U.S. Congress
The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is Bicameralism, bicameral, composed of a lower body, the United States House of Representatives, House of Representatives, and an upper body, ...
co-sponsored by 84 Representatives and 30 Senators.
The Global Poverty Act would have required the
U.S. President
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...
to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to further the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
foreign policy
A State (polity), state's foreign policy or external policy (as opposed to internal or domestic policy) is its objectives and activities in relation to its interactions with other states, unions, and other political entities, whether bilaterall ...
objective of promoting the reduction of
global poverty
Poverty is the state of having few material possessions or little
, the elimination of extreme global poverty, and the achievement of the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
Millennium Development Goal
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were eight international development goals for the year 2015 that had been established following the Millennium Summit of the United Nations in 2000, following the adoption of the United Nations Millenniu ...
of reducing by one-half the proportion of people worldwide, between 1990 and 2015, who live on less than $1 per day. This would require the United States to add 0.7 percent of the U.S. gross national product (23 billion to 98 billion a year) to its overall spending on Humanitarian Aid. This bill has been endorsed by
Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI), generally referred to as Habitat for Humanity or Habitat, is a US non-governmental, and nonprofit organization which was founded in 1976 by couple Millard and Linda Fuller. Habitat for Humanity is a Ch ...
,
Bread for the World
Bread for the World is a non-partisan, Christian advocacy organization based in the United States that advocates for policy changes to end hunger. Bread for the World provides resources to help individuals advocate to end hunger, which might inc ...
, RESULTS and CARE.
The bill passed the Foreign Affairs Committee in July 2008. It was never scheduled for a vote on the Senate floor, however, and died at the end of the session.
Timeline
*March 1, 2007: Introduced in the
U.S. House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
by Congressman
Adam Smith
Adam Smith (baptized 1723 – 17 July 1790) was a Scottish economist and philosopher who was a pioneer in the thinking of political economy and key figure during the Scottish Enlightenment. Seen by some as "The Father of Economics"——— ...
(D-WA).
*Jul 31, 2007: Scheduled for debate in the House.
*September 25, 2007: Passed in the House of Representatives by voice vote.
*September 26, 2007: Received in the Senate and read twice; referred to the
Committee on Foreign Relations
The United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is a standing committee of the U.S. Senate charged with leading foreign-policy legislation and debate in the Senate. It is generally responsible for overseeing and funding foreign aid pr ...
.
*December 7, 2007: Introduced and sponsored in the US Senate by Sen.
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
(D-IL) as S.2433.
*February 13, 2008: Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
* April 24, 2008: Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Joseph Biden with amendments and an amendment to the title. With written report No. 110-331.Senate Report 110-331 - THE GLOBAL POVERTY ACT OF 2007 /ref> Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders.