PRIA Logo™
S2236119th Congress

YALI Act of 2026

Sponsored By: Senator Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]

In Committee

Summary

Creates a U.S.-led Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) to build leadership and entrepreneurship capacity across sub-Saharan Africa. The bill would link fellowships, exchanges, regional leadership centers, and economic assistance to strengthen governance and business ties.

Show full summary
  • Young African leaders and alumni would get expanded training and networks. The Mandela Washington Fellowship would target fellows aged 25–35, include a six-week U.S. Leadership Institute, alumni training in Africa, online courses, and an annual fellowship summit.
  • Local economies and businesses would see more U.S. economic and technical help to promote growth. The bill emphasizes stronger U.S.–African business ties, reduced vulnerability to predatory lending, and better skills in procurement, contract negotiation, and budget oversight.
  • U.S. agencies and Congress would get structured oversight and timelines. The Secretary of State, working with USAID, must deliver an implementation plan within 180 days and publish annual progress reports for five years, with the first report assessing possible expansion to North African countries.

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to download

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

New U.S. program for African leaders

If enacted, this bill would create the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) run by the Secretary of State. YALI would fund a six-week U.S. Leadership Institute and an annual Fellowship Summit. It would also support regional training centers, online and in-person courses, and alumni programs in sub‑Saharan Africa. The bill would support Mandela Washington Fellows ages 25 to 35 and require the State Department to publish eligibility and selection rules. U.S. citizens could take part in reciprocal exchanges with alumni if the Secretary of State approves. The Secretary must send an implementation plan to Congress within 180 days and then publish a report one year after enactment and annually for four years; the first report must assess expanding YALI to Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt. All YALI authorities in this section would expire five years after enactment.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]

MD • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Rounds, Mike [R-SD]

    SD • R

    Sponsored 7/10/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
Back to Legislation