,,ii ,calendar ,no4 #ccc #aafth         
,,congress  #ast ,session  ,s4 #acaj    
,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united 
,,states  ,may #b1 #bjai,mr4 ,cardin    
7for himself1 ,mr4 ,wicker1 and ,mr4    
,kaine7 introduced the following bill2  
which was read twice and referred to the
 ,committee on ,foreign ,relations      
,december #ag1 #bjai,reported by ,mr4   
,risch1 with an amendment,strike out all
 after the enacting clause and insert   
the part printed in italic  ,a ,,bill   
,to strengthen the participation of     
elected national legislators in the     
activities of the ,organization of      
,american ,states and reaffirm ,united  
,states support for ,organization of    
,american ,states human rights and      
anti-corruption initiatives1 and for    
other purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this 
,act may be cited as the ,organization  
of ,american ,states ,legislative       
,engagement ,act of #bjai4  #b4         
,findings ,congress makes the following 
findings3 7#a7 ,the ,charter of the     

,organization of ,american ,states      
establishes that representative         
democracy is an indispensable condition 
for the stability1 peace and development
 of the region4  7#b7 ,article #b of the
 ,inter-,american ,democratic ,charter  
of the ,organization of ,american       
,states affirms that the effective      
exercise of representative democracy is 
the basis for the rule of law and of the
 constitutional regimes of the member   
states of the ,organization of ,american
 ,states4  7#c7 ,article #bf of the     
,inter-,american ,democratic ,charter   
states that the ,,oas will continue to  
carry out programs and activities       
designed to promote democratic          
principles and practices and strengthen 
a democratic culture in the ,hemisphere4
  7#d7 ,in accordance with the ,,oas    
,charter and the ,inter-,american       
,democratic ,charter1 the ,,oas ,general
 ,assembly1 ,,oas ,permanent ,council1  
and ,,oas ,secretariat have established 
a wide range of cooperative agreements  

with domestic and international         
organizations1 including national       
legislative institutions4  7#e7 ,in     
#bjjd1 ,,oas ,general ,assembly         
,resolution #bjdd 7,,xxxiv-,o_/#jd7     
appealed for the strengthening of       
legislatures1 as well as                
inter-parliamentary cooperation on key  
items of the inter-,american agenda1    
with a view1 in particular1 to          
generating initiatives to fight         
corruption1 poverty1 inequality1 and    
social exclusion4  7#f7 ,in #bjje1 ,,oas
 ,general ,assembly ,resolution #bjie   
7,,xxxv-,o_/#je7 called on the ,,oas    
,secretariat to invite ''' the          
presidents or speakers of the national  
legislative institutions of the         
,americas1 i4e41 congresses1            
parliaments1 or national assemblies1 '''
 to attend a special meeting of the     
,permanent ,council ''' for the         
initiation of a dialogue on topics on   
the hemispheric agenda4  7#g7 ,in #bjad 
and #bjae1 the ,,oas ,secretariat       

expanded its engagement with elected    
national legislators from ,,oas member  
states by convening two meetings of     
presidents of national legislatures1    
first in ,lima1 ,peru and subsequently  
in ,santiago1 ,chile4  7#h7 ,however1 no
 formal1 permanent procedures exist to  
facilitate the participation of elected 
national legislators from ,,oas member  
states in ,,oas activities4  7#i7 ,the  
,organization for ,security and         
,co-operation in ,europe 7,,osce7       
,parliamentary ,assembly has proven     
successful at strengthening             
inter-parliamentary cooperation among   
its member states4  #c4 ,sense of       
,congress ,it is that sense of ,congress
 that-- 7#a7 elected national           
legislators play an essential role in   
the exercise of representative democracy
 in the ,americas1 including--  7,a7    
promoting the rule of law and combating 
corruption2  7,b7 defending human rights
 and fundamental freedoms2 and  7,c7    
advancing the principles and practices  

expressed in the ,charter of the        
,organization of ,american ,states1 the 
,american ,declaration on the ,rights   
and ,duties of ,man1 and the            
,inter-,american ,democratic ,charter2  
7#b7 establishing procedures and formal 
mechanisms to facilitate and formalize  
the participation of elected national   
legislators from ,,oas member states in 
,,oas activities would contribute to the
 promotion of democratic principles and 
practices and strengthen a democratic   
culture in the ,western ,hemisphere2    
7#c7 increasing and strengthening the   
participation of elected national       
legislators from ,,oas member states in 
,,oas activities would advance the      
principles and proposals expressed in   
section #d of the ,organization of      
,american ,states ,revitalization and   
,reform ,act of #bjac 7,public ,law     
#aac-da2 #abg ,stat4 #edi72  7#d7 the   
,,oas ,general ,assembly1 ,,oas         
,permanent ,council1 and ,,oas          
,secretariat should take all necessary  

steps to ensure greater participation of
 elected national legislators from ,,oas
 member states in ,,oas activities2     
7#e7 the ,,oas ,permanent ,council      
resolutions titled ,guidelines for the  
,participation of ,civil ,society in    
,,oas ,activities and ,strategies for   
,increasing and ,strengthening          
,participation by ,civil ,society       
,organizations in ,,oas ,activities     
should serve as important references for
 efforts to bolster the participation of
 elected national legislators from ,,oas
 member states in ,,oas activities2 and 
7#f7 the successful experience of the   
,organization for ,security and         
,co-operation in ,europe ,parliamentary 
,assembly should serve as a model to the
 ,,oas in creating a similar mechanism4 
#d4 ,strengthening participation of     
legislators at the ,,oas  7a7 ,in       
general ,the ,secretary of ,state1      
acting through the ,united ,states      
,mission to the ,organization of        
,american ,states1 shall take all       

necessary steps to establish formal     
procedures for the ,organization of     
,american ,states that--  7#a7 increase 
the participation of elected national   
legislators from ,,oas member state     
countries in ,,oas activities1          
specifically including activities that  
advance the principles of the           
,inter-,american ,democratic ,charter2  
7#b7 create an annual forum for the     
presidents of national legislatures from
 ,,oas member states to discuss issues  
of hemispheric importance1 including    
regional efforts to combat corruption   
and defend human rights2  7#c7 permit   
elected national legislators from ,,oas 
member states to make presentations1    
contribute information1 and provide     
expert advice1 as appropriate1 to the   
,,oas ,secretariat1 ,,oas ,permanent    
,council1 and ,,oas ,general ,assembly2 
7#d7 leads to the creation of a         
formalized body or mechanism to         
permanently facilitate the participation
 of national legislators in ,,oas       

activities2 and  7#e7 strengthen ,,oas  
,secretariat programs that provide      
technical assistance for the            
modernization and institutional         
consolidation of national legislatures  
from ,,oas member states4  7b7          
,diplomatic engagement and coordination 
,the ,secretary of ,state1 as           
appropriate1 shall carry out diplomatic 
engagement to secure political and      
financial support for the establishment 
of the procedures set forth in          
subsection 7a74  7c7 ,progress report   
,not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this ,act1 the      
,secretary of ,state shall submit to the
 ,committee on ,foreign ,relations of   
the ,senate and the ,committee on       
,foreign ,affairs of the ,house of      
,representatives a report on ,,oas      
processes1 initiatives1 and reforms     
undertaken to implement this section4   
#e4 ,support for ,,oas human rights and 
anti-corruption initiatives  7a7 ,sense 
of ,congress ,it is the sense of        

,congress that-- 7#a7 the ,organization 
of ,american ,states' ,inter-,american  
,commission on ,human ,rights is the    
preeminent institution for defending    
human rights in the ,americas2  7#b7 the
 ,united ,states should take all        
necessary steps to support and          
strengthen the role of the              
,inter-,american ,commission on ,human  
,rights and its work in the ,americas2  
7#c7 the efforts of the ,,oas ,secretary
 ,general and ,secretariat to combat    
corruption and impunity in the ,americas
 represent important contributions to   
strengthening the rule of law and       
democratic governance in the ,americas2 
and  7#d7 the ,united ,states should    
support efforts to ensure the           
effectiveness and independence of ,,oas 
initiatives to combat corruption and    
impunity in the ,americas4  7b7         
,anti-,corruption and human rights      
promotion strategy ,not later than #ahj 
days after the date of the enactment of 
the ,act1 the ,secretary of ,state shall

 submit to the ,committee on ,foreign   
,relations of the ,senate and the       
,committee on ,foreign ,affairs of the  
,house of ,representatives a strategy   
for supporting ,,oas anti-corruption and
 human rights promotion efforts1        
including--  7#a7 an assessment of      
,united ,states programs1 activities1   
and initiatives with the ,,oas to       
support anti-corruption and human rights
 promotion in the ,americas2  7#b7 a    
summary of steps taken by the ,united   
,states ,mission to the ,,oas to        
strengthen the role of the              
,inter-,american ,commission on ,human  
,rights1 and to support anti-corruption 
and anti-impunity efforts in the        
,americas2  7#c7 an assessment of       
necessary reforms and initiatives to    
prioritize and reinforce the ,,oas      
,secretary ,general and ,secretariat's  
efforts to advance human rights and     
combat corruption and impunity in the   
,americas2  7#d7 a detailed strategy to 
facilitate increased ,,oas              

collaboration1 as appropriate1 with     
relevant stakeholders1 including        
legislators and civil society1 in       
support of a multi-sectoral approach to 
anti-corruption1 anti-impunity1 and     
human rights promotion efforts in the   
,americas2 and  7#e7 a detailed plan for
 implementing the strategy set forth in 
this section of the ,act4  7c7 ,annual  
report ,general4--,not later than one   
year after the date of the enactment of 
this ,act1 and annually thereafter1 the 
,secretary of ,state shall submit to the
 ,committee on ,foreign ,relations of   
the ,senate and the ,committee on       
,foreign ,affairs of the ,house of      
,representatives a report on actions    
taken to implement the strategy mandated
 under subsection 7b74 ,the report shall
 include--  7#a7 an analysis of the     
progress made by the ,,oas to adopt and 
effectively implement reforms and       
initiatives to advance human rights and 
combat corruption and impunity in the   
,americas2 and  7#b7 a detailed         

assessment of ,,oas efforts to increase 
multi-sectoral stakeholder engagement to
 advance human rights and combat        
corruption and impunity in the          
,americas4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act 
may be cited as the ,organization of    
,american ,states ,legislative          
,engagement ,act of #bjai4  #b4         
,findings ,congress makes the following 
findings3 7#a7 ,the ,charter of the     
,organization of ,american ,states      
establishes that representative         
democracy is an indispensable condition 
for the stability1 peace and development
 of the region4  7#b7 ,article #b of the
 ,inter-,american ,democratic ,charter  
of the ,organization of ,american       
,states affirms that the effective      
exercise of representative democracy is 
the basis for the rule of law and of the
 constitutional regimes of the member   
states of the ,organization of ,american
 ,states4  7#c7 ,article #bf of the     
,inter-,american ,democratic ,charter   
states that the ,,oas will continue to  

carry out programs and activities       
designed to promote democratic          
principles and practices and strengthen 
a democratic culture in the ,hemisphere4
  7#d7 ,in accordance with the ,,oas    
,charter and the ,inter-,american       
,democratic ,charter1 the ,,oas ,general
 ,assembly1 ,,oas ,permanent ,council1  
and ,,oas ,secretariat have established 
a wide range of cooperative agreements  
with domestic and international         
organizations1 including national       
legislative institutions4  7#e7 ,in     
#bjjd1 ,,oas ,general ,assembly         
,resolution #bjdd 7,,xxxiv-,o_/#jd7     
appealed for the strengthening of       
legislatures1 as well as                
inter-parliamentary cooperation on key  
items of the inter-,american agenda1    
with a view1 in particular1 to          
generating initiatives to fight         
corruption1 poverty1 inequality1 and    
social exclusion4  7#f7 ,in #bjje1 ,,oas
 ,general ,assembly ,resolution #bjie   
7,,xxxv-,o_/#je7 called on the ,,oas    

,secretariat to invite ''' the          
presidents or speakers of the national  
legislative institutions of the         
,americas1 i4e41 congresses1            
parliaments1 or national assemblies1 '''
 to attend a special meeting of the     
,permanent ,council ''' for the         
initiation of a dialogue on topics on   
the hemispheric agenda4  7#g7 ,in #bjad 
and #bjae1 the ,,oas ,secretariat       
expanded its engagement with elected    
national legislators from ,,oas member  
states by convening two meetings of     
presidents of national legislatures1    
first in ,lima1 ,peru and subsequently  
in ,santiago1 ,chile4  7#h7 ,however1 no
 permanent procedures exist to          
facilitate the participation of elected 
national legislators from ,,oas member  
states in ,,oas activities4  7#i7 ,the  
,organization for ,security and         
,co-operation in ,europe 7,,osce7       
,parliamentary ,assembly has proven     
successful at strengthening             
inter-parliamentary cooperation among   

its member states4  #c4 ,sense of       
,congress ,it is that sense of ,congress
 that-- 7#a7 elected national           
legislators play an essential role in   
the exercise of representative democracy
 in the ,americas1 including by--  7,a7 
promoting economic freedom and respect  
for property rights2  7,b7 promoting the
 rule of law and combating corruption2  
7,c7 defending human rights and         
fundamental freedoms2 and  7,d7         
advancing the principles and practices  
expressed in the ,charter of the        
,organization of ,american ,states1 the 
,american ,declaration on the ,rights   
and ,duties of ,man1 and the            
,inter-,american ,democratic ,charter2  
7#b7 establishing procedures and        
mechanisms to facilitate the            
participation of elected national       
legislators from ,,oas member states in 
,,oas activities would contribute to the
 promotion of democratic principles and 
practices and strengthen a democratic   
culture in the ,western ,hemisphere2    

7#c7 increasing and strengthening the   
participation of elected national       
legislators from ,,oas member states in 
,,oas activities would advance the      
principles and proposals expressed in   
section #d of the ,organization of      
,american ,states ,revitalization and   
,reform ,act of #bjac 7,public ,law     
#aac-da2 #abg ,stat4 #edi72  7#d7 the   
,,oas ,general ,assembly1 ,,oas         
,permanent ,council1 and ,,oas          
,secretariat should take steps to       
facilitate greater participation of     
elected national legislators from ,,oas 
member states in ,,oas activities2  7#e7
 the ,,oas ,permanent ,council          
resolutions titled ,guidelines for the  
,participation of ,civil ,society in    
,,oas ,activities and ,strategies for   
,increasing and ,strengthening          
,participation by ,civil ,society       
,organizations in ,,oas ,activities     
should serve as important references for
 efforts to bolster the participation of
 elected national legislators from ,,oas

 member states in ,,oas activities2 and 
7#f7 the successful experience of the   
,organization for ,security and         
,co-operation in ,europe ,parliamentary 
,assembly should serve as a model to the
 ,,oas in creating a similar mechanism4 
#d4 ,strengthening participation of     
elected national legislators at the     
,,oas  7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary  
of ,state1 acting through the ,united   
,states ,mission to the ,organization of
 ,american ,states1 should use the voice
 and vote of the ,united ,states to     
support the creation of procedures for  
the ,organization of ,american ,states  
that--  7#a7 enhance the participation  
of elected national legislators from    
,,oas member state countries in ,,oas   
activities that--  7,a7 advance the     
principles of the ,inter-,american      
,democratic ,charter2  7,b7 support the 
adoption and implementation of a        
results-based budgeting process for the 
,,oas2  7,c7 support the adoption and   
effective implementation of transparent 

and merit-based human resource standards
 at the ,,oas2  7,d7 support the        
adoption and effective implementation of
 practices to solicit member quotas to  
be paid on a schedule that will improve 
consistency of the operating budget of  
the ,,oas2 and  7,e7 support the review1
 streamlining1 and prioritization of    
,,oas mandates to focus on core missions
 and make efficient and effective use of
 available funding2  7#b7 create an     
annual forum for the presidents of      
national legislatures from ,,oas member 
states to discuss issues of hemispheric 
importance1 including regional efforts  
to defend human rights and combat       
transnational criminal activities1      
corruption1 and impunity2  7#c7 permit  
elected national legislators from ,,oas 
member states to make presentations1    
contribute information1 and provide     
expert advice1 as appropriate1 to the   
,,oas ,secretariat1 ,,oas ,permanent    
,council1 and ,,oas ,general ,assembly  
about ,,oas activities on issues of     

hemispheric importance2  7#d7 lead to   
the creation of a mechanism to regularly
 facilitate the participation of elected
 national legislators in ,,oas          
activities2 and  7#e7 reinforce ,,oas   
,secretariat programs that provide      
technical assistance for the            
modernization and institutional         
strengthening of national legislatures  
from ,,oas member states4  7b7 ,expenses
 ,the ,secretary of ,state1 acting      
through the ,united ,states ,mission to 
the ,organization of ,american ,states1 
as appropriate1 shall seek to ensure    
that expenses related to the procedures 
set forth in this ,act do not increase  
member quotas or assessed fees4  #e4    
,support for ,,oas human rights and     
anti-corruption initiatives  7a7 ,sense 
of ,congress ,it is the sense of        
,congress that-- 7#a7 the ,organization 
of ,american ,states' ,inter-,american  
,commission on ,human ,rights is the    
preeminent institution for defending    
human rights in the ,americas2  7#b7 the

 ,united ,states should take all        
necessary steps to support and          
strengthen the role of the              
,inter-,american ,commission on ,human  
,rights and its work in the ,americas2  
7#c7 the efforts of the ,,oas ,secretary
 ,general and ,secretariat to combat    
corruption and impunity in the ,americas
 represent important contributions to   
strengthening the rule of law and       
democratic governance in the ,americas2 
and  7#d7 the ,united ,states should    
support efforts to ensure the           
effectiveness and independence of ,,oas 
initiatives to combat corruption and    
impunity in the ,americas4  7b7         
,anti-corruption and human rights       
promotion strategy ,not later than #ahj 
days after the date of the enactment of 
the ,act1 the ,secretary of ,state shall
 submit to the ,committee on ,foreign   
,relations of the ,senate and the       
,committee on ,foreign ,affairs of the  
,house of ,representatives a strategy   
for supporting ,,oas anti-corruption and

 human rights promotion efforts4 ,the   
strategy should include--  7#a7 an      
assessment of ,united ,states programs1 
activities1 and initiatives with the    
,,oas to support anti-corruption and    
human rights promotion in the ,americas2
  7#b7 a summary of steps taken by the  
,united ,states ,mission to the ,,oas to
 strengthen the role of the             
,inter-,american ,commission on ,human  
,rights1 and to support anti-corruption 
and anti-impunity efforts in the        
,americas2  7#c7 an assessment of       
necessary reforms and initiatives to    
prioritize and reinforce the ,,oas      
,secretary ,general and ,secretariat's  
efforts to advance human rights and     
combat corruption and impunity in the   
,americas2  7#d7 a detailed plan to     
facilitate increased ,,oas              
collaboration1 as appropriate1 with     
relevant stakeholders1 including elected
 national legislators and civil society1
 in support of a multi-sectoral approach
 to promote human rights and combat     

transnational criminal activities1      
corruption1 and impunity in the         
,americas2 and  7#e7 a detailed plan for
 implementing the strategy set forth in 
this section of the ,act4  #f4          
,reporting requirements  7a7 ,in general
 ,not later than one year after the date
 of the enactment of this ,act1 the     
,secretary of ,state shall submit to the
 ,committee on ,foreign ,relations of   
the ,senate and the ,committee on       
,foreign ,affairs of the ,house of      
,representatives a report on ,,oas      
processes1 initiatives1 and reforms     
undertaken to implement section #d1     
actions taken to implement the strategy 
mandated under section #e7;b71 and steps
 taken to implement the ,organization of
 ,american ,states ,revitalization and  
,reform ,act of #bjac 7,public ,law     
#aac-da74 ,the report should include--  
7#a7 an analysis of the progress made by
 the ,,oas to adopt and effectively     
implement reforms and initiatives to    
advance human rights and combat         

corruption and impunity in the          
,americas2 and  7#b7 a detailed         
assessment of ,,oas efforts to increase 
multi-sectoral stakeholder engagement to
 advance human rights and combat        
corruption and impunity in the          
,americas4  7b7 ,briefings ,not later   
than one year after the ,secretary of   
,state submits the report required under
 subsection 7a71 and annually thereafter
 for two additional years1 the          
,secretary shall provide to the         
,committee on ,foreign ,relations of the
 ,senate and the ,committee on ,foreign 
,affairs of the ,house of               
,representatives a briefing on the      
information required to be included in  
such report4  #g4 ,sense of ,congress on
 elected national legislator ,it is the 
sense of ,congress that an elected      
national legislator participating in the
 activities outlined in this ,act should
 be an individual that--  7#a7 was      
elected as a result of periodic1 free   
and fair elections2  7#b7 respects      

internationally recognized human rights 
and basic freedoms as set forth in the  
,united ,nations ,universal ,declaration
 of ,human ,rights1 the ,international  
,covenant on ,civil and ,political      
,rights1 the ,american ,convention on   
,human ,rights1 and the principles of   
the ,inter-,american ,democratic        
,charter2 and  7#c7 is not known to be  
under investigation or convicted for    
corruption or transnational criminal    
activities1 including trafficking of    
people1 goods1 or illicit narcotics1    
money-laundering1 terrorist financing1  
acts of terrorism1 campaign finance     
violations1 bribery1 or extortion4      
,december #ag1 #bjai,reported with an   
amendment