SUBCHAPTER XXXII—ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES
§290q. Organization of American States revitalization and reform strategy
(a) Strategy
(1) In general
Not later than 180 days after October 2, 2013, the Secretary of State shall submit to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives a multiyear strategy that—
(A) identifies a path toward the adoption of necessary reforms that prioritize and reinforce the OAS's core competencies described in section 4(8);
(B) outlines an approach to secure from the OAS effective adoption of—
(i) a results-based budgeting process in order to strategically prioritize, and where appropriate, reduce current and future mandates; and
(ii) transparent hiring, firing, and promotion practices;
(C) reflects the inputs and coordination from other Executive Branch agencies, as appropriate; and
(D) identifies a path toward the adoption of necessary reforms that would—
(i) lead to an assessed fee structure in which no member state would pay more than 50 percent of the OAS's assessed yearly fees; and
(ii) seek to minimize the negative financial impact on the OAS and its operations.
(2) Policy priorities and coordination
The Secretary of State shall—
(A) carry out diplomatic engagement to build support for reforms and budgetary burden sharing among OAS member states and observers; and
(B) promote donor coordination among OAS member states.
(b) Briefings
The Secretary of State shall offer to the committees referred to in subsection (a)(1) a quarterly briefing that—
(1) reviews assessed and voluntary contributions;
(2) analyzes the progress made by the OAS to adopt and effectively implement a results-based budgeting process in order to strategically prioritize, and where appropriate, reduce current and future mandates;
(3) analyzes the progress made by the OAS to adopt and effectively implement transparent and merit-based human resource standards and practices and transparent hiring, firing, and promotion standards and processes, including with respect to factors such as gender and national origin;
(4) analyzes the progress made by the OAS to adopt and effectively implement a practice of soliciting member quotas to be paid on a schedule that will improve the consistency of its operating budget; and
(5) analyzes the progress made by the OAS to review, streamline, and prioritize mandates to focus on core missions and make efficient and effective use of available funding.
(
Editorial Notes
References in Text
Section 4(8), referred to in subsec. (a)(1)(A), is section 4(8) of
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Short Title
Organization of American States Legislative Engagement
"SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
"This Act may be cited as the 'Organization of American States Legislative Engagement Act of 2020'.
"SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
"Congress makes the following findings:
"(1) The Charter of the Organization of American States establishes that 'representative democracy is an indispensable condition for the stability, peace and development of the region'.
"(2) Article 2 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter of the Organization of American States affirms that 'the effective exercise of representative democracy is the basis for the rule of law and of the constitutional regimes of the member states of the Organization of American States'.
"(3) Article 26 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter states that 'the OAS will continue to carry out programs and activities designed to promote democratic principles and practices and strengthen a democratic culture in the Hemisphere'.
"(4) In accordance with the OAS Charter and the Inter-American Democratic Charter, the OAS General Assembly, OAS Permanent Council, and OAS Secretariat have established a wide range of cooperative agreements with domestic and international organizations, including national legislative institutions.
"(5) In 2004, OAS General Assembly Resolution 2044 (XXXIV–O/04) appealed for the 'strengthening of legislatures, as well as inter-parliamentary cooperation on key items of the inter-American agenda, with a view, in particular, to generating initiatives to fight corruption, poverty, inequality, and social exclusion'.
"(6) In 2005, OAS General Assembly Resolution 2095 (XXXV–O/05) called on the OAS Secretariat to 'invite [. . .] the presidents or speakers of the national legislative institutions of the Americas, i.e., congresses, parliaments, or national assemblies, [. . .] to attend a special meeting of the Permanent Council [. . .] for the initiation of a dialogue on topics on the hemispheric agenda'.
"(7) In 2014 and 2015, the OAS Secretariat expanded its engagement with elected national legislators from OAS member states by convening two meetings of presidents of national legislatures, first in Lima, Peru and subsequently in Santiago, Chile.
"(8) However, no permanent procedures exist to facilitate the participation of elected national legislators from OAS member states in OAS activities.
"(9) The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly has proven successful at strengthening inter-parliamentary cooperation among its member states.
"SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
"It is that sense of Congress that—
"(1) elected national legislators play an essential role in the exercise of representative democracy in the Americas, including by—
"(A) promoting economic freedom and respect for property rights;
"(B) promoting the rule of law and combating corruption;
"(C) defending human rights and fundamental freedoms; and
"(D) advancing the principles and practices expressed in the Charter of the Organization of American States, the American Declaration on [probably should be "of"] the Rights and Duties of Man, and the Inter-American Democratic Charter;
"(2) establishing procedures and mechanisms to facilitate the participation of elected national legislators from OAS member states in OAS activities could contribute to the promotion of democratic principles and practices and strengthen a democratic culture in the Western Hemisphere;
"(3) increasing and strengthening the participation of elected national legislators from OAS member states in OAS activities could advance the principles and proposals expressed in section 4 of the Organization of American States Revitalization and Reform Act of 2013 (
"(4) the OAS General Assembly, OAS Permanent Council, and OAS Secretariat should take steps to facilitate greater participation of elected national legislators from OAS member states in OAS activities;
"(5) the OAS Permanent Council resolutions titled 'Guidelines for the Participation of Civil Society [Organizations] in OAS Activities' and 'Strategies for Increasing and Strengthening Participation by Civil Society Organizations in OAS Activities' should serve as important references for efforts to bolster the participation of elected national legislators from OAS member states in OAS activities; and
"(6) the successful experience of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly should serve as a model to the OAS in creating a similar mechanism.
"SEC. 4. STRENGTHENING PARTICIPATION OF ELECTED NATIONAL LEGISLATORS AT THE OAS.
"(a)
"(1) enhance the participation of democratically elected national legislators from OAS member state countries in OAS activities that advance the principles of the Inter-American Democratic Charter and the core values of the OAS consistent with the principles and proposals expressed in section 4 of the Organization of American States Revitalization and Reform Act of 2013 (
"(2) create an annual forum for democratically elected national legislatures from OAS member states to discuss issues of hemispheric importance, including regional efforts to defend human rights and combat transnational criminal activities, corruption, and impunity;
"(3) permit elected national legislators from OAS member states to make presentations, contribute information, and provide expert advice, as appropriate, to the OAS Secretariat, OAS Permanent Council, and OAS General Assembly about OAS activities on issues of hemispheric importance;
"(4) lead to the creation of a mechanism to regularly facilitate the participation of elected national legislators in OAS activities; and
"(5) reinforce OAS Secretariat programs that provide technical assistance for the modernization and institutional strengthening of national legislatures from OAS member states.
"(b)
"SEC. 5. SUPPORT FOR OAS HUMAN RIGHTS AND ANTI-CORRUPTION INITIATIVES.
"(a)
"(1) the efforts of the OAS Secretary General and Secretariat to combat corruption and impunity in the Americas represent important contributions to strengthening the rule of law and democratic governance in the Americas; and
"(2) the United States should support efforts to ensure the effectiveness and independence of OAS initiatives to combat corruption and impunity in the Americas.
"(b)
"(1) an assessment of United States programs, activities, and initiatives with the OAS to support anti-corruption and human rights promotion in the Americas;
"(2) a summary of the steps taken by the United States Mission to the OAS to strengthen anti-corruption and anti-impunity efforts in the Americas;
"(3) an assessment of necessary reforms and initiatives to prioritize and reinforce the OAS Secretary General and Secretariat's efforts to advance human rights and combat corruption and impunity in the Americas;
"(4) a detailed plan to facilitate increased OAS collaboration, as appropriate, with relevant stakeholders, including elected national legislators and civil society, in support of an approach to promote human rights and combat transnational criminal activities, corruption, and impunity in the Americas; and
"(5) a detailed plan for implementing the strategy set forth in this section of the Act.
"SEC. 6. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
"(a)
"(1) an analysis of the progress made by the OAS to adopt and effectively implement reforms and initiatives to advance human rights and combat corruption and impunity in the Americas; and
"(2) a detailed assessment of OAS efforts to increase stakeholder engagement to advance human rights and combat corruption and impunity in the Americas.
"(b)
"SEC. 7. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON ELECTED NATIONAL LEGISLATOR.
"It is the sense of Congress that an elected national legislator participating in the activities outlined in this Act should be an individual that—
"(1) was elected as a result of periodic, free and fair elections; and
"(2) is not known to be under investigation or convicted for corruption or transnational criminal activities, including trafficking of people, goods, or illicit narcotics, money-laundering, terrorist financing, acts of terrorism, campaign finance violations, bribery, or extortion."
Findings
"(1) The Charter of the Organization of American States recognizes that—
"(A) representative democracy is indispensable for the stability, peace, and development of the Western Hemisphere; and
"(B) a purpose of the Organization of American States is to promote and consolidate representative democracy, with due respect for the principle of nonintervention.
"(2) The United States supports the purposes and principles enshrined in—
"(A) the Charter of the Organization of American States;
"(B) the Inter-American Democratic Charter; and
"(C) the American Declaration on the Rights and Duties of Man.
"(3) The United States supports the Organization of American States in its efforts with all member states to meet our commitments under the instruments set forth in paragraph (2).
"(4) Congress supports the Organization of American States as it operates in a manner consistent with the Inter-American Democratic Charter."
Statement of Policy
"(1) to promote democracy and the rule of law throughout the Western Hemisphere;
"(2) to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms in the Western Hemisphere; and
"(3) to support the practices, purposes, and principles expressed in the Charter of the Organization of American States, the American Declaration on the Rights and Duties of Man, the Inter-American Democratic Charter, and other fundamental instruments of democracy."