S. 2508: Energize Africa Act of 2014

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S. 2508: Energize Africa Act of 2014

113th Congress · introduced 2014-06-19 · International Affairs · Latest: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 489.

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Official title

Energize Africa Act of 2014

Plain summary

Energize Africa Act of 2014 - Directs the President to establish: (1) a multiyear strategy to assist countries in sub-Saharan Africa implement national power strategies and develop an appropriate mix of power solutions, including renewable energy, to provide access to reliable, affordable, and sustainable power in order to reduce poverty and drive economic growth; and (2) an African Power Advisory Group. Expresses the sense of Congress that: as the United States deepens its engagement with countries in sub-Saharan Africa priority should be given to countries with credibility in energy sector governance and management, and to private sector and investment climate reforms; and the United States should consider U.S. government and private sector opportunities to contribute to such countries' energy sectors and facilitate regional power trade and access. Requires the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to prioritize assistance to sub-Saharan Africa for national, regional, and local energy and economically sustainable power policy plans, and to expand power access. Urges, with respect to power projects in sub-Saharan Africa, that: USAID prioritize loan guarantees to local financial institutions to facilitate their involvement in power projects and markets, and to fund plans to increase distribution coverage; the Trade and Development Agency promote U.S. private sector participation in energy sector development projects through project preparation activities; the Secretary of the Treasury use U.S. influence in the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank to encourage power sector and electrification investments; the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) prioritize support for private sector investments that will maximize the number of people with new access to power services and expand power transmission and distribution; and the United States African Development Foundation make grants and provide technical support to businesses and organizations that are developing on- and off-grid solutions to meet the power needs of underserved rural communities. Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize OPIC to make direct loans and issue investment insurance and investment loan guarantees through September 30, 2019. Urges OPIC, with respect to sub-Saharan Africa, to: streamline the application, approval, and post-approval processes for insuring, financing, or investing in projects, including off-grid efforts, for which OPIC support is less than $20 million; and prioritize OPIC loan, guarantee, and insurance programs for power generation, distribution, and off-grid power and lighting. Requires OPIC to establish five-year pilot programs under which: certain entities that are substantially owned by U.S. citizens shall be eligible investors for receiving OPIC assistance for power projects in sub-Saharan Africa; and OPIC shall make loans to eligible investors for power projects in sub-Saharan Africa for which OPIC support does not exceed $50 million, or issue local currency guarantees to African subsidiaries of foreign financial institutions to facilitate lending for power projects in sub-Saharan Africa. Authorizes OPIC to insure, guarantee, or reinsure an equity investment in a renewable energy project in sub-Saharan Africa for up to 30 years. Requires OPIC to conduct an annual customer satisfaction survey. Authorizes OPIC to employ up to 20 individuals on a limited-appointment basis in support of power production and distribution efforts in sub-Saharan Africa. Expresses the sense of Congress that appropriations for certain OPIC administrative expenses and activities for FY2015-FY2019 should be adjusted to reflect the resources needed to carry out the purposes ofthis Act.

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

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Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ] · 23 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Christopher A. Coons (D-DE), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-NY), Patty Murray (D-WA), Susan M. Collins (R-ME), Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Christopher Murphy (D-CT)

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.

Sources

• Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
• Congress.gov
• Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-113s2508.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/113/s>

Record fed-us-cong113-s2508 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong113 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong113