New Bipartisan Congressional Bill Promises Renewed Hope for U.S. Foreign Assistance...

New Bipartisan Congressional Bill Promises Renewed Hope for U.S. Foreign
Assistance and Global Poverty Reduction

WASHINGTON, April 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new foreign assistance
reform bill introduced today by Congressman Howard L. Berman (D-CA), Chairman
of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Congressman Mark Kirk (R-IL),
takes great strides toward breathing new life into a U.S. foreign assistance
system in need of strategy and purpose, said international agency Oxfam
America.

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"Congressman Berman has long sought to make reform of U.S. government global
development programs a priority," said Raymond C. Offenheiser, President of
Oxfam America. "Reform is necessary to restore America's leadership in
fighting global poverty. Both he and Congressman Kirk should be applauded for
identifying reform as one of America's top foreign policy challenges."

"With the right reforms, the U.S. foreign assistance system can help poor
people get the tools they need to lead their own development, spur economic
growth and create a more prosperous world for everyone. This bill is an
important first step to making sure the United States has the right tools to
fight global poverty."

The bill, the Initiating Foreign Assistance Reform Act of 2009, focuses on
three critical areas of foreign assistance reform: creating a U.S. national
strategy for global development, refocusing its monitoring and evaluation
approach, and increasing transparency on where assistance dollars are going.

"Creating a national strategy for global development will help coordinate our
disjointed U.S. foreign assistance system, establish poverty reduction as its
primary goal and provide developing countries and their citizens more
ownership over their own development agenda," said Offenheiser. "By taking the
time to listen to the poor people and countries we are trying to help, and by
giving them more control over their own futures, U.S. foreign assistance is
more likely to make a long-lasting impact."

Tracking funding and ensuring assistance dollars are getting to people in need
is one the biggest challenges facing U.S. foreign assistance programs said
Oxfam. There has been little chance to date that developing countries could
get critical information needed to plan effectively for their own development
projects. The portions of the bill focused on transparency promise U.S.
taxpayers and developing countries long-awaited clarity on how foreign
assistance dollars are being distributed.

"Greater transparency in U.S. foreign assistance programs is an important step
to creating true partnerships with developing countries and their citizens,"
said Offenheiser. "When developing countries get access to information they
need to effectively plan their own futures, they are empowered to work
alongside the U.S. as equal partners."

The monitoring and evaluation portion of the bill is a promising effort to
change an antiquated model of gauging success. For too long, the U.S. has
focused on counting things like how many individuals went through a one-off
agricultural training workshop rather than how much more food was produced
locally to meet the needs of a community.

"Washington needs to stop bean-counting when it comes to judging the success
of U.S. foreign assistance. We need to be looking at how many more girls are
getting an education because of U.S. foreign assistance, and how they lives
are improved, not just how many pencils are sharpened or textbooks are
bought."

"President Obama has already expressed a commitment to making our foreign
assistance dollars as effective as possible. Chairman Berman's 'down payment'
on foreign assistance reform helps us get there," said Offenheiser.

Oxfam America is an international relief and development organization that
creates lasting solutions to poverty, hunger, and injustice. Together with
individuals and local groups in more than 100 countries, Oxfam saves lives,
helps people overcome poverty, and fights for social justice. To join our
efforts or learn more, go to www.oxfamamerica.org.

SOURCE Oxfam America

Helen DaSilva of Oxfam America, +1-617-331-2984 (m),
hdasilva@oxfamamerica.org