Social Investment and Economic Development Fund for the Americas Act of 2003

Bill: 108-hr-3447
Sponsor: Rep. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ-13]
Introduced: 2003-11-05 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Advice and consent of the Senate
Africans
Caribbean area
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Commerce
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Democracy
Development credit institutions
Disabled
Discrimination against the disabled
Economic assistance
Economic development
Economic growth
Economic integration
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Elementary and secondary education
Environmental Protection
Executive reorganization
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Government Operations and Politics
Health
Housing and Community Development
Indigenous peoples
Latin America
Law
Minorities
Poverty
Presidential appointments
Preventive medicine
Productivity in government
Public-private partnerships
Quality of life
Racial discrimination
Rule of law
Sex discrimination
Small business
Social Welfare
U.S. Agency for International Development
Western Hemisphere
Women

Summary:
action_date: 2003-11-05
text: 
Social Investment and Economic Development Fund for the Americas Act of 2003 - Sets forth the policy of the United States to: (1) promote market-based principles, economic integration, social development, and trade in and between countries of the Americas; and (2) establish an investment fund for the Western Hemisphere to advance the national interests of the United States, improve the lives of the poor and marginalized, encourage broad-based economic growth while protecting the environment, build human capital and knowledge, support meaningful participation in democratic institutions and processes, and promote peace and justice in the Americas.
 
Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to require the President to provide assistance to reduce poverty and foster increased economic opportunity in the countries of the Western Hemisphere by: (1) nurturing public-private partnerships and microenterprise development; (2) improving the quality of life and investing in human capital; (3) strengthening the rule of law through improved efficiency and transparency in government services; and (4) reducing poverty and eliminating the exclusion of marginalized populations. Establishes a technical review committee to review the projects proposed for assistance and to make recommendations to the President with respect to the guidelines to be used in evaluating project proposals and the suitability of the proposed projects for funding.
 
Amends the Inter-American Development Bank Act to require the Secretary of the Treasury to instruct the U.S. Executive Director at the Bank to urge the Bank to establish an account to be operated and administered consistent with the above guidelines. Establishes a technical review committee in the same manner as discussed above.
 
Expresses the sense of Congress that the countries of the Western Hemisphere should collectively provide assistance equal to the amount of U.S. bilateral and multilateral assistance provided.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-05-04
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere.
action_date: 2003-11-15
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Chairman.
action_date: 2003-11-05
text: Referred to the Committee on International Relations, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-11-05
text: Referred to the Committee on International Relations, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-11-05
text: Referred to the Committee on International Relations, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-11-05
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-11-05
text: Introduced in House