PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Oct 25, 2017
Global Development Lab Act of 2017
This bill establishes in the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) the United States Global Development Lab, the duties of which shall include:
increasing the application of science, technology, innovation and partnerships to develop new solutions to end extreme poverty;
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discovering and testing development innovations to increase cost effectiveness and support U.S. foreign policy and development goals;
leveraging the expertise, resources, and investment of businesses, nongovernmental organizations, science and research organizations, and universities to increase program impact and sustainability;
utilizing innovation-driven competitions to expand the number and diversity of solutions to development challenges; and
supporting USAID missions and bureaus in applying science, technology, innovation, and partnership approaches to decision making, procurement, and program design.
The lab is authorized to provide innovation incentive awards on a competitive basis that: (1) encourages and rewards the development of solutions for a particular, well-defined problem relating to the alleviation of poverty; or (2) helps identify and promote a broad range of ideas and practices, facilitating further development of an idea or practice by third parties.
People & committees
Rep. Castro, Joaquin [D-TX-20] · D–TX
Legislative record
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Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 11, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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