PSI Sci
New here? Follow the money and the votes · Not sure of your district? Find your U.S. House member · Find your state legislators

S. 1388: Middle East and North Africa Transition and Development Act

Before you vote › Federal bills

S. 1388: Middle East and North Africa Transition and Development Act

112th Congress · introduced 2011-07-19 · International Affairs · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2011-07-19 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Sen. Kerry, John F. [D-MA] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Middle East and North Africa Transition and Development Act

Plain summary

Middle East and North Africa Transition and Development Act - States that it is U.S. policy to: (1) support a democratic transition in the Middle East and North Africa, including Egypt and Tunisia; and (2) increase economic prosperity in that region through financial investment and technical assistance and by utilizing the resources of appropriate multilateral development banks. States that U.S. negotiating objectives to expand the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development's (Bank) resources for countries in the Middle East or North Africa should be to seek: (1) specified lending criteria for loans or other Bank assistance for countries of activity (countries provided with Bank resources for loans or other assistance), and (2) establishment of a Bank mechanism to ensure that countries of activity not committed to multiparty democracy and market economics do not benefit from Bank resources. Urges the Secretary of the Treasury to use U.S. influence to: (1) oppose the approval of a loan or other Bank assistance to a country of activity in the Middle East or North Africa that does not meet specified criteria, and (2) seek the Bank's adoption of clear standards for the graduation of countries of activity that have substantially achieved required transition objectives. Amends the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Act to authorize the U.S. Governor of the Bank to subscribe to additional shares of Bank stock. Authorizes appropriations for such purpose. Amends the Millennium Challenge Act of 2003 to: (1) revise candidate country criteria, and (2) permit a country that no longer meets the requirements for being a candidate country because of per capita income changes in a fiscal year to maintain such candidate status during such fiscal year and the next three fiscal years.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Middle East and North Africa Transition and Development Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Kerry, John F. [D-MA] · 2 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (3)
Appropriation
Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization
A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Fiscal year
The 12-month period a government uses for its budget. The federal fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30 and is named for the calendar year in which it ends. Most states use July 1 to June 30.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong112-s1388 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112