November 10, 2015 (WASHINGTON) – This statement is delivered on behalf of the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network (MFAN) by Co-Chairs George Ingram, Carolyn Miles, and Connie Veillette
Today the Senate Foreign Relations Committee unanimously endorsed the Foreign Aid Transparency and Accountability Act of 2015 (S. 2184), marking another victory for the bipartisan, bicameral legislation. This bill, recently introduced by Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Ben Cardin (D-MD), would codify important reforms to ensure that U.S. agencies involved in foreign assistance are focused on rigorous and consistent monitoring and evaluation of programs and on making comprehensive, timely, and comparable aid data publicly available.
MFAN thanks Chairman Bob Corker (R-TN) and Ranking Member Ben Cardin (D-MD) for moving swiftly to take action on this legislation, and the bill sponsors for their continued leadership on efforts to make foreign assistance more transparent and accountable. This bipartisan legislation would help the U.S. government better track, measure, and allocate limited aid resources.
This swift action in the House and Senate underscores the broad bipartisan support for aid effectiveness and the need to act now to ensure our assistance programs have the greatest, most lasting impact. We urge both chambers to maintain the momentum to pass this important legislation by the full House and Senate.