Sec. 232. Humanitarian assistance to countries affected by the COVID–19 pandemic
765 words·~3 min read·
/bill/116/s/3669/is/section-232A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
It shall be the policy of the United States to— ensure that international assistance, including United States assistance, to address the COVID–19 pandemic reaches all vulnerable populations, including racial and religious minorities, refugees, internally displaced persons, migrants, and stateless persons; ensure that United States assistance addresses the second order effects of the COVID–19 pandemic, including specifically ensuring that such assistance meets the needs of those facing starvation and acute food insecurity as a result of the pandemic; and protect and support humanitarian actors who are essential workers in preventing, mitigating and responding to the spread of COVID–19 among the marginalized and vulnerable groups described in paragraph (1), and ensure such humanitarian actors are exempted from inappropriate and unreasonable travel restrictions to ensure they can effectively undertake life-saving assistance.
The Secretary of State, in coordination with the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, shall carry out actions that accomplish the policies set forth in subsection (a), including the following actions: Prescribing as appropriate, with due consideration for the safety and security of implementing partners and beneficiaries, the use of logos or other insignia of the United States Agency for International Development or the Department of State identity to appropriately identify overseas programs under this Act administered by the United States Agency for International Development and the Department of State.
Taking steps to ensure that travel restrictions implemented to help contain the spread of COVID–19 are not applied to individuals authorized by the United States Government to travel to or reside in a designated country to provide assistance related to or otherwise impacted by the COVID–19 outbreak. Approving the usage of foreign assistance funding for the procurement of personal protective equipment by United States Government implementing partners from businesses within or nearby the country receiving foreign assistance on an urgent basis and in a manner consistent with efforts to respond to the spread of COVID–19 in the United States.
Waiving certain travel restrictions implemented to help contain the spread of COVID–19 in order to facilitate the medical evacuation of United States Government implementing partners, regardless of nationality. Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that assesses the global humanitarian response and outlines specific elements of the United States Government’s efforts.
The report required under paragraph
(1)shall include the following elements: A description of humanitarian and health-worker access to crisis-affected areas, including— restrictions on the arrival of humanitarian workers from abroad into the country; restrictions on the travel within the country of humanitarian workers to reach their areas of operation where populations of concern reside; access to medical evacuation in the event of a health emergency; and access to personal protective equipment for United States Government implementing partners. An analysis and description of countries that have expressly prevented vulnerable populations from accessing necessary assistance related to COVID–19, including— their omission from national response plans; laws, policies, or practices that restrict or preclude treatment at public hospitals and health facilities; and exclusion or discrimination in law, policy, or practice that prevents equal access to food, shelter, and other basic assistance. A description of United States Government efforts to facilitate greater humanitarian access, including— advocacy and diplomatic efforts with relevant foreign governments and multilateral institutions to ensure that vulnerable populations are included in national response plans and other relevant plans developed in response to the COVID–19 pandemic; and advocacy and diplomatic efforts with relevant foreign governments to ensure that relevant travel exemptions are issued for humanitarian and health workers responding to the COVID–19 pandemic. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, and consistent with the authorities of section 491 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 ( 22 U.S.C. 2292 ), there is authorized to be appropriated to the President $4,400,000,000 in additional funding for fiscal year 2020, in addition to funds otherwise appropriated or made available for such purpose to provide assistance to meet the urgent humanitarian needs of countries directly affected by or at imminent risk of being affected by the outbreak of COVID–19, especially to communities hosting significant numbers displaced persons and other vulnerable groups, in accordance with established international humanitarian principles. The Secretary of State and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development shall ensure that all strategies, programs, and activities undertaken pursuant to this subsection are shaped by a gender analysis as defined by the Women’s Entrepreneurship and Economic Empowerment Act of 2019 ( Public Law 115–428 ).
Connectionstraces to 2
Traces to 2 documents
U.S. Code
Citation graph
cites case law
Sec. 232
Humanitarian assistance to countries affected by the COVID–19 pandemic
Cites 2Cited by 0 across 0 sources