Electrify Africa Act of 2015
Public Law 114-121 · S. 2152 · 114th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Barack Obama (D) on Feb 8, 2016 · International Affairs
Sponsor: Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN)
Cosponsors (23): Sen. Benjamin Cardin, Sen. Marco Rubio,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Electrify Africa Act of 2015
(Sec. 3) This bill states that it is U.S. policy to partner with the governments of sub-Saharan African countries, international financial institutions, and African regional economic communities, cooperatives, and private sectors to:
• promote first-time access to power services for at least 50 million people in sub-Saharan Africa by 2020;
• encourage the installation of at least 20,000 additional megawatts of electrical power in sub-Saharan Africa by 2020;
• promote reliable and affordable power in urban, rural, and under served areas;
• encourage necessary reforms to support electricity access projects and market-based power generation and distribution;
• promote policies to displace kerosene lighting with other technologies;
• promote an energy development strategy for sub-Saharan Africa that includes the use of oil, natural gas, coal, hydroelectric, wind, solar, and geothermal power; and
• promote the use of private financing and seek ways to remove barriers to private financing and assistance for projects, including through charitable organizations.
(Sec. 4) The President shall: (1) establish a multiyear strategy to assist countries in sub-Saharan Africa implement national power strategies and develop an appropriate mix of power solutions to provide access to reliable, affordable, and sustainable power in order to reduce poverty and drive economic growth and job creation; and (2) ensure that the strategy remains responsive to local community concerns and technological innovation.
The President may establish an interagency working group to coordinate the activities of U.S. government departments and agencies involved in carrying out the strategy.
(Sec. 5) The U.S. Agency for International Development, the Trade and Development Agency, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation are urged to: (1) prioritize efforts and assistance for power projects and markets in sub-Saharan Africa; and (2) partner with other investors and local institutions, including private sector actors, to increase access to reliable, affordable, and sustainable power.
(Sec. 6) The President should use U.S. influence at international bodies to advocate for:
• increasing investment in power sector and electrification projects in sub-Saharan Africa,
• addressing energy needs of individuals and communities where electricity grid access is impractical or cost-prohibitive,
• enhancing private sector coordination, and
• assisting sub-Saharan African governments to remove unnecessary regulatory barriers to investment.
(Sec. 7) Within three years the President shall transmit a strategy progress report to Congress which includes information regarding: (1) U.S. programs supporting policy and legislative changes leading to increased power generation and access in sub-Saharan Africa, and (2) power projects receiving U.S. government support.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Related bills
2 bills the Library of Congress relates to this one.
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 20 actions.
- Feb 8, 2016Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 114-121.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Feb 3, 2016FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Feb 1, 2016FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 2152.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Royce moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- Dec 18, 2015FloorFloor · Received in the House.
- FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · The committee amendments agreed to by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
- Dec 8, 2015FloorFloor · By Senator Corker from Committee on Foreign Relations filed written report. Report No. 114-176.
- Nov 5, 2015CalendarCalendar · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 291.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Foreign Relations. Reported by Senator Corker with amendments. Without written report.
- Oct 8, 2015CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
- Oct 7, 2015CommitteeCommittee · Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in Senate
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
1 amendment offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.
- Agreed to
S.Amdt. 2939SenateSen. Bob CorkerR-TN· offered Dec 18, 2015Agreed to
To improve the bill.
Dec 18, 2015: Amendment SA 2939 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.