Sponsors (6)
The bill shifts decision-making over certain Middle East assistance from the President to Congress, improving legislative oversight but risking slower U.S. responses and reduced capacity to support regional stability.
Taxpayers: Congress reclaims a long-standing delegated authority over certain Middle East assistance decisions, reducing automatic executive use of that statute and prompting more deliberate, case-by-case congressional review.
Taxpayers and middle-class families: The change may reduce the U.S. capacity to fund economic programs that promote regional stability, raising long-term risks and potential costs to U.S. interests and households.
Taxpayers: The shift of authority to Congress could constrain the President's ability to provide diplomatic or economic assistance quickly to Middle Eastern partners, slowing U.S. responses to crises that may require urgent action.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Removes a Cold War–era statutory authorization (Public Law 85–7) that allowed the President to assist Middle Eastern nations' economic development.
Official title: To repeal the joint resolution entitled "A joint resolution to promote peace and stability in the Middle East".
Introduced April 22, 2026 by Tom Barrett · Last progress April 22, 2026
Repeals a Cold War–era joint resolution (Public Law 85–7) that gave the President statutory authority to cooperate with and help Middle Eastern nations build economic strength and maintain independence. The bill removes that specific statutory authorization from the U.S. Code. The change narrows the legal basis for certain U.S. economic-cooperation activities in the Middle East by eliminating a longstanding authorization; it does not itself create new programs, appropriate funds, or specify replacement authorities.