Kerry, Cardin, Rubio Introduce QDDR Review Act

Washington, DC - Senators John Kerry (D-MA), Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, Ben Cardin (D-MD), and Marco Rubio (R-FL), introduced the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review Act of 2012, legislation designed to update our foreign policy and assistance programs to reflect the new challenges of the 21st century by setting clear diplomatic and development priorities, assuring that our efforts are effective and efficient, and clarifying the way we evaluate progress.

“It helps Congress and it helps the executive branch if we institutionalize a review process so we can evaluate the effectiveness of our aid and development programs and have metrics to know what's working and what's not. The report will help policy makers better target investments,” said Sen. Kerry.  “By mandating the QDDR, our bill makes permanent a comprehensive and analytically sound process."

“It is critically important that America’s diplomatic and foreign assistance efforts be guided and measured through a thorough QDDR process that ensures taxpayer-funded investments are being maximized,” said Sen. Rubio.  “Mandating the QDDR will provide greater certainty to our diplomatic corps and aid workers about the mission driving America’s foreign policy.”

“I believe that our focus on development and diplomacy should complement the commitment we currently show to defense, helping to fulfill our moral obligation to help reduce global poverty, while strengthening America’s national security,” said Sen. Cardin, Chairman of the International Development and Foreign Assistance Subcommittee.  “Institutionalizing the QDDR at State and USAID will help with the strategic planning of our critical foreign assistance resources.”

The Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review Act would strengthen our diplomacy and development efforts by:  

• Requiring the Secretary of State to conduct a comprehensive review of our national diplomacy and development policy and strategic framework.  The review would help guide the mission of the State Department and USAID and assure those efforts are in sync with our national security strategy;
• Requiring the Secretary of State to consult with the heads of other Federal agencies, Congress, and other relevant governmental and nongovernmental entities during the course of the review;
• Clarifying the measures by which we assess and evaluate our diplomacy and development efforts;
• Making the report available to the public; and
• Requiring the Secretary of State to keep the Foreign Affairs Policy Board updated on the progress of the review and requiring the Chairman of the Board to assess the review.

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