Foreign Assistance Authorization Act, FY2005 (CRS Report for Congress)
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| Release Date |
March 16, 2004 |
| Report Number |
RL31959 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Larry Nowels, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
Summary:
Congress last enacted a broad foreign assistance authorization act in 1985. In the absence of
omnibus foreign aid measures, the majority of foreign assistance legislation has been enacted as part
of annual Foreign Operations appropriation measures. Division B of S. 2144 -- Foreign
Assistance Authorization for FY2005 -- is an effort to "reinforce" the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee's role in foreign aid policy making. It is not an attempt to comprehensively review and
re-write existing foreign aid legislation, but rather it is a first step in providing necessary
authorization for program appropriations in FY2005 and updating selected legislative provisions to
reflect current policy. Committee Chairman Lugar said that it was his intent to launch a more
ambitious effort later that would revamp the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and other long-standing
foreign aid laws. The Committee reported and the Senate debated similar legislation last year --
S. 1161 , later merged into S. 925 -- authorizing foreign aid programs for
FY2004. The bill remains pending in the Senate, but is unlikely to receive further consideration.
Division B of S. 2144 is divided into five titles. Title XXI includes FY2005
authorizations of appropriations. Title XXII updates and amends several existing foreign aid
authorities, some of which have been annually extended in appropriation acts. Title XXIII is the
Radiological Terrorism Security Act of 2004. Title XXIV is the Global Pathogen Surveillance Act
of 2004. Title XXV consists of several provisions, some of which address Africa and Latin America
issues, including additional aid for Haiti.
The legislation authorizes the appropriation of about $16.9 billion for 22 foreign assistance
programs, closely matching the account structure of the annual Foreign Operations appropriations
for bilateral economic and military aid. The amounts authorized are nearly identical to levels
requested by the Administration for FY2005, although the bill would increase spending for
HIV/AIDS, development aid, assistance to the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, and
nonproliferation programs, while reducing amounts for the Millennium Challenge Account.
S. 2144 addresses the threat posed by terrorist use of radiological dispersal devices,
or RDDs. The legislation requires the Secretary of State to prepare and submit to Congress reports
assessing the threat of a radiological attack on U.S. missions. The bill further authorizes the
Secretary to aid foreign countries, or propose that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
develop programs, helping foreign first responders identify and address threats posed by radioactive
materials.
The legislation also includes the Global Pathogen Surveillance Act, authorizing $35 million
for FY2005 to enhance the capability of developing nations to detect, identify, and contain infectious
disease outbreaks, whether naturally occurring or the result of a bioterrorist attack. The measure
includes several provisions that are intended to support and strengthen the disease surveillance
capabilities of developing nations. Additionally, it would permit the expansion of Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention facilities overseas to further the goals of global disease monitoring.
This report will be updated as Congress considers the legislation.
