News

U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) applauded the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations’ passage of the READ Reauthorization Act of 2022 (H.R. 7240). The legislation reauthorizes, for five years, the Reinforcing Education Accountability in Development (READ) Act of 2017. Rubio and Durbin lead the companion legislation in the U.S. Senate.
 

• “This important bill will help make up for the learning loss caused by COVID-19 and advance educational opportunities for children worldwide. I welcome the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations’ unanimous passage of the bill. The full Senate should pass it immediately.” — Senator Rubio

• “Given the terrible learning loss around the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic and troubling backsliding on girls’ education in places such as Afghanistan, reauthorizing the READ Act couldn’t come at a more important time. Doing so will ensure U.S. development programs continue to focus on providing basic education around a sound, long-term strategy – one that includes making sure girls have access to schooling. I’m glad the Senate Foreign Relations Committee advanced this bill on a bipartisan basis and urge the full Senate to pass it before the end of the year.” — Senator Durbin

 
Background. The READ Act amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, and states that it shall be the policy of the United States to work with partner countries, other donors, multilateral institutions, the private sector, and nongovernmental and civil society organizations, including faith-based organizations, to promote quality basic education through programs and activities that:
 

1. Respond to the needs of developing countries to achieve improvements in literacy,
2. Strengthen education systems and expand access to safe learning, 
3. Promote education as a foundation for sustained economic growth, and
4. Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness and quality of basic education programs in partner countries.

 
The U.S. House of Representatives previously passed the READ Reauthorization Act on September 20, 2022 as H.R. 7240, which was sponsored by Representatives Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Karen Bass (D-CA).