STAND Act: Withhold Disaster Aid

Summary#

This bill would block the Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) from obligating or spending federal funds for bilateral, multilateral, or humanitarian non-defense foreign assistance for 60 days after the date of a disaster for which the President issues a disaster declaration under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. The bill allows the prohibition to be waived only if Congress enacts a joint resolution providing for the waiver after the act becomes law. The bill was introduced in the House on January 15, 2025, by Representative W. Steube and referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

What it means for you#

• If you work at the Department of State or USAID, the bill would bar obligating or spending funds for the covered types of foreign assistance during the 60-day period after a presidential Stafford Act disaster declaration.
• If you live in or work with a foreign country that would receive U.S. bilateral, multilateral, or humanitarian non-defense aid, funding could be paused for those 60 days unless Congress passes a waiver.
• For other individuals and programs, the bill text does not describe direct changes.

Expenses#

No publicly available information on budgetary effects, cost estimates, or implementation costs is included in the provided material.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information on proponents' stated reasons or detailed supporting statements appears in the provided material. The bill was sponsored by Representative W. Steube.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information on opponents' stated reasons or detailed objections appears in the provided material.