[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 854 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 854


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 26, 2019

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
To provide humanitarian assistance to the Venezuelan people, including 
    Venezuelan migrants and refugees in the Americas and for other 
                               purposes.

    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 Assistance to the 
Venezuelan People Act of 2019''.

SEC. 2. REPORT ON THE COORDINATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF HUMANITARIAN 
              ASSISTANCE TO THE PEOPLE OF VENEZUELA INCLUDING STRATEGY 
              ON FUTURE EFFORTS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the 
Administrator of the United States Agency for International 
Development, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a 
report outlining the coordination of humanitarian assistance to the 
people of Venezuela, both in Venezuela and throughout the Western 
Hemisphere, with nongovernmental organizations and international 
organizations operating in Venezuela or countries in the region to 
alleviate the suffering of the Venezuelan people.
    (b) Matters to Be Included.--The report required under subsection 
(a) shall include the following:
            (1) A description of how and under what circumstances the 
        following humanitarian assistance has been provided:
                    (A) Public health commodities for Venezuelan health 
                facilities and services, including medicines on the 
                World Health Organization's List of Essential 
                Medicines, and basic medical supplies and equipment.
                    (B) Basic food commodities and nutritional 
                supplements needed to address growing malnutrition and 
                improve food security for the people of Venezuela, with 
                a specific emphasis on the most vulnerable populations.
                    (C) Technical assistance to ensure health and food 
                commodities are appropriately selected, procured, and 
                distributed, predominantly through local 
                nongovernmental organizations.
            (2) An identification of United States Agency for 
        International Development and Department of State best 
        practices in delivering humanitarian assistance, particularly 
        with regard to food assistance, and how such best practices are 
        being utilized in providing humanitarian assistance to 
        Venezuela and countries in the region.
            (3) A description of current and anticipated challenges to 
        distributing humanitarian assistance in Venezuela and countries 
        hosting Venezuelan migrants.
            (4) A description of efforts to ensure that humanitarian 
        and development assistance for Venezuelans is coordinated with 
        other United States bilateral assistance in the Western 
        Hemisphere and does not result in duplication or omission of 
        such other bilateral assistance.
            (5) A description of how the pre-positioning and 
        distribution of humanitarian assistance is being monitored and 
        evaluated, the number of beneficiaries reached, an assessment 
        of how humanitarian and development assistance is benefitting 
        Venezuelan migrants inside and outside of the country, and what 
        additional staff may be necessary to manage such assistance.
            (6) A strategy for future efforts to provide humanitarian 
        assistance to the people of Venezuela that includes a 
        description of future efforts regarding the matters described 
        in paragraphs (1) through (5).

SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF CONGRESS.

    Congress strongly condemns all violent actions by the Maduro regime 
and Venezuela's security forces to block and divert humanitarian 
assistance from entering Venezuela.

SEC. 4. COMPTROLLER GENERAL REPORT ON UNITED STATES EFFORTS TO PROVIDE 
              HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO THE PEOPLE OF VENEZUELA.

    Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to 
appropriate congressional committees a report assessing the impact of 
United States humanitarian assistance on the people of Venezuela, both 
in Venezuela and throughout the Western Hemisphere, including the total 
number of beneficiaries reached.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO 
              THE PEOPLE OF VENEZUELA.

    (a) In General.--The President is authorized to provide 
humanitarian assistance to support the people of Venezuela, both in 
Venezuela and throughout the Western Hemisphere, in accordance with 
established international humanitarian principles.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that not less 
than $150,000,000 is necessary for each of fiscal years 2020 and 2021 
to carry out this section.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the President such sums as may be necessary for each of 
fiscal years 2020 and 2021 to carry out this section.

SEC. 6. DEFINITION.

    In this Act:
            (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
        ``appropriate congressional committees'' means the following:
                    (A) The Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
                of Representatives.
                    (B) The Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
                Representatives.
                    (C) The Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
                Senate.
                    (D) The Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.
            (2) Venezuelan security forces.--The term ``Venezuelan 
        security forces'' includes the following:
                    (A) The Bolivarian National Armed Forces, including 
                the Bolivarian National Guard.
                    (B) The Bolivarian National Intelligence Service.
                    (C) The Bolivarian National Police.
                    (D) The Bureau for Scientific, Criminal and 
                Forensic Investigations of the Ministry of Interior, 
                Justice, and Peace.

            Passed the House of Representatives March 25, 2019.

            Attest:

                                             CHERYL L. JOHNSON,

                                                                 Clerk.