[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1108 Introduced in House (IH)]
108th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1108
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to direct the United States
Executive Director at the Inter-American Development Bank to use the
voice, vote, and influence of the United States to urge the immediate
resumption of lending to Haiti.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 5, 2003
Ms. Waters (for herself, Mr. Conyers, Ms. Lee, Mr. Jackson of Illinois,
Mr. Owens, Ms. Corrine Brown of Florida, Mr. Rush, and Mr. Meek of
Florida) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Financial Services
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of the Treasury to direct the United States
Executive Director at the Inter-American Development Bank to use the
voice, vote, and influence of the United States to urge the immediate
resumption of lending to Haiti.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Access to Capital for Haiti's
Development Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds as follows:
(1) Haiti is being denied access to funding for development
projects from international financial institutions.
(2) The Inter-American Development Bank has approved
$145,900,000 in loans to Haiti, including $50,000,000 for rural
road development, $22,500,000 for reorganization of the health
sector, $54,000,000 for potable water and sanitation and
$19,400,000 million for basic education programs. However, the
Inter-American Development Bank has failed to disburse these
loans.
(3) Haiti could have access to an additional $317,000,000
in new Inter-American Development Bank loans for development
programs.
(4) Haiti could also have access to a $50,000,000 Inter-
American Development Bank loan for the investment sector.
(5) The Inter-American Development Bank is refusing to make
any loans to Haiti until Haiti pays the arrears on its existing
debts.
(6) Haiti cannot afford to pay the arrears on its existing
debts.
(7) Haiti has been denied the opportunity to participate in
the Enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative,
which provides debt relief to heavily indebted poor countries
like Haiti.
(8) Haiti is one of the most impoverished nations in the
Western Hemisphere.
(9) Haiti desperately needs debt relief and new financing
for development purposes.
SEC. 3. REQUIREMENT THAT UNITED STATES URGE THE INTER-AMERICAN
DEVELOPMENT BANK TO RESUME LENDING TO HAITI.
The Secretary of the Treasury shall direct the United States
Executive Director at the Inter-American Development Bank to use the
voice, vote, and influence of the United States to urge the Inter-
American Development Bank to--
(1) immediately resume lending to Haiti, and disburse all
loans to Haiti that have been approved by the Inter-American
Development Bank; and
(2) assist Haiti with the payment of its arrears, and
consider providing debt relief to Haiti.
<all>