U.S. Sens. Tim Kaine and Marco Rubio introduced legislation Wednesday to cement a U.S. Agency for International Development initiative that was created to broaden the agency’s partner base by making it easier for smaller organizations to access funding.
The bill would provide legal authorization for the New Partnerships Initiative, which was created under former USAID Administrator Mark Green, and direct USAID to spend $250 million through the initiative.
Kaine described the bill during Tuesday’s Senate Foreign Relations Committee nomination hearing for Isobel Coleman, one of two nominees recently announced by President Joe Biden for USAID deputy administrator roles.