[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 20 (Thursday, January 31, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S813-S814]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 95. Mr. MERKLEY (for himself, Mr. Coons, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Van 
Hollen, and Ms. Cortez Masto) submitted an amendment intended to be 
proposed by him to the bill S. 1, to make improvements to certain 
defense and security assistance provisions and to authorize the 
appropriation of funds to Israel, to reauthorize the United States-
Jordan Defense Cooperation Act of 2015, and to halt the wholesale 
slaughter of the Syrian people, and for other purposes; which was 
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end, add the following:

                      TITLE V--GENERAL PROVISIONS

     SEC. 501. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON UNITED STATES BILATERAL 
                   ASSISTANCE TO THE WEST BANK AND GAZA.

       (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) The dire health and economic conditions facing the 
     Palestinian people has created a humanitarian crisis in the 
     West Bank and Gaza. The United States has long been a leader 
     in helping address the plight of innocent civilians.
       (2) These fragile conditions could contribute to 
     circumstances that would undermine Israel's security and 
     stability in the region.
       (3) The Department of State has failed to obligate any of 
     the funds Congress appropriated in fiscal year 2017 and 
     fiscal year 2018, $302,750,000 and $257,500,000, 
     respectively, for bilateral assistance to the West Bank and 
     Gaza.
       (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) the Executive branch should expend during fiscal year 
     2019 for bilateral assistance to the West Bank and Gaza--
       (A) $196,500,000 for the Economic Support Fund;
       (B) $60,000,000 for International Narcotics Control and Law 
     Enforcement; and
       (C) $1,000,000 for Nonproliferation, Anti-Terrorism, 
     Demining and Related Programs; and

[[Page S814]]

       (2) this funding is focused primarily on providing food, 
     medical care, and other humanitarian goods and services and 
     these expenditures must be consistent with the restrictions 
     outlined in the Taylor Force Act (title X of division S of 
     Public Law 115-141) and shall only be provided through 
     nongovernmental organizations and shall not directly benefit 
     the Palestinian Authority.
                                 ______