Array
(
[actionDate] => 2018-01-03
[displayText] => Reported by the Committee on Foreign Affairs. H. Rept. 115-484.
[externalActionCode] => 5000
[description] => Introduced
[chamberOfAction] => House
)
Passed House
Array
(
[actionDate] => 2018-01-17
[displayText] => Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H430-432)
[externalActionCode] => 8000
[description] => Passed House
[chamberOfAction] => House
)
Passed Senate
Array
(
[actionDate] => 2018-04-09
[displayText] => Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S2015)
[externalActionCode] => 17000
[description] => Passed Senate
[chamberOfAction] => Senate
)
To President
Array
(
[actionDate] => 2018-04-11
[displayText] => Presented to President.
[externalActionCode] => 28000
[description] => To President
[chamberOfAction] =>
)
Became Law
Array
(
[actionDate] => 2018-04-23
[displayText] => Became Public Law No: 115-167.
[externalActionCode] => 36000
[description] => Became Law
[chamberOfAction] =>
)
African Growth and Opportunity Act and Millennium Challenge Act Modernization Act or the AGOA and MCA Modernization Act
This bill directs the President to establish a website for the collection and dissemination of information regarding the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
The Department of State is urged to promote the use by eligible sub-Saharan African countries of the benefits available under the African Growth and Opportunity Act.
The President is urged to:
facilitate trans-boundary trade among eligible sub-Saharan African countries;
provide training for business and government trade officials on accessing AGOA benefits;
provide capacity building for African entrepreneurs and trade associations on production strategies, quality standards, and market development;
provide capacity building training to promote product diversification and value-added processing; and
provide capacity building and technical assistance funding to help African businesses and institutions comply with U.S. counter-terrorism policies.
The Millennium Challenge Act of 2003 is amended to permit an eligible country that has entered into a Millennium Challenge Compact to enter into one additional concurrent compact under specified conditions. Regarding a subsequent nonconcurrent compact, a country's eligibility shall be based on significantly improved performance across the criteria relevant to selection for the preceding compact.
The bill establishes, beginning with FY2013, new assistance criteria for a low-income or a lower middle income candidate country eligible to enter into a Millennium Challenge Compact with the United States.
The Millennium Challenge Corporation shall: (1) before selecting a compact country, provide the Board of Directors with information regarding the country's treatment of civil society; and (2) submit an assessment of the feasibility of developing partnerships at the sub-national level within candidate countries.