Sponsors (67)
The bill preserves USAID's independence and continuity of U.S. development assistance — strengthening congressional control and U.S. soft power — at the cost of constraining executive flexibility, potentially foregoing efficiency savings and imposing modest administrative burdens.
State governments, U.S. foreign policy partners, and U.S. national security: USAID is preserved as an independent establishment, keeping the organizational capacity to deliver development assistance and sustain U.S. soft power.
U.S. taxpayers and beneficiaries of U.S. development programs abroad: the bill helps maintain continuity of foreign assistance programs so beneficiaries face fewer sudden disruptions and U.S. programs retain credibility.
Congress and the American public: the bill affirms congressional prerogative by stating only Congress can eliminate USAID as an independent establishment, preserving legislative control over the agency's existence.
Federal agencies, state partners, and taxpayers: the bill limits executive-branch flexibility to reorganize foreign assistance functions, constraining efforts to streamline, consolidate, or adapt structures to new priorities.
Taxpayers and federal operations: protecting USAID's independent status could prevent administrative consolidations that would realize cost savings, reducing opportunities to lower overhead.
U.S. taxpayers: the emphasis on preventing competitors from filling gaps may bias policy toward sustaining or expanding foreign programs, which could sustain or increase U.S. spending abroad.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Prohibits using appropriated funds to eliminate USAID's independent-establishment status and requires the Secretary of State to certify compliance to congressional foreign-relations committees within 30 days and annually for five years.
Introduced February 11, 2025 by Sara Jacobs · Last progress February 11, 2025
Prohibits use of federal appropriations to eliminate the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) as an independent establishment and requires the Secretary of State to certify to the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that no funds have been used for that purpose within 30 days of enactment and annually for five years. The provision restates and preserves existing statutory language that protects USAID's independent status, does not itself change the underlying law, and does not authorize dismantlement of the agency.