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Loan and Assistance Act; Committee on Trade Proposal Three | Loan and Assistance Act
Topic Started: Jun 20 2014, 06:47 PM (425 Views)
Dorhaven
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LOAN AND ASSISTANCE ACT
A proposal by Dorhaven


Noting that nations may fall on hard times and require some assistance for the health of that nation's economy as well as the global economy. The Loan and Assistance Act grants the authority of providing financial and other forms of assistance to nations the Committee of Trade deems in need as the Committee of Trade Deems fit.

SECTION I - DEFINITIONS
1) A loan, for the purpose of this act, is defined as an asset temporarily bestowed by either a member of the Committee on Trade using the bestowed power and authority under this act of by a joint decree issued by members of the Committee on Trade.
2) An aid package, for the purpose of this act, is defined as aid bestowed by either a member of the Committee on Trade using the bestowed power and authority under this act of by a joint decree issued by members of the Committee on Trade. This aid is not necessarily financial and is not to be paid back as a loan.
3) Humanitarian Aid is material or logistical assistance provided for humanitarian purposes. The goal of this form of aid is to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity. This aid typically (but not necessarily) after a natural or manmade disaster.
4) Development Aid is material, logistical, or financial assistance provided for to support the economic, environmental, social, and political development of countries or other specified locations.
5) Miscellaneous Aid is any kind of aid to another nation which is not specifically outlined or defined in this act. The Committee on Trade has just as much authority to offer this aid as any other form of material or logistical assistance to other nations.

SECTION II - DISTRIBUTION AND FUNDS
1) Aid and loans provided by the Committee on Trade or its members under this act is to be funded by the Ixnay Regional Government placing funds in a Developement Fund. Money for the Development Fund may also be donated by nations, organizations, and individuals.
2) Aid and loans may only be bestowed by the Committee on Trade or by its members. It may also be granted by a resolution approved by the Regional Congress. This resolution overrides any decision made by the Committee on Trade.
3) Governments and nations who are not a member of the Committee on Trade or a member of the Committee may petition for loans or aid with the Committee. This aid may or may not be provided based on the choice of the Committee or the Regional Congress.
4) The International Government of Ixnay may not withhold funding for loans or aid unless it is bankrupt (no money in the Development Fund), nor may it force the Committee to accept or deny a loan or aid for a country unless by a passed resolution voted on by the region. Approval from the Regional Congress is not required for loans or aid given by the Committee on Trade.

SECTION III - CREDIT RATINGS
1) The Committee on Trade reserves the right to determine the credit-worthiness of countries. These credit ratings are used by the Committee to determine the likelihood of a country to pay back a loan as well as the long term currency credit for sovereign bonds. Other nations are encouraged to heed these ratings although they are not forced to do so.
2) The Committee on Trade will take the credit ratings it gives when it considers giving and the terms of giving loans and sovereign bonds to other countries. While this is a component for considerations it is not the only one. A good credit rating does not promise the giving of a loan and likewise a bad credit rating does not promise that a loan will not be given.
3) The assignment of credit ratings is solely under the authority and power vested in the Committee on Trade under this act. The Regional Congress may not assign or force credit ratings to be given by the Committee on Trade.

SECTION IV - LOANS AND BONDS
1) The Committee on Trade or it's members may issue both loans and bonds to other nations. Other parts of this act may be referenced.
2) Terms of a loan or bond may include the length until it must be payed back, an interest rate, and other various terms which are unlimited in type and function. Terms of a loan or bond may be negotiated with the Committee on Trade and the receiving nation.
3) A nation has the right to petition, accept, or deny a loan or bond purchase from the Committee on Trade.
4) Loans and bond purchases may also be offered to businesses that trade internationally or have an international impact. Certain select groups may also be able to receive loans but not bond purchases. In this case both the entity must accept the loan or bond purchase as well as the country from which said entity is based.
5) Loans and bonds shall not be given for the purpose of supporting hostile or malicious actions against a government or its people. If this intent is know it will be denied. This may be appealed to the Regional Government.

SECTION V - AID
1) The Committee on Trade or it's members may issue aid packages to other nations. Other parts of this act may be referenced.
2) Terms of an aid package may apply and may include the type of aid, the extent of the aid, and various terms which are unlimited in type and function. Terms of a may be negotiated with the Committee on Trade and the receiving nation.
3) A nation has the right to petition, accept, or deny any form of aid from the Committee on Trade.
4) Various forms of aid may be offered. These include but are not limited to Humanitarian Aid, Development Aid, and Miscellaneous Aid. Section I should be regencies for definitions of these forms of aid respectively.
5) Aid shall not be given for the purpose of supporting hostile or malicious actions against a government or its people. This may be appealed to the Regional Government.

SECTION VI - FUNDING
1) Funding for all of the aforementioned shall be drawn from the Development Fund. The Development Fund shall be replenished / funded by the Regional Government as it sees fit.
2) Money gained from repaid loans or bonds shall primarily go back into the Development Fund. Once the amount that was originally used is replenished (for that particular loan or bond) then any excess shall be given to the Regional Government for its own use.
3) The Development Fund shall not be used for any purpose outside of the approved actions of the Committee on Trade or the Regional Government. It must act in accordance with this and all other acts and resolutions that apply to it.

Initial Draft
Edited by Dorhaven, Jul 1 2014, 05:33 PM.
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Emeritus Levantx
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Democracy
I have some remarks on the Bill,

- Section II, article 1: << to be funded by the Ixnay Regional Government.>>, 'How will the RG fund that, by taxation?

- SII, article 2: << ... or by its members.>>, 'Why also by its members, I think then you will have a powerless committee, if only 1 member alone can decide that.'

- Section III Credit Ratings, I'm absolutly a supporter of an agency (as you describe, the Committee on Trade Affairs) that determines Credit Ratings, BUT i believe we should put this section in a different BILL, by its own, as i believe that it can be a reason for some nations to decline your BIll.
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Kiravia
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Lord of the Isles
Dorhaven
Jun 20 2014, 06:47 PM
LOAN AND ASSISTANCE ACT

SECTION II - DISTRIBUTION AND FUNDS
1) Aid and loans provided by the Committee on Trade or its members under this act is to be funded by the Ixnay Regional Government. Funds may also be donated by nations, organizations, and individuals.
2) Aid and loans may only be bestowed by the Committee on Trade or by its members.
3) Governments and nations who are not a member of the Committee on Trade or a member of the Committee may petition for loans or aid with the Committee. This aid may or may not be provided based on the choice of the Committee.
4) The International Government of Ixnay may not withhold funding for loans or aid unless it is bankrupt, nor may it force the Committee to accept or deny a loan or aid for a country. Approval from the Regional Congress is not required for loans or aid given by the Committee on Trade.


This is the only part of the bill that I think needs to be reworked. As Sawra has pointed out, I believe the most important issue is where the funds for loans/grants/aid/etc. will be drawn from.

I think there's a consensus among both NatSovs and Integrationists alike that the RG should not be able to levy taxes, so that's out. Currently, the RG doesn't have any formal source of revenue, and theoretically subsists on contributions from members (though we've never really addressed that). So, because the RG probably doesn't have a lot of its own money to throw around, Section II(1) leaves donations as the main fource of sunds.

While there's nothing wrong with donations, and I agree that nations, NGOs/IGOs, and individuals should be free to donate, donations aren't particularly reliable or flexible (can be witheld by nations as political leverage, earmarked by NGOs to go to particular projects, may be curtailed in bad economic years or for donor-side reasons), a more fruitful and dependable way of obtaining money would be to establish a Regional Development Fund. Donations from nations and such would provide the principal, which would be invested in regional businesses and markets.

The combination of II(2) and II(4), while understandable as a measure to insulate the CoT's aid operations from political corruption, create a potentially problematic arrangement in which the Congress is forced to plan the RG's budget and manage its finances around the autonomous decisions of the Committee on Trade, over which it is forbidden from having any say. Aside from the fact that the Committee on Trade is an internal subdivision of the Regional Congress and not an independent entity, it's impractical to ask the RG to adjust its salaries, administrative expenditures, and all other operational spending based on how much money is left after the CoT has drawn up its aid figures. The creation of a Regional Development Fund separate from the RG treasury and managed by the CoT would still give the Committee a high degree of liberty and autonomy in making aid decisions without creating an annual fiscal headache for Congress.

I know that there has been discussion of a Regional Bank, and though I have strong reservations against having a regional central bank, I see the merits of a regional assistance bank based on the World Bank/IMF model to fund development projects and balance sovereign budgets.

Also, as Sawra noted, II(2) should be re-worded, the current wording suggests that any individual CoT member can unilaterally dole out aid.

Otherwise, I see this as a promising bill that carves out a useful and appropriate rĂ´le for the Regional Government.
Edited by Kiravia, Jun 29 2014, 02:40 PM.
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Pauldustllah
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Cocacolonizer
I think this bill has some potential to be a benefit to the region, I am somewhat concerned with section 4 part one. While I am not against the regional government conducting a bond issuance. My concern rests with the regional government issuing a series of bonds without a relaible source of revenue to pay back it's debts.
Edited by Pauldustllah, Jun 30 2014, 02:51 AM.
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Urcea
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such founder very authority wow
I'm firmly opposed to this bill. The regional government shouldn't be responsible for such transactions, and it also hurts nations that might find themselves opposed to aid recipients. Also, I'd like to continually point out the disgusting attempts by the representative from Dorhaven to co-opt the regional government for his own purposes, creating himself as Chairman of the Trade Committee, and then writing his own power into bills. It needs to stop, and it's in violation of the Regional Charter.
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Emeritus Levantx
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Urcea
Jun 30 2014, 01:05 PM
I'm firmly opposed to this bill. The regional government shouldn't be responsible for such transactions, and it also hurts nations that might find themselves opposed to aid recipients. Also, I'd like to continually point out the disgusting attempts by the representative from Dorhaven to co-opt the regional government for his own purposes, creating himself as Chairman of the Trade Committee, and then writing his own power into bills. It needs to stop, and it's in violation of the Regional Charter.
I respectfully understand the opinion of the delegation of Urcea, BUT i believe that this Bill as already confirmed by other Committee members, has a good input for the region, if adjusted.

Also I would like to point to the Delegation of Urcea, that HIS disgusting attempts to remain in power, as his own nomination as Committee member, ALSO i would like to remind the Delegation That they are NOT a member of this Committee, because Urcea holds the executive power and is Delegate, so please don't believe that you can put your name on the Memberlist without election,

Secondly, we don't have a Regional Charter, so Your accusation towards Dorhaven is unjustified.
Therefore, I believe that You are unworthy to be delegate.

#freespeech
Thanks, may we continue the debate on the Bill.
Edited by Emeritus Levantx, Jun 30 2014, 06:39 PM.
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Dorhaven
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Urcea
Jun 30 2014, 01:05 PM
I'm firmly opposed to this bill. The regional government shouldn't be responsible for such transactions, and it also hurts nations that might find themselves opposed to aid recipients. Also, I'd like to continually point out the disgusting attempts by the representative from Dorhaven to co-opt the regional government for his own purposes, creating himself as Chairman of the Trade Committee, and then writing his own power into bills. It needs to stop, and it's in violation of the Regional Charter.
Well, I don't mind if you wear your heart on your sleve, but I feel your reasoning is rather silly if not downright rediculous. Kindly avoid accusations such as these I the future, thanks :)
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Urcea
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such founder very authority wow
It's not so - you have put yourself in many bills in decision making positions, which is solely in the hands of the Delegate.

And I'd like to respectfully remind my colleague from Sawra that not only that Urcea is no longer the Delegate, and I wholeheartedly support the job my colleagues from Leasath are doing as Delegate. The fact is, however, that those colleagues decided to appoint me to the committee. If you have such a focus for free speech, you ought not to be so quick to jump down my throat for sharing my opinion on this matter. I also would like to remind you that the region voted on and passed a Charter, which states "
The regional government shall not bring forth legislation that favors one nation over others
".

Therefore, I would like to motion that the bill read that any assistance be given on the authority and approval of the entire Congress, rather than the non-extant committee.
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Kuhlfros
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Stormcrow, Lord of Gaels and Germans
OOC: Partially Nullified, But still refrain from insulting each-other

Edited by Kuhlfros, Jul 1 2014, 02:42 PM.
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Emeritus Levantx
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Screenshot
Posted Image


OOC:
First I want to apologize to Kuhlfros, BUT I see a lot of untrue statements in his speech and I would like to correct that.
To start:

1. as you can see on my screenshot:
*So, you are still Delegate,

2.
Regional Charter, (Pauldustllah) has been approved in the Committee, NOT and I repeat NOT in Congress, SO and i repeat SO, it is NOT yet LAW.
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