[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1310 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]
S.1310
One Hundred Sixteenth Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE SECOND SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Friday,
the third day of January, two thousand and twenty
An Act
To strengthen the participation of elected national legislators in the
activities of the Organization of American States and reaffirm United
States support for Organization of American States human rights and
anti-corruption initiatives, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
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 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 (Public Law 113-41; 127 Stat. 549);
(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 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) In General.--The Secretary of State, acting through the United
States Mission to the Organization of American States, should use the
voice and vote of the United States to support the creation of
procedures for the Organization of American States that--
(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 (Public Law 113-41; 127 Stat. 549);
(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) Expenses.--The Secretary of State, acting through the United
States Mission to the Organization of American States, as appropriate,
shall seek to ensure that expenses related to the procedures set forth
in this Act do not increase member quotas, assessed fees, or voluntary
contributions and that the Secretariat of the OAS shall seek to ensure
shared financial responsibilities among the member states in
facilitating the financial support necessary to carry out this
initiative.
SEC. 5. SUPPORT FOR OAS HUMAN RIGHTS AND ANTI-CORRUPTION INITIATIVES.
(a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
(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) Anti-corruption and Human Rights Promotion Strategy.--Not later
than 180 days after the date of the enactment of the Act, 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 strategy for supporting OAS anti-corruption and human
rights promotion efforts. The strategy should include--
(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) In General.--Not later than one year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, 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 report on OAS
processes, initiatives, and reforms undertaken to implement section 4,
actions taken to implement the strategy required under section 5(b),
and steps taken to implement the Organization of American States
Revitalization and Reform Act of 2013 (Public Law 113-41). The report
should include--
(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) Briefings.--Not later than one year after the Secretary of
State submits the report required under subsection (a), and annually
thereafter for two additional years, the Secretary shall provide to the
Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on
Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives a briefing on the
information required to be included in such report.
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.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.