[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4142 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4142

To prohibit United States foreign assistance to countries that restrict 
 the transport or delivery of United States humanitarian assistance to 
                            other countries.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 24, 1994

Mr. Lehman (for himself, Mr. Berman, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Mr. Frank 
 of Massachusetts, Mr. Moorhead, Mr. Pallone, Mr. Bilbray, Mr. Torres, 
 Mr. Andrews of New Jersey, Mr. Bonior, Mr. Kennedy, Mrs. Roukema, Mr. 
   Klein, and Mr. Menendez) introduced the following bill; which was 
              referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To prohibit United States foreign assistance to countries that restrict 
 the transport or delivery of United States humanitarian assistance to 
                            other countries.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Humanitarian Aid Corridor Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) The United States is entering a new era in foreign 
        assistance wherein the Federal budget deficit and spending 
        constraints require the maximum usage of each foreign aid 
        dollar.
            (2) The delivery of humanitarian assistance to people in 
        need is consistent with the fundamental values of our Nation 
        and its people and is a vital component of United States 
        foreign policy.
            (3) As a matter of principle and in furtherance of fiscal 
        prudence, the United States must seek to promote the delivery 
        of humanitarian assistance to people in need in a manner that 
        is both timely and cost effective.
            (4) As a matter of United States policy in the allocation 
        of United States foreign assistance or other benefits, 
        countries that are themselves the recipients of such foreign 
        assistance should be expected to act in a manner that neither 
        hinders nor delays the efficient transport or delivery of 
        United States humanitarian assistance to other countries.

SEC. 3. PROHIBITION ON FOREIGN ASSISTANCE TO COUNTRIES THAT RESTRICT 
              THE TRANSPORT OR DELIVERY OF UNITED STATES HUMANITARIAN 
              ASSISTANCE TO OTHER COUNTRIES.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, funds 
appropriated or otherwise made available for foreign assistance 
programs for a fiscal year may not be used to provide assistance or 
other benefits to any country for that portion of such fiscal year 
during which the government of such country prohibits or otherwise 
restricts the transport or delivery of United States humanitarian 
assistance to any other country.
    (b) Exceptions.--(1) The prohibition on assistance contained in 
subsection (a) shall not apply with respect to a country for a fiscal 
year if the President determines that providing such assistance--
            (A) is in the national interest of the United States; or
            (B) will, subject to paragraph (2), benefit directly non-
        military personnel, including refugees, who are in immediate 
        risk of danger resulting from a natural or man-made disaster.
    (2) Assistance provided under paragraph (1)(B)--
            (A) shall be in the form of humanitarian assistance; and
            (B) shall be distributed directly to non-military personnel 
        or distributed to such personnel through international relief 
        organizations.
    (c) Notification of Congress.--The President shall notify the 
Congress of any determination made under subparagraph (A) or (B) of 
subsection (b)(1) to provide assistance to a country 15 days before 
providing such assistance to such country.

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