January 2, 2013 (WASHINGTON) – This statement is delivered on behalf of the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network (MFAN) by Co-Chairs David Beckmann, George Ingram and Jim Kolbe:
We strongly applaud the House of Representatives for passing the Foreign Aid Transparency and Accountability Act (H.R. 3159). We commend the bill’s lead author Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX) and thank the 56 Members of the House from both parties who signed on to support the legislation. We are also grateful to lead Senate sponsors Senators Richard Lugar (R-IN), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and John Kerry (D-MA) for pursuing the legislation in the Senate.
In order for this bill to become law, the Senate must act before the end of the 112th Congress. We urge them to pass the bill immediately, and send it to the President for his signature.
This landmark bill would vastly enhance the openness, effectiveness, and accountability of U.S. taxpayer-funded development programs. The American people deserve to know how their tax dollars are being spent overseas and what they are achieving. We urge the Senate to act now.