[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9663 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9663
To provide for United States participation in the Inter-Parliamentary
Union, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 21, 2022
Ms. Lee of California introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for United States participation in the Inter-Parliamentary
Union, 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 ``United States Inter-Parliamentary
Union Participation Act''.
SEC. 2. UNITED STATES PARTICIPATION IN THE INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), founded in 1889,
is the world organization of national parliaments comprising
179 parliaments (including all the major allies of the United
States) and working closely with the regional parliamentary
organizations on all continents.
(2) The core mission of the IPU is the promotion of
parliamentary democracy, the elaboration of standards and
criteria for democratic parliamentary practice, the protection
of human rights, international peace and security, the
political empowerment of women, sustainable international
development, and greater transparency and accountability at the
global level, which are in line with United States interests
and priorities.
(3) Congress was a founding member of the IPU, and played
an active and prominent role for many decades.
(4) The main concerns of Congress, including the scheduling
of main assembly and arrears, have been fully addressed by the
IPU.
(5) Through the activities of the IPU, the United States
can usefully promote its core values of freedom, democracy, and
human rights, and help build stronger parliaments around the
world.
(b) United States Participation in the Inter-Parliamentary Union.--
Notwithstanding section 2503 of the Foreign Affairs Reform and
Restructuring Act of 1998 (division G of Public Law 105-277; 22 U.S.C.
276 note)--
(1) the Secretary of State is authorized to--
(A) facilitate the readmission and participation of
the United States in the Inter-Parliamentary Union; and
(B) pay expenses to meet the annual obligations of
membership in the Inter-Parliamentary Union, in
accordance with the assessments determined by the
Governing Council; and
(2) the majority leader of the Senate, in consultation with
the minority leader of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House
of Representatives, in consultation with the minority leader of
the House of Representatives, are authorized to designate
Members of Congress to serve as delegates to the Assembly of
the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
(c) Expenses of Delegation.--Of amounts made available pursuant to
Public Law 100-202, as amended by subsection (d), up to $150,000 is
authorized to be appropriated in fiscal year 2022 and each fiscal year
thereafter to assist in meeting the expenses of the United States
delegation to the Inter-Parliamentary Union in accordance with this
Act.
(d) Permanent Appropriation.--Section 303 of Public Law 100-202 is
amended--
(1) by striking ``$620,000'' and inserting ``$1,500,000'';
and
(2) by inserting ``section 2(b) of the United States Inter-
Parliamentary Union Participation Act,'' after ``section 2(2)
of Public Law 84-689,''.
<all>