22 U.S.C. § 8262 — United States democracy assistance pro-

Page 2053 TITLE 22—FOREIGN RELATIONS AND INTERCOURSE § 8301 1 So in original. Probably should be ‘‘eligible skilled profes- sionals’’. (b) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated $14,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 and 2009 to the Secretary for a United States contribution to the United Nations Democracy Fund. (Pub. L. 110–53, title XXI, § 2161, Aug. 3, 2007, 121 Stat. 536.) § 8262. United States democracy assistance pro- grams (a) Sense of Congress regarding use of instru- ments of democracy promotion It is the sense of Congress that— (1) United States support for democracy is strengthened by using a variety of different instrumentalities, such as the National En- dowment for Democracy, the United States Agency for International Development, and the Department; and (2) the purpose of the Department’s Human Rights and Democracy Fund should be to sup- port innovative programming, media, and ma- terials designed to uphold democratic prin- ciples, practices, and values, support and strengthen democratic institutions, promote human rights and the rule of law, and build civil societies in countries around the world. (b) Sense of Congress regarding mechanisms for delivering assistance (1) Findings Congress finds the following: (A) Democracy assistance has many dif- ferent forms, including assistance to pro- mote the rule of law, build the capacity of civil society, political parties, and legisla- tures, improve the independence of the media and the judiciary, enhance inde- pendent auditing functions, and advance se- curity sector reform. (B) There is a need for greater clarity on the coordination and delivery mechanisms for United States democracy assistance. (2) Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that the Sec- retary and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development should develop guidelines, in consultation with the appropriate congressional commit- tees, building on the existing framework for grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, and other acquisition mechanisms to guide United States missions in foreign countries in coordinating United States democracy assist- ance and selecting the appropriate combina- tion of such mechanisms for such assistance. (Pub. L. 110–53, title XXI, § 2162, Aug. 3, 2007, 121 Stat. 536.) CHAPTER 90—VOLUNTEERS FOR PROSPERITY PROGRAM Sec. 8301. Findings. 8302. Definitions. 8303. Office of Volunteers for Prosperity. 8304. Authorization of appropriations. § 8301. Findings Congress makes the following findings: (1) Americans engaged in international vol- unteer service, and the organizations deploy- ing them— (A) play critical roles in responding to the needs of people living throughout the devel- oping world; and (B) advance the international public diplo- macy of the United States. (2) The Volunteers for Prosperity Program has successfully promoted international vol- unteer service by skilled American profes- sionals. (3) In its first 4 years, the VfP Program helped to mobilize 74,000 skilled Americans, in- cluding doctors, nurses, engineers, businesspeople, and teachers, through a net- work of 250 nonprofit organizations and com- panies in the United States, to carry out de- velopment and humanitarian efforts for those affected by great global challenges in health, the environment, poverty, illiteracy, financial literacy, disaster relief, and other challenges. (4) The VfP Program has undertaken activi- ties, including— (A) direct outreach to leading nonprofit organizations and companies in the United States; (B) promotion of the work of skilled Amer- icans and nonprofit organizations and com- panies in the United States as it relates to international volunteer service; (C) public recognition of skilled American volunteers; (D) support for organizations that utilize skilled Americans as volunteers; (E) participation in the development of special initiatives to further opportunities for skilled Americans; and (F) leadership of an innovative public-pri- vate partnership to provide eligible skilled 1 with financial assistance for volunteer as- signments. (Pub. L. 111–13, title V, § 5101, Apr. 21, 2009, 123 Stat. 1597.) Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE Section effective Oct. 1, 2009, see section 6101(a) of Pub. L. 111–13, set out as an Effective Date of 2009 Amendment note under section 4950 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. Executive Documents EX. ORD. NO. 13317. VOLUNTEERS FOR PROSPERITY Ex. Ord. No. 13317, Sept. 25, 2003, 68 F.R. 56515, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 13418, Dec. 14, 2006, 71 F.R. 75647, provided: By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to encourage volunteer service by highly skilled Americans to support major initia- tives by the United States for promoting health and prosperity around the world, it is hereby ordered as fol- lows: SECTION 1. (a) Policy. A part of USA Freedom Corps, ‘‘Volunteers for Prosperity’’ is a call to service to sup- port major U.S. initiatives that promote health and