Sponsors (12)
Introduced February 12, 2025 by Stephen F. Lynch · Last progress February 12, 2025
The bill quickly restarts U.S. demining and small-arms destruction programs to improve safety abroad and restore humanitarian partnerships, but does so at a fiscal cost and with potential geopolitical/legal risks from waiving prior restrictions.
Residents of conflict-affected communities (including rural populations) will have demining and unexploded ordnance (UXO) clearance resume quickly, reducing immediate risk of injury and death.
Local communities and governments in recipient countries will see small-arms destruction programs restart, lowering the availability of weapons and reducing violence, which improves public safety in those areas.
U.S. humanitarian assistance partnerships and demining program momentum with state and local partners will be restored, supporting reconstruction, stabilization, and longer-term cooperation.
Taxpayers and the State Department may face additional costs or need to reallocate resources to restart these programs, imposing fiscal trade‑offs or crowding out other priorities.
Issuing a waiver to permit assistance to countries previously restricted could accelerate U.S. support in sensitive contexts, raising geopolitical and legal concerns that may carry reputational or policy risks for the United States and its taxpayers.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires the Secretary of State to issue a waiver under EO 14169 to immediately resume all State Department demining, UXO clearance, and small arms destruction programs.
Requires the Secretary of State to issue a waiver under section 3(e) of Executive Order 14169 so the Department of State can immediately resume all programs, projects, and activities related to demining, clearance of unexploded ordnance (UXO), and destruction of small arms. The waiver must be issued as soon as practicable after the law takes effect, enabling humanitarian clearance and related activities to restart without new legislation or appropriations.