Africa News From The U.S. Congress

21 March 2001
allAfrica.com

Washington, DC — The key legislation among the almost one dozen bills concerning Africa introduced in Congress since the beginning of the year target the conflict over intellectual and property rights and the AIDS crisis.

House Resolution 684, introduced by Juanita Millender-McDonald (D-CA) in February, instructs the Director of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention through LIFE Iniative program to establish and carry out pilot programs for sub-Saharan Africa and India to prevent mother-to-child HIV/AIDS transmission by effective partnerships with nongovernmental organizations and university-based research facilities.

Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA) has introduced another HIV/AIDS bill, House Resolution 933. This legislation directs the Secretary of Treasury, USAID, and USTR to encourage developing countries (including sub-Saharan African countries) and pharmaceutical companies to make HIV/AIDS pharmaceuticals and medical technologies available to people who live in such countries without charge or at affordable prices. Among several restrictions and limitations, the bill instructs the United States Trade Representative not to challenge in The World Trade Organization, any law or policy of a developing country, that promotes access to HIV/AIDS pharmaceuticals or medical technologies to their population.

Senate bill 453, a similar bill on HIV/AIDs introduced by Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) this month, amends the Trade Act of 1974 to exempt, with respect to HIV/AIDS, pharmaceuticals and medical technologies, any foreign country suffering an HIV/AIDS-related public health crisis, and implementing law or policies that loosen protections of intellectual property rights if its laws or policies promote access to such pharmaceuticals or technologies for their affected populations. The legislation essentially directs the President to instruct the US Trade Representative not to seek the revocation or revision or such laws or policies.

Senator Feinstein has also introduced legislation that condemns the Government of Libya and its leader Moammar Gaddafi for support of international terrorism, including the bombing of Pan Am 103. It also suggests that the Government of Libya should make a full apology for the bombing of Pan Am 103 and provide adequate compensation to the families of the victims. The President, Secretary of State, and other Government officials should encourage other countries to maintain international sanctions against Libya until the requirements of this Act are met.

In January, Senator Bill Frist (R-TN) introduced legislation declaring that Congress condemns violations of human rights on all sides of the conflict in Sudan, the ongoing slave trade there, and the Government's use and organization of "murahallin", Popular Defense Forces (PDF), and regular Sudanese Army units into raiding and slaving parties in Bahr al Ghazal, the Nuba Mountains, Upper Nile, and Blue Nile regions. It describes the use of raiding and slaving parties as a systematic means to destroy the societies, culture, and economies of the Dinka, Nuer, and Nuba peoples in a policy of low-intensity ethnic cleansing. This legislation also authorizes the Secretary of State to assign personnel for the support of ongoing negotiations, and eventual implementation of peace settlements, between the Government of Sudan and opposition forces. It also declares that the UN should be used as a tool in facilitating peace and recovery in Sudan.

Senator Frist has also introduced legislation this month that declares it is U.S. policy to support the Zimbabwean people in their struggles to effect peaceful, democratic change, achieve broad-based and equitable economic growth, and restore rule of law. Carrots, with conditions, offered by the bill include: bilateral and multilateral debt relief for Zimbabwe (including the establishment of a Southern Africa Finance Center for the development of commercial projects there and the Southern Africa region) upon the President's certification to the appropriate congressional committees that the rule of law has been restored and that Zimbabwe has demonstrated a commitment to an equitable, legal, and transparent land reform program; The stick: restriction of multilateral trade to Zimbabwe until such certification is made.

Other legislation introduced in Congress:

House Conference Resolution 16 introduced in January by Representative Alcee Hastings (D-FL) condemns the assassination of Congolese President Laurent Kabila. It also calls on the United Nations, the United States and other nations to carefully monitor the situation.

Also in January, Representative Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) introduced House resolution 357 to provide for the permanent resident status adjustment of certain Liberian nationals who were granted or are eligible to apply for temporary protected status as of a specified date.

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