Haiti Reforestation Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1023
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
Introduced: 2011-05-18 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Caribbean area
Congressional oversight
Foreign aid and international relief
Foreign loans and debt
Forests, forestry, trees
Haiti
Latin America
Watersheds

Summary:
action_date: 2011-05-18
text: 
Haiti Reforestation Act of 2011 - Authorizes the President to: (1) offer to enter into agreements with the government of Haiti to provide financial assistance, technology transfers, or capacity building assistance to reduce deforestation and increase reforestation in Haiti; and (2) establish a grant program to carry out such activities. 
 
Amends the the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to: (1) direct the President to invite the government of Haiti to submit a list of areas in which tropical forests are seriously degraded or threatened, and (2) authorize the President to make grants to nongovernmental organizations to purchase discounted commercial debt of the government of Haiti in exchange for government commitments to restore identified forests or to develop plans for their sustainable use.

action_date: 2012-05-15
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

 
Haiti Reforestation Act of 2011 - 
Title I: Forestation and Watershed Management Assistance to Government of Haiti 
- (Sec.101) Authorizes the President to provide the government of Haiti with financial assistance, technology transfers, or capacity building assistance to reduce deforestation and increase reforestation in Haiti.
 
Includes among eligible activities fire reduction, forest monitoring, market-based reforestation, and watershed restoration. 
 
Directs the President, if assistance is provided and in cooperation with the government of Haiti, to develop performance metrics to verify: (1) the conduct of policies and initiatives to be carried out by the government of Haiti, and (2) their impact on tropical forests and on local communities. 
 
Authorizes the President to provide financial and other assistance to the government of Haiti, local government bodies, or nongovernmental organizations to: (1) inform local communities about policies and initiatives to be carried out by the government of Haiti; (2) promote local participation in the design, implementation, and independent monitoring of policies and initiatives; and (3) promote enhanced watershed governance, national planning, and community action programs.
 
 
Title II: Grants for Reforestation
 - (Sec. 201) Authorizes the President to establish a grant program to carry out the purposes of this Act, including reversing deforestation and improving reforestation and afforestation in Haiti. 
 
Includes among eligible activities: (1) providing financial incentives to protect trees, (2) promoting sustainable income-generating growth, (3) promoting improved cooking stove technologies, and (4) securing local community involvement in protecting existing forests and carrying out afforestation and reforestation activities. 
 
(Sec. 202) Amends the the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to: (1) direct the President to invite the government of Haiti to submit a list of areas in which tropical forests are seriously degraded or threatened, and (2) authorize the President to make grants to nongovernmental organizations to purchase discounted commercial debt of the government of Haiti in exchange for government commitments to restore identified forests or to develop plans for their sustainable use.
 

Title III: Administration Provision
 - (Sec. 301) Authorizes the President, or the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) or the Secretary of State as the President's delegee, to draw on the expertise of the United States Forest Service in designing and implementing programs pursuant to this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-05-15
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 399.
action_date: 2012-05-15
text: Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Kerry without amendment. With written report No. 112-165.
action_date: 2012-05-15
text: Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Kerry without amendment. With written report No. 112-165.
action_date: 2012-02-14
text: Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
action_date: 2011-05-18
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3110-3112)
action_date: 2011-05-18
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3163)
action_date: 2011-05-18
text: Introduced in Senate