PEPFAR Accountability and Transparency Act - Amends the United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 2003 to direct the Coordinator of United States Government Activities to Combat HIV/AIDS Globally to: (1) establish a mechanism to evaluate global HIV/AIDS programs financed by the U.S. government in order to improve accountability, increase transparency, and ensure the delivery of evidence-based services; and (2) develop a five-year strategic plan for program monitoring, operations research, and impact evaluation research.
[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
[H.R. 5485 Introduced in House (IH)]
110th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5485
To establish a program to evaluate HIV/AIDS programs in order to
improve accountability, increase transparency, and ensure the delivery
of evidence-based services.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 25, 2008
Mr. Miller of North Carolina introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a program to evaluate HIV/AIDS programs in order to
improve accountability, increase transparency, and ensure the delivery
of evidence-based services.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``PEPFAR Accountability and
Transparency Act''.
SEC. 2. EVALUATION OF HIV/AIDS PROGRAMS.
Subtitle A of title III of the United States Leadership Against
HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 2003 (22 U.S.C. 7631 et
seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 308. PROGRAM MONITORING, OPERATIONS RESEARCH, AND IMPACT
EVALUATION RESEARCH.
``(a) Program Established.--The Coordinator of United States
Government Activities to Combat HIV/AIDS Globally (referred to in this
section as the `Coordinator') shall establish a mechanism to evaluate
global HIV/AIDS programs financed by the United States Government in
order to improve accountability, increase transparency, and ensure the
delivery of evidence-based services. Such mechanism shall include
program monitoring, operations research, and impact evaluation
research.
``(b) Definitions.--In this subsection:
``(1) Impact evaluation research.--The term `impact
evaluation research' means the application of research methods
and statistical analysis to measure the extent to which a
change in a population-based outcome can be attributed to
program intervention instead of other environmental factors.
``(2) Operations research.--The term `operations research'
means the application of social science research methods and
statistical analysis to judge, compare, and improve policies
and program outcomes, from the earliest stages of defining and
designing programs through their development and
implementation.
``(3) Program monitoring.--The term `program monitoring'
means the collection, analysis, and use of routine program data
to determine how well a program is carried out and how much the
program costs.
``(4) Eligible entities.--The term `eligible entities'
means public or private organizations, including academic
institutions, that have documented experience in analyzing and
evaluating the effectiveness of health, development, or other
international aid programs.
``(c) Use of Funds.--The Coordinator shall use amounts provided
under this section, either directly or indirectly through grants,
contracts, or cooperative agreements to eligible entities, to conduct
program monitoring, operations research, and impact evaluation research
related to programs authorized under this Act. Such activities shall be
conducted to--
``(1) improve the coverage, efficiency, effectiveness,
quality, and accessibility of services provided under this Act;
``(2) establish the cost-effectiveness of program models;
``(3) assess the population-level impact of programs
implemented, including the impact of programs on women,
children, and other at-risk or vulnerable populations;
``(4) ensure the transparency and accountability of
services provided under this Act;
``(5) disseminate and promote the utilization of evaluation
findings, lessons, and best practices in the implementation of
the programs receiving financial assistance under this Act;
``(6) encourage and evaluate innovative service models and
strategies to optimize the delivery of care, treatment, and
prevention programs financed by the United States Government;
and
``(7) strengthen ongoing program monitoring and enhance
program quality through routine program evaluations, such as
midterm and final program evaluations.
``(d) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the
enactment of the PEPFAR Accountability and Transparency Act, the
Coordinator shall submit a report to Congress that describes the
resources provided under this Act for program monitoring, operations
research, and impact evaluation research during the 5-year period
ending on September 30, 2008, that describes--
``(1) the projects for which resources were obligated and
the outcomes of those projects;
``(2) the program improvements, including cost or other
resource savings, which have been made as a result of program
monitoring, operations research, and impact evaluation
research;
``(3) how program monitoring, operations research, and
impact evaluation research priorities are determined and how
input from external experts is incorporated; and
``(4) the process used to allocate funding for
implementation of program monitoring, operations research, and
impact evaluation research.
``(e) Strategic Plan.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
the enactment of the PEPFAR Accountability and Transparency
Act, the Coordinator shall develop a 5-year strategic plan for
program monitoring, operations research, and impact evaluation
research.
``(2) Plan elements.--The plan developed under this
subsection shall include--
``(A) the amount of funding provided for program
monitoring, operations research, and impact evaluation
research under this Act available through fiscal year
2009;
``(B) strategies to address the goals described in
subsection (c);
``(C) priorities for program monitoring, operations
research, and impact evaluation research and a time
line for completion of activities associated with such
priorities; and
``(D) other information that the Coordinator
determines to be necessary.
``(3) Considerations.--In developing the plan under this
subsection, the Coordinator shall consider a range of research
priorities, including research in--
``(A) preventing new HIV infections by reducing
behavioral risks for HIV transmission, particularly in
at-risk and vulnerable populations, including--
``(i) delaying sexual debut;
``(ii) reducing the number of sexual
partners;
``(iii) practicing abstinence, fidelity,
and monogamy;
``(iv) using condoms, other effective
protection methods that have been developed and
are available, and female condoms; and
``(v) meeting the needs of discordant
couples;
``(B) improving health care delivery systems and
HIV/AIDS-related policies;
``(C) preventing mother-to-child transmission,
improving early identification of infected children,
and reducing the spread of HIV infections, particularly
in women and girls;
``(D) reducing HIV-related mortality and morbidity
of HIV;
``(E) treating adults and children infected by HIV
more effectively, including establishing better
approaches for increasing access to treatment and
increasing and sustaining treatment adherence;
``(F) addressing the vulnerabilities of married and
unmarried women and girls to HIV infection, including
those who are victims of rape, sexual violence, and
coercion;
``(G) integrating family planning into HIV/AIDS
prevention, care, and treatment strategies and
services;
``(H) encouraging men to be responsible for their
sexual behavior and to respect women, including the
reduction and elimination of sexual violence and
coercion;
``(I) developing models for scaling up HIV
counseling, testing with informed consent, and other
approaches that promote risk reduction and access to
care and treatment;
``(J) addressing risks associated with substance
use;
``(K) promoting the most effective models for
scaling up care and treatment access;
``(L) ensuring a safe blood supply;
``(M) improving injection safety, including
eliminating unnecessary injections and promoting
sterile injection practices and technologies;
``(N) improving health care workers' occupational
health and safety;
``(O) strengthening hospice and palliative care;
``(P) scaling up the provision of prevention, care
and treatment services to children, including those
orphaned by HIV/AIDS;
``(Q) preventing HIV through male circumcision; and
``(R) other research that the Coordinator
determines to be necessary.
``(4) Consultation.--In developing the strategic plan and
implementing, disseminating, and promoting the use of program
monitoring, operations research, and impact evaluation
research, the Coordinator shall consult with representatives
of--
``(A) the National Institutes of Health;
``(B) the United States Agency for International
Development;
``(C) the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention;
``(D) the Agency for Healthcare Research and
Quality;
``(E) the Department of Health and Human Services;
``(F) the Department of Labor;
``(G) other Federal agencies engaged in global HIV/
AIDS programs;
``(H) multilateral structures, such as the United
Nations and the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis
and Malaria;
``(I) national governments of foreign countries in
which programs under this Act are administered;
``(J) organizations implementing programmatic
activities under this Act; and
``(K) other organizations with expertise in
monitoring and evaluating international HIV/AIDS
programs.
``(5) Meeting and public comment.--The Coordinator shall--
``(A) not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of the PEPFAR Accountability and Transparency
Act, hold a public meeting at which the public may
present its views on the current needs and gaps in
program monitoring, operations research, and impact
evaluation research;
``(B) during the 30-day period following the public
meeting held pursuant to subparagraph (A), collect
written comments from the public; and
``(C) publish the comments received pursuant to
subparagraph (B) on the Office of the Global AIDS
Coordinator's Internet Web site.
``(6) Review of strategic plan.--The Coordinator shall--
``(A) not later than 1 year after the date of the
enactment of the PEPFAR Accountability and Transparency
Act, present the strategic plan developed under this
subsection to the appropriate congressional committees;
``(B) publish the strategic plan in the Federal
Register and on the Office of the Global AIDS
Coordinator's Internet Web site;
``(C) during the 60-day period following the
publication of the plan under subparagraph (B), solicit
written comments on the plan from the public;
``(D) hold a meeting at which the public is given
an opportunity to present its views on the plan; and
``(E) after consideration of the views and comments
received from the public, make any necessary revisions
to the plan.
``(f) Best Practices Report.--The Coordinator shall annually
publish a best practices report that highlights the programs that have
the potential for translation, particularly at a low cost, across
global AIDS programs, including those that focus on both generalized
and localized epidemics, receiving financial assistance from the United
States.
``(g) Dissemination of Findings.--
``(1) In general.--The Coordinator shall disseminate the
full findings of the multiple operations research and impact
evaluation research and program level monitoring efforts on the
Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator's Internet website in
order to improve transparency and public availability of
information about operations research and impact evaluation
research.
``(2) Dissemination guidance.--The Coordinator shall
develop guidance to ensure timely submission and dissemination
of all impact evaluation research, operations research, and
program monitoring findings. The time lines and processes
included in such guidance shall take into account the
publication process for peer-reviewed scientific or academic
journals and the discussion of such research findings at a
scientific meeting or any other public or private forum, so as
to maintain the scientific process without unduly restricting
dissemination of information.
``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--In addition to funds made
available under section 401(a), there are authorized to be appropriated
such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
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