Statement of Senator Richard G. Lugar (Ret.) on Senate passage of Foreign Aid Transparency and Accountability Act
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It is with great pleasure I note Senate approval of legislation establishing greater accountability of our nation’s foreign assistance programs through transparency, monitoring and evaluation. As the Senate sponsor of similar legislation in the 112th Congress, I am gratified to see the Senate’s bipartisan commitment to the legislation with its unanimous approval last evening.
As the former Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senator Foreign Relations Committee, I witnessed firsthand the impact of taxpayer dollars on improving the lives of people across the globe with important food, health, nutrition, and education programs. U.S. leadership in these areas enhances developing nations’ opportunities to join our country as trading partners and supports our own national security.
I commend the bill’s Senate sponsors and my former colleagues on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), on their commitments to transparency and aid effectiveness and their patient shepherding of the legislation through final passage by the full Senate. I also commend Congressmen Ted Poe (R-TX) and Gerry Connolly (D-VA), the House sponsors of the legislation, for their steadfast leadership on this important issue.
