On September 15, the House International Relations Committee approved, by unanimous consent, a bill (H.R. 1409) that would provide assistance for orphans and other vulnerable children in developing countries.
Sponsored by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), the measure would authorize such sums as necessary through FY2006 to provide grants for programs providing basic care, HIV/AIDS treatment, social and psychological support, educational opportunities, and inheritance rights assistance for children in developing countries. H.R. 1409 also would require the U.S. Agency for International Development to appoint a new Special Advisor for Assistance to Vulnerable Populations who would coordinate assistance programs.
In a press release announcing her introduction of the Assistance for Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children in Developing Countries Act, Rep. Lee stated, “I’m proud to offer this bill as a first step to provide a more effective U.S. response to the global crisis facing orphans and vulnerable children,” adding, “The spread of AIDS has only added to the urgent necessity to provide care for the world’s most vulnerable populations, and I look forward to working on a bipartisan basis with my colleagues in the House and Senate to pass this bill and help these children.”
