International Development Assistance Act

Summary

International Development Assistance Act - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to place needs for environment and natural resources among the primary objectives of foreign assistance and the focus of development assistance. Authorizes the President to make development assistance available on a grant basis to the least developed countries to the maximum extent consistent with United States development objectives. Directs the President to endeavor to secure the adoption by international development organizations of factors for assessing which countries will effectively utilize such assistance to help the poor. Authorizes the appropriation of $550,000,000 for fiscal year 1978 for food and nutrition assistance. Requests the President to commit $60,000,000 of such funds to India for construction of grain storage facilities. Authorizes the appropriation of $160,000,000 for fiscal year 1978 for population planning assistance. Requires development assistance to be administered with attention to the impact of such assistance on population growth. Authorizes the appropriation of $109,500,000 for health, disease prevention, and environmental sanitation assistance, with emphasis on the extension of health delivery systems. Authorizes the appropriation of $84,400,000 for fiscal year 1978 for education and human resources development assistance, of which not less than $1,647,000 shall be available for the support of southern African student programs and training programs. Authorizes the appropriation of $100,000,000 for fiscal year 1978 for technical assistance, energy research, reconstruction, and selected development programs. Amends the restrictions on the transfer of funds for operating expenses of foreign assistance. Amends the cost-sharing and funding limits on foreign assistance to exempt from such limits grant assistance to least developed countries based on the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development list. Requires that not less than $10,000,000 of funds utilized for development assistance be used for the development of cooperatives. Revises the criteria and procedures for determining whether or not a country is ineligible for assistance because of a consistent pattern of gross violations of human rights. Authorizes the President to furnish assistance for the long-term development of the Sahel. Authorizes the appropriation of $200,000,000 for such purposes, of which $50,000,000 shall be available for fiscal year 1978. Makes the transfer restrictions on development assistance applicable to Sahel development planning and implementation. Authorizes the President (1) to furnish assistance for cooperative unconventional energy technology programs and (2) to carry out studies of the energy needs, uses, and resources in developing countries. Authorizes the President (1) to furnish assistance for the protection of the environment and natural resources in developing countries, and (2) to commit up to $5,000,000 for fiscal year 1978 for such purposes. Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to prohibit the obligation of certain funds under such Act for activities not justified, or in excess of the amount justified, to Congress unless certain Congressional committees are notified in advance. Authorizes the appropriation of $20,000,000 for fiscal year 1978 for American schools and hospitals abroad, of which $800,000 shall be available solely for assistance for centers for pediatric, plastic, and reconstructive surgery established by Children's Medical Relief International. Revises conditions for the issuance of housing guarantees. Limits the face amount of outstanding guarantees for worldwide and Latin American housing and housing projects to $1,230,000,000 through fiscal year 1979. Extends the authority for agricultural and productive credit and self-help community development programs through September 30, 1978. Makes fees charged for guarantees under such housing and credit programs available to meet the costs of agricultural and productive credit and self- help community development programs. Extends through fiscal year 1978 the exemption of Israel, Lebanon, and Portugal from certain eligibility requirements for such guarantees. Increases the limitations for such guarantees to such countries to $75,000,000, $30,000,000 and $30,000,000 respectively. Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize the appropriation of $262,000,000 for fiscal year 1978 for assistance to international organizations and programs of which $42,500,000 shall be available for voluntary contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees. Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to grant permanent authority for appropriations for international disaster relief, except that availability of funds which have not been previously obligated shall not exceed $25,000,000. Authorizes the appropriation of $35,000,000 for fiscal year 1978 for relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction assistance to the victims of recent earthquakes in Italy. Requires the President to report to Congress the programming and obligation of such funds. Requests the President to use up to $10,000,000 of the funds for international disaster relief for relief, reconstruction, and rehabilitation assistance to the victims of relief earthquakes in Turkey. Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to repeal the exemption of retired federal civilian employees serving as experts or consultants with the agency for International Development from laws governing the simultaneous receipt of compensation and retirement benefits. Authorizes the President to use up to $2,000,000 of funds available under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to work with friendly countries in facilitating access to natural resources and to stimulate reimbursable aid programs. Authorizes the appropriation of (1) $220,200,000 for fiscal year 1978 for operating expenses for certain development assistance, and (2) such sums as may be necessary for associated employees salaries and benefits.

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2 official files

• Indefinitely postponed in Senate

  summary · EN · 15 June 1977

  Open at official source

• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 13 May 1977

  Open at official source

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