WASHINGTON – USGLC President and CEO Liz Schrayer issued the following statement on today’s passage of the Electrify Africa Act:

The USGLC applauds Representatives Ed Royce and Eliot Engel, and Senators Bob Corker and Ben Cardin for their bipartisan leadership in Congress to pass the Electrify Africa Act, which passed the House unanimously today following the Senate’s passage last year. In a world of emerging crises, this legislation shines a light on the incredible opportunities our nation can harness to advance our national security and economic interests. We urge the President to sign this bill as soon as it reaches his desk.

While many in America take reliable electricity for granted, 70 percent of people in Sub-Saharan Africa have no access at all. By tapping the know-how of U.S. development agencies and working in partnership with American businesses, the Electrify Africa Act will spark change in the lives of millions of Africans.

This legislation builds upon the public-private partnerships of the Power Africa initiative, where $1 of U.S. government investment has leveraged $6 in private sector and partner government commitments for new power generation. We are particularly pleased to see the bill’s emphasis on transparency, accountability, and good governance.

The U.S. Global Leadership Coalition (www.usglc.org) is a broad-based influential network of 400 businesses and NGOs; national security and foreign policy experts; and business, faith-based, academic, military, and community leaders in all 50 states who support strategic investments to elevate development and diplomacy alongside defense in order to build a better, safer world.