To establish the position of Director of Foreign Assistance in the Department of State, and for other purposes
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
IntroducedMr. Kaine (for himself, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Schatz, Mr. Coons, …
Summary
What This Bill Does
This bill creates a new senior position called the "Director of Foreign Assistance" at the Department of State to oversee all U.S. foreign aid programs. The goal is to improve how the federal government manages billions of dollars in foreign assistance by having one person responsible for aligning these programs with U.S. national security and foreign policy goals, measuring their effectiveness, and ensuring accountability.
Who Benefits and How
U.S. national security interests benefit from having foreign assistance strategically coordinated to support American foreign policy objectives rather than being spread across disconnected programs. Congressional oversight committees gain stronger control, as the bill requires Senate confirmation for the Director and limits how long someone can serve in an acting capacity to just 90 days.
Who Bears the Burden and How
The Department of State and USAID face new reporting and coordination requirements under this Director. The State Department must integrate a new leadership position into its existing hierarchy, with the Director reporting to the Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources. Federal agencies running foreign assistance programs (including the Millennium Challenge Corporation, Peace Corps, Export-Import Bank, and others) must now coordinate with this new Director.
Key Provisions
- Creates a Senate-confirmed Director of Foreign Assistance position within the State Department
- Limits acting directors to 90 days maximum without Senate confirmation
- Requires the Director to lead integrated budget planning and program evaluation across foreign assistance programs
- Mandates that all appropriated foreign assistance funds be made available for obligation within 90 days of appropriations
- Protects Director and staff from adverse personnel decisions without approval from the Deputy Secretary of State
Evidence Chain:
This summary is derived from the structured analysis below. See "Detailed Analysis" for per-title beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
Primary Purpose
Establishes a new position, Director of Foreign Assistance, within the Department of State to oversee foreign assistance programs and ensure strategic alignment with national security goals.
Policy Domains
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of State
- "the_administrator"
- → Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development
- "the_deputy_secretary"
- → Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
A statement expressing the opinion or sentiment of Congress on a particular issue. In this case, it emphasizes the importance of foreign assistance to U.S. interests and national security.
A new position established within the Department of State to oversee foreign assistance programs. The Director is responsible for optimizing impact, promoting evidence-based policies, and supporting interagency collaboration.
A provision requiring that funds appropriated by Congress for foreign assistance be made available for obligation within 90 days after the enactment of related appropriations acts.
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology