H.R. 7649

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7649 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7649

To ensure that persons found responsible for the unauthorized diversion 
or destruction of United States humanitarian assistance are liable to 
the United States, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 23, 2026

Mr. McCormick introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To ensure that persons found responsible for the unauthorized diversion 
or destruction of United States humanitarian assistance are liable to 
the United States, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Humanitarian Theft Enforcement 
Act''.

SEC. 2. HUMANITARIAN THEFT ENFORCEMENT.

(a) Liability.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law or 
regulation, any foreign person or entity the Secretary of State 
determines is responsible for the unauthorized diversion or destruction 
of United States humanitarian assistance, including humanitarian 
assistance funded by the United States that is provided by an 
international organization, is liable to the United States for the 
value of the assistance the Secretary determines was so diverted or 
destroyed.
(b) Recovery.--Upon determining that a foreign person or entity is 
responsible for the unauthorized diversion or destruction of assistance 
in the manner described in subsection (a), the Secretary of State 
should take appropriate steps to recover the value of such assistance 
from the foreign person or entity.
(c) Crediting of Funds.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
law, any funds received by the Secretary of State pursuant to a 
determination under this section may be credited to an appropriate 
account of the Department of State and shall remain available until 
expended. The Secretary of State may transfer such funds to an 
appropriate account of another Federal department or agency if the 
diverted or destroyed assistance was funded by such agency.
(d) Waiver.--The Secretary of State may waive any liability 
incurred pursuant to subsection (a) if the Secretary determines that 
such a waiver is in the national interest.
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