It’s a good moment at both the policy and the political level, and the kind of commitment to transparency that should make friends on the Hill and in the development community.
MCC’s First Five
By: Staff Person
October 24, 2012
October 24, 2012
MFAN Statement: Chabot-Isakson Bill Highlights Critical Role of Private Sector in Effective Development
By: Staff Person
August 2, 2012
August 2, 2012
MFAN applauds Representative Steve Chabot (R-OH) for introducing H.R. 6178, which calls for the U.S. government to establish a more effective working relationship with private sector companies that are making critical investments in alleviating poverty, fighting disease and bolstering economic growth in developing countries. The bill already has bipartisan cosponsors in the House and companion Senate legislation (S.3495), introduced by Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA), has gained support from members of both parties as well.
MFAN Statement: Senate Budget Bill Strong on Foreign Assistance and Reform
By: Staff Person
May 30, 2012
May 30, 2012
The Senate Appropriations Committee approved a strong FY13 State and Foreign Operations budget to support U.S. leadership in the fight against global poverty and disease. Acknowledging the challenging fiscal climate, we urge Congress to adopt the Senate bill and advance it to President Obama to sign into law.
New CAP-CGD Report on Reorienting the International Affairs Budget
By: Staff Person
May 24, 2012
May 24, 2012
To create the report, Veillette and Norris put together a working group of 15 bipartisan individuals who provided input on ways to frame and approach the topic. The goal was to provide a framework to accommodate cuts to the International Affairs budget—frequently referred to as the 150 account—while maintaining U.S. global leadership in the field.
MFAN Principals Weigh in on Transparency with New Blog Series
By: Staff Person
May 2, 2012
May 2, 2012
This week we’re kicking off a new blog series—the first connected to information on our microsite—that takes a critical eye to the specific agency efforts designed to make our foreign assistance more transparent and effective and attempts to assess the pace of progress in key areas of reform.
Secretary Clinton Defends FY’13 Budget Request to Congress
By: Staff Person
March 1, 2012
March 1, 2012
This week, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made two appearances on Capitol Hill, testifying before four committees, on the administration’s FY 2013 budget request for the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Clinton appeared before the Senate State/Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the House State/Foreign Operations … Continue reading Secretary Clinton Defends FY’13 Budget Request to Congress
The end of poverty: Is America in it to win it?
By: Staff Person
February 27, 2012
February 27, 2012
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the Secretary makes the ritual annual trip to Capitol Hill, to testify before keyCongressional Committees about next year’s foreign affairs budget request. The Secretary has long been a champion of robust, effective global development programs. But with the economy still weak, and the deficit still big, the Secretary is going to need to make her strongest possible case if she is going to be able to avoid cuts to US diplomatic and development efforts.
What should we expect from the President’s 2013 assistance budget?
By: Staff Person
February 9, 2012
February 9, 2012
Although the 2012 international affairs budget dodged the proverbial bullet, and the president’s 2013 budget request will likely be reasonably robust, this is all something of a mirage. The administration appears eager to keep its powder dry in advance of what will eventually be a high stakes showdown over sequestration at the end of the year, after considerable election-year dust has settled.
MFAN Statement: Congress Avoids Catastrophic Aid Cuts, Advances Reform in FY12 Budget
By: Staff Person
December 19, 2011
December 19, 2011
We are pleased that Congress avoided making catastrophic cuts to foreign assistance in the Fiscal Year 2012 State-Foreign Operations Appropriations bill. We appreciate the efforts of the policymakers who fought to protect these critical programs, and we commend them for using the bill to advance some key foreign assistance reform priorities that will lead to better results for U.S. taxpayers and people in developing countries.
Congressman Ted Poe Talks about New Bill at Oxfam Event
By: Staff Person
December 16, 2011
December 16, 2011
Earlier this week, Congressman Ted Poe (R-TX-2) addressed members of the development community about the need for accountability and transparency in U.S. foreign assistance. His speech was part of an event hosted by MFAN partner Oxfam America titled “Be Bold! Risk and Reward in U.S. Foreign Assistance.” Poe spoke about his new bill, The Foreign Aid Transparency and Accountability Act, which currently has 45 bipartisan cosponsors and how he envisions the legislation will help to advance reform and build broad support for providing foreign assistance.