FOREIGN ASSISTANCE: Reporting of Defense Articles and Services Provided through Drawdowns Needs to Be Improved
Abstract
The Congress has long recognized the need for the President to have flexibility in the foreign policy area. This is reflected in sections 506 and 552 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended. In addition, the Congress has occasionally authorized the President to initiate drawdowns for specific purposes in foreign operations appropriations acts. Section 506(a)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act authorizes the President to "drawdown" defense articles, services, and military education and training from DOD and the military services' inventories and provide such articles and services to foreign countries or international organizations. Before exercising this authority, the President must report to the Congress that an unforeseen emergency exists requiring immediate military assistance that cannot be met under any other law. Section 506(a)(2) of the Foreign Assistance Act authorizes the President to drawdown articles and services from the inventory and resources of any U.S. government agency and provide them to foreign countries or international organizations in a number of nonemergency situations. As above, before exercising this authority, the President must first report to the Congress that any such drawdown is in the national interests of the United States. This special authority is broad in scope, allowing the President to use drawdowns to assist with counter narcotics efforts, provide international disaster assistance and migration and refugee assistance, aid prisoner-of-war and missing-in-action efforts in Southeast Asia, supplement peacekeeping missions, and support mid- to long-term national interests in nonemergency situations.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2002
- Accession Number
- AD1177592
Entities
People
- Albert Huntington