[Senate Report 111-205]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 426
111th Congress Report
SENATE
2d Session 111-205
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THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES REVITALIZATION AND REFORM ACT OF
2010
_______
June 10, 2010.--Ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Kerry, from the Committee on Foreign Relations,
submitted the following
REPORT
[To accompany S. 3087]
The Committee on Foreign Relations, having had under
consideration the bill (S. 3087), to support the revitalization
and reform of the Organization of American States, and for
other purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably
thereon with an amendment and recommends that the bill (as
amended) do pass.
CONTENTS
Page
I. Purpose..........................................................1
II. Committee Action.................................................1
III. Discussion.......................................................2
IV. Cost Estimate....................................................3
V. Evaluation of Regulatory Impact..................................4
VI. Changes in Existing Law..........................................4
I. Purpose
The purpose of S. 3087 is to support the revitalization and
reform of the Organization of American States.
II. Committee Action
S. 3087 was introduced by Senator Menendez on March 8,
2010. Senator Kerry is an original cosponsor, and Senator Lugar
is a cosponsor.
On April 27, 2010, the committee considered the bill with
an amendment in the nature of a substitute. The committee
ordered the bill to be reported favorably, with the amendment,
by voice vote.
III. Discussion
The Organization of American States Revitalization and
Reform Act of 2010 (the ``Act'') is intended to encourage the
Organization of the American States (OAS) to focus its mission
towards its natural areas of strength, and encourage the
organization to adopt and implement improved accounting
standards, put in place results-based budgeting processes, and
adhere to transparent and merit-based human resource policies.
It also seeks to help agencies within the U.S. Government to
better use the OAS as a forum to collaborate on areas of mutual
interest like energy, citizen security, economic development,
and trade. The bill affirms that the core strengths of the OAS
are programs to consolidate democracy, monitor elections, and
improve citizen security.
The committee agrees that it is in the best interests of
the United States to have a strong and capable multilateral
forum to help resolve disputes and build consensus around
democratic values and initiatives that benefit all the people
in the Western Hemisphere. The OAS is the only regional
institution that encompasses all the democracies in the Western
Hemisphere, and it provides a multilateral forum for the United
States to engage with Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada
on issues of mutual concern. It has strengthened peace and
security and promoted representative democracy and regional
dispute resolution. It has championed election monitoring,
contributed to economic development and served as a fair
steward of the Inter-American Human Rights System.
However, as OAS officials themselves acknowledge, there is
room for improvement. The long-term relevance and health of the
OAS depends on the strength of its underlying processes--the
transparency of its budget, the effectiveness of its personnel
selection process, and efficiency of its priority-setting
mechanisms. This bill focuses on strengthening the OAS from the
bottom up, with an eye toward strengthening its value as a
hemispheric forum for cooperation. This is in the interests of
the United States and in the interests of the entire
hemisphere.
The Organization of American States Revitalization and
Reform Act of 2010 provides that it is the policy of the United
States to:
(1) Promote democracy and the rule of law throughout the
Western Hemisphere;
(2) Promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms
in the Western Hemisphere; and
(3) Support the practices, purposes, and principles in the
Charter of the OAS, the American Declaration on the
Rights and Duties of Man, the Inter-American Democratic
Charter, and other fundamental instruments of
democracy.
Further, the Act articulates a Sense of Congress: That, the
OAS should be strengthened, be more transparent in their
budgeting, adopt and adhere to better budget monitoring, use
consistent mechanisms for setting OAS quotas and OAS
expenditures, reduce its number of mandates, and have more
transparent hiring practices.
The Act directs the Secretary of State to submit a
multiyear strategy to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the
Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives that outlines a recommended approach to the OAS
to encourage the adoption of International Public Sector
Accounting Standards, a results-based budgeting process in
order to strategically prioritize current and future mandates,
and transparent hiring practices. The Act also requires that
the strategy reflect the inputs and coordination from other
executive branch agencies, as appropriate. Further, the Act
directs the Secretary of State to: proactively inform executive
branch agencies about the role and importance of the OAS;
encourage increased use of the OAS as a forum through which to
publicize hemispheric initiatives; promote donor coordination
among OAS member states; and help set priorities for the OAS.
The Act also includes a provision added at Senator Lugar's
request and reflective of the committee's view regarding the
need for improved coordination between the OAS and the Inter-
American Development Bank on economic development programs.
IV. Cost Estimate
In accordance with rule XXVI, paragraph 11(a) of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the committee provides this
estimate of the costs of this legislation prepared by the
Congressional Budget Office.
United States Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, May 17, 2010.
Hon. John F. Kerry,
Chairman, Committee on Foreign Relations,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 3087, the
Organization of American States Revitalization and Reform Act
of 2010.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is John Chin.
Sincerely,
Douglas W. Elmendorf.
------
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate
May 26, 2010.
S. 3087
Organization of American States Revitalization
and Reform Act of 2010
AS ORDERED REPORTED BY THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS ON
APRIL 27, 2010
S. 3087 would direct the Department of State to coordinate
with appropriate federal agencies to develop a multiyear
strategy that outlines an approach to encouraging specified
reforms at the Organization of American States (OAS). Such
reforms include the adoption of International Public Sector
Accounting Standards, a results-based budgeting process, and
transparent hiring practices. The Secretary of State would be
required to submit its strategic plan to the Senate Committee
on Foreign Relations and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs
within 180 days of enactment of S. 3087. Within a year of the
submission of that plan, the Secretary of State would be
required to submit a report that analyzes the progress OAS has
made in adopting the specified reforms. CBO estimates that
preparing the strategy and progress report would cost less than
$500,000 over the 2011-2012 period, assuming availability of
appropriated funds.
Enacting S. 3087 would not affect direct spending or
revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures would not apply.
S. 3087 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and
would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal
governments.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is John Chin. This
estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant
Director for Budget Analysis.
V. Evaluation of Regulatory Impact
Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 11(b) of the Standing
Rules of the Senate, the committee has determined that there is
no regulatory impact as a result of this legislation.
VI. Changes in Existing Law
In compliance with rule XXVI, paragraph 12 of the Standing
Rules of the Senate, the committee has determined that there
are no changes in existing law made by the bill, as reported.