance in developing countries for: (1) expanding credit, savings, and other financial services; (2) training, technical assistance, and business development services; (3) capacity-building; and (4) policy and regulatory programs at the country level that improve the environment for microenterprise institutions serving the poor and very poor.
 
Establishes the Office of Microenterprise Development within the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), to be headed by a Director capable in both microenterprise development leadership and technical expertise. Requires assistance to emphasize the use of implementing partner organizations meeting high standards of efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability and that especially provide the greatest possible resources to the poor and very poor. Requires the Office, in order to ensure that grant assistance is distributed effectively and efficiently, to also seek to implement a program of central funding under which assistance is administered directly by the Office.
 
Targets 50 percent of microenterprise assistance for very poor clients (individuals living in the bottom 50 percent below a country's poverty level).
 
Requires the assistance monitoring system to meet certain performance standards.
 
Directs USAID, by April 1, 2005, to develop and certify for use at least two poverty measurement methods for partner organization use, which shall be used by such organizations no later than October 1, 2006.
 
(Sec. 4) Transfers to this title authority for the: (1) microenterprise and small enterprise development credit program; and (2) United States Microfinance Loan Facility.
 
(Sec. 6) Directs the Administrator to report annually on implementation of this title.
 
Defines specified terms.

action_date: 2004-12-08
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the House on November 20, 2004. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

 
Microenterprise Results and Accountability Act of 2004 - (Sec. 3) Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to repeal existing microenterprise development grant authority and reestablish and revise it as a separate title, title VI - Microenterprise Development Assistance.
 
Authorizes microenterprise development grant assistance in developing countries for: (1) expanding credit, savings, and other financial services; (2) training, technical assistance, and business development services; (3) capacity-building; and (4) policy and regulatory programs at the country level that improve the environment for microenterprise institutions serving the poor and very poor.
 
Establishes the Office of Microenterprise Development within the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), to be headed by a Director capable in both microenterprise development leadership and technical expertise. Requires assistance to emphasize the use of implementing partner organizations meeting high standards of efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability and that especially provide the greatest possible resources to the poor and very poor. Requires the Office, in order to ensure that grant assistance is distributed effectively and efficiently, to also seek to implement a program of central funding under which assistance is administered directly by the Office.
 
Targets 50 percent of microenterprise assistance for very poor clients (individuals living in the bottom 50 percent below a country's poverty level).
 
Requires the assistance monitoring system to meet certain performance standards.
 
Directs USAID, by April 1, 2005, to develop and certify for use at least two poverty measurement methods for partner organization use, which shall be used by such organizations no later than October 1, 2006.
 
(Sec. 4) Transfers to this title authority for the: (1) microenterprise and small enterprise development credit program; and (2) United States Microfinance Loan Facility.
 
(Sec. 6) Directs the Administrator to report annually on implementation of this title.
 
Defines specified terms.

action_date: 2004-12-23
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the House on November 20, 2004. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

 
Microenterprise Results and Accountability Act of 2004 - (Sec. 3) Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to repeal existing microenterprise development grant authority and reestablish and revise it as a separate title, title VI - Microenterprise Development Assistance.
 
Authorizes microenterprise development grant assistance in developing countries for: (1) expanding credit, savings, and other financial services; (2) training, technical assistance, and business development services; (3) capacity-building; and (4) policy and regulatory programs at the country level that improve the environment for microenterprise institutions serving the poor and very poor.
 
Establishes the Office of Microenterprise Development within the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), to be headed by a Director capable in both microenterprise development leadership and technical expertise. Requires assistance to emphasize the use of implementing partner organizations meeting high standards of efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability and that especially provide the greatest possible resources to the poor and very poor. Requires the Office, in order to ensure that grant assistance is distributed effectively and efficiently, to also seek to implement a program of central funding under which assistance is administered directly by the Office.
 
Targets 50 percent of microenterprise assistance for very poor clients (individuals living in the bottom 50 percent below a country's poverty level).
 
Requires the assistance monitoring system to meet certain performance standards.
 
Directs USAID, by April 1, 2005, to develop and certify for use at least two poverty measurement methods for partner organization use, which shall be used by such organizations no later than October 1, 2006.
 

 
(Sec. 4) Transfers to this title authority for the: (1) microenterprise and small enterprise development credit program; and (2) United States Microfinance Loan Facility.
 
(Sec. 6) Directs the Administrator to report annually on implementation of this title.
 
Defines specified terms.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-12-23
text: Became Public Law No: 108-484.
action_date: 2004-12-23
text: Became Public Law No: 108-484.
action_date: 2004-12-23
text: Signed by President.
action_date: 2004-12-23
text: Signed by President.
action_date: 2004-12-16
text: Presented to President.
action_date: 2004-12-16
text: Presented to President.
action_date: 2004-12-09
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2004-12-08
text: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S12018)
action_date: 2004-12-08
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S12018)
action_date: 2004-11-20
text: Received in the Senate, read twice.
action_date: 2004-11-20
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2004-11-20
text: On passage Passed without objection.
action_date: 2004-11-20
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed without objection.
action_date: 2004-11-20
text: Considered by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR H10211-10217; text of measure as reported in House: CR H10211-10214)
action_date: 2004-11-20
text: Mr. Smith (NJ) asked unanimous consent to discharge the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and consider.
action_date: 2004-04-02
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 262.
action_date: 2004-04-02
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on International Relations. H. Rept. 108-459.
action_date: 2004-04-02
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on International Relations. H. Rept. 108-459.
action_date: 2004-02-25
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2004-02-25
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2004-02-24
text: Referred to the House Committee on International Relations.
action_date: 2004-02-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2004-02-24
text: Introduced in House

Enacted as: number: 108-484