I was shocked to learn that the U.S. foreign aid system hasn't been reformed since the 1960's and is still based on Cold War thinking. The United States is a very generous country but our system for delivering aid is outdated and not as efficient as it could be. For example, U.S. global development policies and programs are scattered across 12 departments, 25 different agencies, and nearly 60 government offices. Our aid needs to be refocused and streamlined so that we can continue to help some of the world's poorest people.
On April 28, a bi-partisan bill (H.R. 2139) was introduced called the “Initiating Foreign Assistance Reform Act of 2009.” This bill directs the president to develop and implement a comprehensive national strategy to promote global development. The bill is intended to be a precursor to a broader reform effort later this year, which will include re-writing and updating the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.
The "Initiating Foreign Assistance Reform Act of 2009":
Requires the president to develop and implement a comprehensive National Strategy for Global Development.
Requires the president to develop and implement a rigorous system to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of U.S. foreign assistance.
Requires that both American taxpayers and recipients of U.S. foreign assistance have full access to information on U.S. foreign assistance.
Urge Congress to reform foreign aid here. This is a great chance to affect policy change and it only takes 2 minutes! Go on...
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