April 11, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 63 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Pages S2445-S2446]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE RESOLUTION 171--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING 
 RESTORING UNITED STATES BILATERAL ASSISTANCE TO THE WEST BANK AND GAZA

  Mr. MERKLEY (for himself, Mr. Coons, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Van Hollen, Ms. 
Cortez Masto, and Mrs. Feinstein) submitted the following resolution; 
which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 171

       Whereas 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;
       Whereas these fragile conditions could contribute to 
     circumstances that would undermine Israel's security and 
     stability in the region;
       Whereas the Palestinian Authority's interpretation of the 
     Anti-Terrorism Clarification Act (Public Law 115-253), which 
     sought to help United States victims of terrorism abroad, led 
     the Palestinian Authority to reject all forms of United 
     States assistance, meaning that funding for organizations 
     implementing humanitarian aid programs that provide critical 
     services, such as health care and sanitation to civilians, 
     cannot be carried out; and
       Whereas 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: Now, therefore, be it

[[Page S2446]]

       Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
       (1) the Executive branch should expend before the end of 
     fiscal year 2019 all bilateral assistance to the West Bank 
     and Gaza that Congress appropriated for such assistance in 
     fiscal year 2018, including --
       (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;
       (2) programs and activities funded by the Economic Support 
     Fund as described above are focused primarily on providing 
     food, essential health services, and other humanitarian goods 
     and services, and these expenditures must be consistent with 
     the restrictions and exceptions provided in the Taylor Force 
     Act (title X of division S of Public Law 115-141); and
       (3) legislation should be enacted to clarify that programs 
     and activities funded through the Economic Support Fund and 
     that are consistent with the Taylor Force Act (title X of 
     division S of Public Law 115-141) may not be used as a basis 
     to assert jurisdiction over the Palestinian Authority 
     pursuant to the Anti-Terrorism Clarification Act.

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