Sponsors (19)
The bill increases U.S. transparency, oversight, and control over funding to certain UN refugee and migration agencies and could save or recover taxpayer funds, but does so by restricting contributions in ways that risk reducing humanitarian assistance, straining international partnerships, and creating service gaps for vulnerable refugees.
Taxpayers and Congress gain much greater transparency about U.S. funding to IOM, UNHCR, and UNRWA for FY2021–2025, including program-level amounts.
Congress and oversight bodies receive an independent GAO audit of the State Department's Refugee Travel Loan Program, which can identify mismanagement and improve program integrity.
GAO is required to identify program restrictions and assess any funds that should be repaid, creating a pathway to recover misspent funds and reduce waste.
Refugees and displaced persons may receive less U.S.-funded assistance from IOM and UNHCR and operations could be disrupted, reducing access to critical humanitarian services.
Palestine refugees assisted by UNRWA would lose U.S. financial support, potentially worsening access to education, health, and other humanitarian services for that population.
Cutting or conditioning funding could weaken U.S. diplomatic influence and coordination on refugee and migration issues and strain partnerships with international organizations and NGOs.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Bars federal contributions to IOM, UNHCR, and UNRWA and requires a GAO study/audit of related federal funding and the Refugee Travel Loan Program, with a report in 180 days.
Introduced March 3, 2025 by Lance Gooden · Last progress March 3, 2025
Prohibits the federal government from making any contributions to three United Nations agencies: the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). It also directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to complete a study and an audit identifying all federal grants or loans to those three agencies, listing nongovernmental organizations that received such funding, reporting amounts provided for fiscal years 2021–2025, assessing any repayment owed, and auditing the State Department’s Refugee Travel Loan Program. GAO must report its findings to Congress within 180 days of enactment.