House Democrats introduce Liberian aid bill

House Democrats introduced new legislation on Wednesday that would provide $225 million in aid over five years to boost Liberia’s fledgling democracy.

“With this legislation, we here in the United States roll up our sleeves and offer our hand in helping a staunch ally to recover and to rebuild. We hope to solidify our historic ties into a new partnership,” said Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.), one of the bill’s chief sponsors.

{mosads}House Democratic Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.), Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman (D-Calif.), Africa and Global Health subcommittee Chairman Donald Payne (D-N.J.) and Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.) are also supporting the bill.

The Liberia Stabilization, Economic Empowerment, Development and Security (SEEDS) Act seeks to rebuild the country’s shattered infrastructure, establish a public works training program and upgrade the equipment and training of the national police force.

“By strengthening Liberia’s infrastructure, security and capacity, Liberia will be better able to attract the investment it needs to build a thriving economy that will create jobs and opportunity for the Liberian people,” Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf wrote in a letter to Jackson earlier this month.

Liberia, which was founded by former American slaves, has longstanding ties to the United States.

The U.S. has sent nearly $1 billion in aid to Liberia since 2004, according to the State Department. The House approved a spending bill that provides $180 million, the amount requested by the administration, for fiscal 2009.

Supporters said the proposed bill offers a different kind of assistance. Instead of focusing primarily on humanitarian issues, the Liberia SEEDS Act hopes to target institutions that are necessary to build Liberia’s democracy.

The West African nation was devastated during a 14-year-long civil war. There is little running water or electricity within Liberia.

The SEEDS bill will provide money for the reconstruction of bridges and roads, water and sanitation systems, and an electrical grid.

Some of the money will be spent on improving government oversight and transparency to rebuild the faith of Liberians in their government. And some money will go to providing the police force with guns and handcuffs, two key pieces of equipment officers often have to do without.

“This needs to happen now,” Jackson said.

“The next few years are critical, and the United States can play a big role in offering support,” said Steve Radelet of the Center for Global Development . Radelet is lobbying on behalf of Liberia. “The country is still fragile.”

Radelet said that since Sirleaf’s election in 2005, Liberia has made great strides in reducing government corruption and improving oversight. It may be a somewhat dubious honor, but for the second year in a row the World Bank said Liberia had shown the greatest year-to-year improvement among the nations on its list of corrupt countries.

“If passed, the legislation will clearly establish that it is in the long-term interest of the United States of America to support Liberia’s development over time. It will ensure that when competing priorities occupy future policymakers, Liberia’s position will remain central,” said Riva Levinson, the managing director of KRL International , which is representing Liberian government officials in Washington.