II 109th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 3690 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES July 19, 2006 Ms. Stabenow introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations A BILL To authorize the Secretary of State to pay the costs of evacuating nationals of the United States from the Middle East in response to the hostilities between Israel and its neighbors that began in July 2006, and to require, except in limited circumstances, the reimbursement of such costs.

1.

Payment of costs associated with the evacuation of United States nationals from Lebanon

(a)

Authority

(1)

In general

The Secretary of State is authorized to make expenditures under section 4 of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2671) to cover the costs of evacuating nationals of the United States from the Middle East in response to the hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah that began in July 2006. (2)

Scope

The authority under paragraph (1) is not subject to the requirement under section 4(a)(1) of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2671(a)(1)) that an emergency arise in the diplomatic and consular service or the requirement under section 4(b)(1)(A) of such Act (22 U.S.C. 2671(a)(1)) that expenditures serve to further the realization of foreign policy objectives. (b)

Reimbursement

The Secretary shall, in accordance with section 4(b)(2)(A)(ii) of such Act (22 U.S.C. 2671(b)(2)(A)(ii)), seek reimbursement for expenditures under subsection (a)(1) of this section for the evacuation of private United States citizens or third-country nationals, except that the Secretary may waive such reimbursement requirement— (1)in the case of any evacuated person for whom the imposition of such requirement would result in undue financial hardship; and (2)in the case of any person who is unable to obtain reimbursement or credit from an air carrier for the unused portion of a round-trip commercial air fare or to otherwise reuse such air fare. (c)

Availability of funds

Amounts available pursuant to section 4(a)(1) of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2671(a)(1)) for unforseen emergencies arising in the diplomatic and consular service shall be available for expenditures made under this section.