Washington, DC – Today, Sheila Nix, U.S. Executive Director of the anti-poverty advocacy group ONE, issued the following statement regarding the introduction of the Foreign Aid Transparency and Accountability Act of 2012 by Representatives Ted Poe (R-TX) and Howard Berman (D-CA):

“ONE applauds the bipartisan introduction of the Foreign Aid Transparency and Accountability Act of 2012. Its passage will make America’s efforts to prevent disease and lift millions out of extreme poverty more effective, accountable, and transparent.

“This legislation builds on recent efforts by the administration to be more accountable to both US taxpayers and aid recipients through new evaluation guidelines and through the expansion of www.foreignassistance.gov, which tracks U.S. foreign aid spending. Better monitoring and reporting of U.S. foreign assistance programs not only helps increase effectiveness, but also shows taxpayers the tangible successes that less than 1% of the federal budget has in saving and improving the lives of the world’s poorest.

“Representatives Ted Poe (R-TX) and Howard Berman (D-CA) deserve credit for bringing together a number of lawmakers who value reform and efficacy in government, and also recognize the importance of maintaining America’s global leadership. We urge all Members of Congress to support this important legislation to maximize U.S. development resources through innovation and accountability.”