Sponsors
The bill gives the U.S. new, fast diplomatic and economic tools plus oversight mechanisms to pressure foreign states to allow humanitarian access for Palestinians while explicitly protecting Israel, but it provides no funding or direct relief, concentrates executive power with limited transparency, and risks diplomatic, humanitarian, legal, and economic blowback.
Displaced Palestinians (including Gaza civilians) would have greater prospects for humanitarian entry or evacuation if foreign states cooperate, because the bill creates diplomatic and economic pressure tools aimed at opening routes for relief.
Congress and U.S. policymakers receive recurring unclassified lists of foreign officials who refused humanitarian entry and notifications about suspensions, improving congressional oversight and transparency over foreign obstruction of access.
The bill authorizes targeted diplomatic/economic tools — visa ineligibility/cancellations, blocking property under IEEPA, and suspension of aid — giving the U.S. swift leverage to deter foreign obstruction without new direct U.S. spending.
The bill does not create programs, timelines, or funding for evacuation or relief, so it is unlikely to produce immediate humanitarian assistance for displaced Palestinians.
Imposing visa bans, economic sanctions, or withholding aid risks diplomatic backlash or retaliation from targeted countries, which could reduce cooperation on U.S. priorities and harm regional stability.
Withholding U.S. aid from countries that obstruct access could worsen humanitarian and health conditions for civilians who rely on U.S.-funded programs in those countries.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Authorizes sanctions, visa bans, and suspension of U.S. foreign assistance for officials and governments that refuse U.S. requests to admit Palestinians from Gaza, excluding Israel.
Introduced February 7, 2025 by Andy Ogles · Last progress February 7, 2025
Imposes new U.S. penalties on foreign officials and governments that decline a presidential request to allow humanitarian entry for Palestinians from Gaza (Israel and Israeli nationals are excluded). It requires an initial unclassified list of foreign persons who refused such requests within 60 days of enactment, regular updates, and authorizes the President to impose economic sanctions, visa bans and revocations, and to suspend major-non-NATO-ally status or any U.S. foreign assistance to offending countries. Sanctions authority sunsets five years after enactment and the President may waive or terminate measures in individual cases. The measure creates reporting and timing requirements for lists and classified waiver reports, applies criminal and civil penalties for violating sanctions regulations, and exempts certain intelligence, law-enforcement, and reporting activities. It does not appropriate funds, create new programs, or apply to Israel or Israeli nationals.