Kamlager-Dove Statement Celebrating HFAC Passage of the YALI Act

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - November 7, 2023

Media Contact: Maya Valentine | maya.valentine@mail.house.gov

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37) issued the following statement after the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) Act passed the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s full committee markup with bipartisan support:

“Just a few short weeks after I reintroduced the YALI Act with Congresswoman Young Kim, I was glad to see it pass out of the House Foreign Affairs Committee markup with bipartisan support. This legislation represents the U.S. commitment to empowering the next generation of African leaders as a supportive partner in Africa’s future. Through cross-continental educational exchanges and leadership training, the United States is helping young African leaders gain the connections they need to accelerate their own career trajectories and contribute more robustly to their respective countries, the continent, and the world.

"The Young African Leaders Initiative is a singular contribution to the U.S.-Africa relationship. It has created a continent-wide network of young leaders across 49 sub-Saharan countries who have all gained formative leadership experiences in the United States. Over 600,000 Africans have participated in YALI since 2010, and we will reap the benefits of these U.S.-Africa people-to-people ties for years to come. I thank Chairman Michael McCaul and Ranking Member Gregory Meeks for their support in marking up this important bill, and I look forward to working across the aisle to bring this legislation to a vote on the House Floor.”

To watch the markup, click here.

To read the bill text, click here.
 

# # #