Foreign Assistance Act Explained

Shorttitle:Foreign Assistance Act (1961)
Longtitle:An Act to promote the foreign policy, security, and general welfare of the United States by assisting peoples of the world in their efforts toward economic and social development and internal and external security, and for other purposes.
Nickname:Foreign Assistance Act of 1961
Enacted By:87th
Effective Date:September 4, 1961
Public Law Url:http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/STATUTE-75/pdf/STATUTE-75-Pg424-2.pdf
Cite Public Law:87-195
Title Amended:22 U.S.C.: Foreign Relations and Intercourse
Sections Created: § 2151
Introducedin:Senate
Introducedby:James W. Fulbright (D-AR)
Introduceddate:May 26, 1961
Committees:Senate Foreign Relations, House Foreign Affairs
Passedbody1:Senate
Passeddate1:August 18, 1961
Passedvote1:66–24
Passedbody2:House
Passeddate2:August 18, 1961
Passedvote2:287-140, in lieu of
Conferencedate:August 31, 1961
Passedbody3:Senate
Passeddate3:August 31, 1961
Passedvote3:69–24
Passedbody4:House
Passeddate4:August 31, 1961
Passedvote4:260–132
Signedpresident:John F. Kennedy
Signeddate:September 4, 1961
Amendments:Foreign Assistance Act of 1974
Global Food Security Act of 2016

The Foreign Assistance Act (et seq.) is a United States law governing foreign aid policy.[1] It outlined the political and ideological principles of U.S. foreign aid, significantly overhauled and reorganized the structure of U.S. foreign assistance programs, legally distinguished military from nonmilitary aid, and created a new agency, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to administer nonmilitary economic assistance programs. Following its enactment by Congress on September 4, 1961, President John F. Kennedy signed the Act into law on November 3, 1961, issuing Executive Order 10973 detailing the reorganization.[2]

Synopsis

USAID unified already existing U.S. aid efforts, combining the economic and technical assistance operations of the International Cooperation Administration, the loan activities of the Development Loan Fund, the local currency functions of the Export-Import Bank, and the agricultural surplus distribution activities of the Food for Peace program of the Department of Agriculture.

The Act provides that no assistance is to be provided to a government which "engages in a consistent pattern of gross violations of internationally recognized human rights, including torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, prolonged detention without charges, causing the disappearance of persons by the abduction and clandestine detention of those persons, or other flagrant denial of the right to life, liberty, and the security of person, unless such assistance will directly benefit the needy people in such country."[3]

The Act also provides that no assistance is to be provided to any Communist country. However, the President may waive this prohibition if he determines that such assistance is vital to the national security of the United States, that the country is not controlled by the international Communist conspiracy, and that the assistance will promote the country's independence from international Communism. The President may also remove a country from the application of this provision for a certain time which the President determines. In order to remove a country from the application of this provision, the President must determine and report to Congress that such action is important to the national security of the United States.

The Act was amended in 2004 specific to the treatment of orphans and other vulnerable children. This amendment allows the president to provide aid to the peoples of other countries to look after children in cases of HIV/AIDS and to set up schools and other programs for the advancement of child treatment.[4]

Under the authority of this Act on March 16, 2022, President Joe Biden authorized $800 million in new security assistance to Ukraine.[5] [6]

On December 14, 2023, Senator Bernie Sanders introduced a privileged resolution invoking Section 502(b) of the Foreign Assistance Act,[7] calling on the State Department to investigate Israeli crimes against humanity in its conduct of the war in Gaza.[8] The resolution would freeze U.S. military aid to Israel unless the State Department issues a report within 30 days.[9] The proposal was defeated, 72 to 11.[10] In March 2024, Sanders, along with seven other U.S. senators, warned President Biden that arming Israel was a violation of the Foreign Assistance Act, which bars the U.S. from arming countries that limit humanitarian aid.[11]

Excess Defense Articles

Section § 2403 of Title 22 U.S. Code defines "Excess Defense Articles" (EDA).[12] The EDA Program is administered by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA). Excess defense articles are DoD and U.S. Coast Guard-owned articles no longer needed and declared excess by the U.S. Armed Forces. This excess equipment may be offered at reduced or no cost to eligible foreign recipients on an “as is, where is” basis in support of U.S. national security and foreign policy objectives.

Section 516(b)(1)(e) of the Foreign Assistance Act states that EDA transfers shall not adversely impact the U.S. national technology and industrial base, nor reduce the opportunities of U.S. industry to sell new or used equipment to the proposed recipient. In accordance with Executive Order 12163, as amended, the Director of DSCA makes the determination on the impact to industry.[13]

Authority to transfer excess defense articles is the subject of Title 22 §2321j.[14]

The EDA program has a useful database tool.[15] It is run through the Department of State's Office of Regional Security and Arms Transfers.[16] In 1993 the governments of Israel, Egypt, Turkey, Greece, Portugal, Morocco, and Oman and five North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries benefited from this program.[17]

Amendments to 1961 Act

Chronological timeline of amendments and revisions to the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.

Date of EnactmentPublic Law NumberU.S. Statute CitationU.S. Legislative BillU.S. Presidential Administration
August 1, 1962John F. Kennedy
December 16, 1963Lyndon B. Johnson
October 7, 1964Lyndon B. Johnson
September 6, 1965Lyndon B. Johnson
March 18, 1966Lyndon B. Johnson
September 19, 1966Lyndon B. Johnson
November 14, 1967Lyndon B. Johnson
October 8, 1968Lyndon B. Johnson
January 5, 1971Richard M. Nixon
December 30, 1974Gerald R. Ford
June 30, 1976Gerald R. Ford
September 8, 2017Donald Trump

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://www.foreign.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Foreign%20Assistance%20Act%20Of%201961.pdf FOREIGN ASSISTANCE ACT OF 1961
  2. http://www.thecre.com/fedlaw/legal20/eo10973.htm Executive Order 10973, 3 November 1961, Administration of Foreign Assistance and Related Functions
  3. Web site: 22 U.S. Code § 2304 - Human rights and security assistance. Legal Information Institute. 12 March 2015.
  4. Web site: United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 2003 ~ P.L. 108-25 . May 27, 2003 . 117 Stat. 711 ~ House Bill 1298 . U.S. Government Printing Office.
  5. Web site: Biden announces new security assistance for Ukraine but stops short of Zelenskyy's full request . 2022-03-16 . www.cbsnews.com . 16 March 2022 . en-US.
  6. Web site: 2022-03-16 . Fact Sheet on U.S. Security Assistance for Ukraine . 2022-03-16 . The White House . en-US.
  7. Web site: Chappell . John Ramming . El-Tayyab . Hassan . Senator Sanders' New Resolution Could Force U.S. to Confront Any Complicity in Civilian Harm in Gaza . Just Security . December 18, 2023 .
  8. News: Senate Rejects Israel Human Rights Measure, but Skepticism on Aid Persists . The New York Times . January 16, 2024.
  9. News: Sanders to force vote on potentially freezing military aid to Israel . The Hill . January 16, 2024.
  10. News: Senate Kills Measure to Scrutinize Israeli Human Rights Record as Condition for Aid . The Intercept . January 16, 2024.
  11. News: Jimison . Robert . Senators Urge Biden to Stop Arming Israel, Citing Violation of U.S. Aid Law . The New York Times . 12 March 2024 .
  12. News: 22 U.S. Code § 2403 - Definitions .
  13. News: Excess Defense Articles Program .
  14. News: Result .
  15. News: Excess Defense Articles (EDA) | Defense Security Cooperation Agency .
  16. News: Key Topics – Office of Regional Security and Arms Transfers .
  17. News: Security Assistance: Excess Defense Articles for Foreign Countries | U.S. GAO .