Assistance for Small and Medium Enterprises in Sub-Saharan African Countries Act of 2005

Bill: 109-hr-4319
Sponsor: Rep. Lantos, Tom [D-CA-12]
Introduced: 2005-11-15 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Accounting
Africa (Sub-Saharan)
Age discrimination
Agribusiness
Agricultural assistance
Agricultural conservation
Agricultural cooperatives
Agricultural surpluses
Agriculture and Food
Agriculture in foreign trade
American investments
Bank capital
Bank loans
Bank management
Biotechnology
Business education
Central banks and banking
Civics education
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Commemorations
Commerce
Computer literacy
Computer networks
Computer software
Congress
Congress and foreign policy
Congressional reporting requirements
Congressional tributes
Crime prevention
Curricula
Developing countries
Disabled
Discrimination
Discrimination against the disabled
Displaced persons
Economic assistance
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Employee rights
Entrepreneurs
Exports
Farmers
Foreign Trade and International Finance
Foreign banks and banking
Free enterprise
Government Operations and Politics
Government corporations
Government ethics
Government publicity
Government regulation
Government securities
Higher education
Housing and Community Development
Human rights
Imports
Information technology
Infrastructure
Infrastructure (Economics)
Intellectual property
International banking
Internet
Investment guaranty insurance
Job creation
Labor and Employment
Law
Marketing
Marketing of farm produce
Minorities
Overseas Private Investment Corporation
Privatization
Product counterfeiting
Prosecution
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Public corruption
Public-private partnerships
Quality control
Racial discrimination
Religion
Religious liberty
Restrictive trade practices
Risk
Rule of law
Rural economic development
Science, Technology, Communications
Sex discrimination
Small business
Student employment
Tax administration
Taxation
Technical assistance
Transportation and Public Works
Treaties
United Nations
Usury
War relief
White collar crime
Women
Youth employment

Summary:
action_date: 2005-11-15
text: 
Assistance for Small and Medium Enterprises in Sub-Saharan African Countries Act of 2005 - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) to provide technical assistance to small and medium enterprises in sub-Saharan African countries.
 
 Authorizes the President, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), to provide assistance to small and medium enterprises in such countries for: (1) financial sector improvement; (2) financial institution lending programs; (3) technology and information resources; (4) rural and peri-urban business development; (5) small business development in post-conflict states; (6) youth entrepreneurship programs; (7) intellectual property rights protection; and (8) anti-corruption initiatives.
 
Directs: (1) the U.S. Trade Representative to develop a comprehensive plan to expand agricultural trade between sub-Saharan African countries and the United States under the African Growth and Opportunity Act; (2) the Secretary of State to undertake actions to strengthen internationally recognized labor rights and standards in sub-Saharan African countries; (3) the Secretary of Labor to undertake activities to promote social dialog among business, government, labor, and nongovernmental organizations; (4) the Secretary of Health and Human Services, through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), to provide training and technical assistance to producers to ensure that their exports meet U.S. requirements; (5) the Secretary of Agriculture, through the Foreign Agriculture Service, to undertake activities to improve market access for U.S. agricultural products in sub-Saharan African countries; (6) the President, through USAID, to provide technical assistance to eligible sub-Saharan countries to meet African Growth and Opportunity Act eligibility requirements, and to provide such countries with transportation and communications infrastructure; and (7) the Administrator of the Small Business Administration to conduct trade training programs for U.S. small businesses which convey basic information on selling goods to foreign markets, including markets in sub-Saharan African countries. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-06-22
text: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote .
action_date: 2006-06-22
text: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2006-06-21
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights and International Operations.
action_date: 2005-11-15
text: Referred to the Committee on International Relations, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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: 2005-11-15
text: Referred to the Committee on International Relations, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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: 2005-11-15
text: Referred to the Committee on International Relations, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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: 2005-11-15
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2005-11-15
text: Introduced in House