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Title II — Humanitarian Relief for Venezuela

S. 1025 · 116th Congress · Apr 3, 2019 · Lineage

II Humanitarian Relief for Venezuela

Sec. 201 Humanitarian relief for the Venezuelan people

(a)
Sense of Congress— It is the sense of Congress that—
(1)
the United States Government should expand efforts to peacefully address Venezuela’s humanitarian crisis; and
(2)
humanitarian assistance—
(A)
should be provided directly to the people of Venezuela; and
(B)
should not be passed through the control or distribution mechanisms of the Maduro regime.
(b)
In general— The Secretary of State, in coordination with the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, shall work through international and nongovernmental organizations to provide humanitarian assistance to individuals and communities in Venezuela, including—
(1)
public health commodities to Venezuelan health facilities and services, including medicines on the World Health Organization’s Model List of Essential Medicines and basic medical supplies and equipment;
(2)
the basic food commodities and nutritional supplements needed to address growing malnutrition and improve food security for the people of Venezuela, with a specific emphasis on the most vulnerable populations; and
(3)
technical assistance to ensure that health and food commodities are appropriately selected, procured, and distributed.
(c)
Strategy requirement—
(1)
In general— Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development shall submit a strategy for carrying out the activities described in subsection (b) to—
(A)
the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate;
(B)
the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
(C)
the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives; and
(D)
the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
(2)
Additional elements— The strategy required under paragraph (1) shall be based on independent assessments of the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, including assessments by nongovernmental organizations and the United Nations humanitarian agencies listed in section 204(a).
(d)
Authorization of appropriations—
(1)
In general— There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of State $200,000,000 for fiscal year 2019 to carry out the activities set forth in subsection (b) in accordance with this section.
(2)
Notification requirement—
(A)
In general— Except as provided under subparagraph (B), amounts appropriated or otherwise made available pursuant to paragraph (1) may not be obligated until 15 days after the date on which the President provides notice to the committees listed in subsection (c)(1) of the intent to obligate such funds.
(B)
Waiver—
(i)
In general— The Secretary of State may waive the requirement under subparagraph (A) if the Secretary of State determines that such requirement would pose a substantial risk to human health or welfare.
(ii)
Notification requirement— If a waiver is invoked under clause (i), the President shall notify the committees listed in subsection (c)(1) of the intention to obligate funds under this section as early as practicable, but not later than 3 days after taking the action to which such notification requirement was applicable in the context of the circumstances necessitating such waiver.

Sec. 202 Humanitarian assistance to Venezuelans in neighboring countries

(a)
In general— The Secretary of State, in coordination with the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, shall work through international and nongovernmental organizations to provide Venezuelans in neighboring countries with humanitarian aid, such as—
(1)
urgently needed health and nutritional assistance, including logistical and technical assistance to hospitals and health centers in affected communities;
(2)
food assistance for vulnerable individuals, including assistance to improve food security for affected communities; and
(3)
hygiene supplies and sanitation services.
(b)
Additional elements— The assistance described in subsection (a)—
(1)
may be provided—
(A)
directly to Venezuelans in neighboring countries; or
(B)
indirectly through the communities in which the Venezuelans reside; and
(2)
should focus on the most vulnerable Venezuelans in neighboring countries.
(c)
Strategy requirement— The strategy required under section 201(c) shall include a strategy for carrying out the activities described in subsection (a).
(d)
Authorization of appropriations—
(1)
In general— There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of State $200,000,000 for fiscal year 2019 to carry out the activities set forth in subsection (a) in accordance with this section.
(2)
Notification requirement—
(A)
In general— Except as provided under subparagraph (B), amounts appropriated or otherwise made available pursuant to paragraph (1) may not be obligated until 15 days after the date on which the President provides notice to the committees listed in section 201(c)(1) of the intent to obligate such funds.
(B)
Waiver—
(i)
In general— The Secretary of State may waive the requirement under subparagraph (A) if the Secretary determines that such requirement would pose a substantial risk to human health or welfare.
(ii)
Notification requirement— If a waiver is invoked under clause (i), the President shall notify the committees listed in section 201(c)(1) of the intention to obligate funds under this section as early as practicable, but not later than 3 days after taking the action to which such notification requirement was applicable in the context of the circumstances necessitating such waiver.

Sec. 203 Requirement for strategy to coordinate international humanitarian assistance

(a)
Strategy— The strategy required under section 201(c) shall include a multiyear strategy that—
(1)
describes United States diplomatic efforts to ensure support from international donors, including regional partners in Latin America and the Caribbean, for the provision of humanitarian assistance to the people of Venezuela;
(2)
identifies governments that are willing to provide financial and technical assistance for the provision of such humanitarian assistance to the people of Venezuela and a description of such assistance; and
(3)
identifies the financial and technical assistance to be provided by multilateral institutions, including the United Nations humanitarian agencies listed in section 104(a), the Pan American Health Organization, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the World Bank, and a description of such assistance.
(b)
Diplomatic engagement— The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, shall work with relevant foreign governments and multilateral organizations to coordinate a donors summit and carry out diplomatic engagement to advance the strategy described in subsection (a).

Sec. 204 Support for efforts at the United Nations on the humanitarian crisis in Ven­e­zu­ela

(a)
Sense of Congress— It is the sense of Congress that the United Nations humanitarian agencies, including the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the World Health Organization, the Pan American Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization, UNICEF, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, should conduct and publish independent assessments regarding—
(1)
the extent and impact of the shortages of food, medicine, and medical supplies in Venezuela;
(2)
basic health indicators in Venezuela, such as maternal and child mortality rates and the prevalence and treatment of communicable diseases; and
(3)
the efforts needed to resolve the shortages identified in paragraph (1) and to improve the health indicators referred to in paragraph (2).
(b)
Initial efforts— The President shall instruct the Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations to use the voice and vote of the United States in the United Nations Security Council to secure the necessary votes—
(1)
to place the humanitarian and political crisis in Venezuela on the United Nations Security Council’s Programme of Work; and
(2)
to secure a Presidential Statement from the President of the United Nations Security Council urging the Maduro regime—
(A)
to allow the delivery of humanitarian relief; and
(B)
to lift bureaucratic impediments or any other obstacles preventing independent nongovernmental organizations from providing the proper assistance to the people of Venezuela without any interference by the Maduro regime.
(c)
United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator— The President shall instruct the Permanent Representative to the United Nations to use the voice and influence of the United States to advance the appointment of a United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for Venezuela to lead and coordinate the efforts of humanitarian organizations in a manner that contributes to Venezuela’s long-term recovery.
(d)
Additional efforts—
(1)
In general— If the Maduro regime refuses to allow the delivery of humanitarian relief and to lift bureaucratic impediments and any other obstacles described in subsection (b)(2)(B), the President, beginning not later than 30 days after the conclusion of the efforts of the United Nations described in such subsection, shall instruct the Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations to use the voice and vote of the United States to secure the adoption of a resolution described in paragraph (2).
(2)
Resolution described— The resolution described in this paragraph is a Resolution of the United Nations Security Council that—
(A)
requires the Maduro regime to promptly allow safe and unhindered access for humanitarian agencies and their implementing partners, including possible support from neighboring countries; and
(B)
calls on the Maduro regime—
(i)
to allow the delivery of food and medicine to the people of Venezuela;
(ii)
to end human rights violations against the people of Venezuela;
(iii)
to agree to free, fair, and transparent elections with credible international observers;
(iv)
to cease violence against the people of Venezuela; and
(v)
to release all political prisoners held by the Maduro regime.

Sec. 205 Sanctions exceptions for humanitarian assistance

(a)
Definitions— In this section:
(1)
Agricultural commodity— The term agricultural commodity has the meaning given that term in section 102 of the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 5602).
(2)
Medical device— The term medical device has the meaning given the term device in section 201 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 321).
(3)
Medicine— The term medicine has the meaning given the term drug in section 201 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 321).
(b)
In general— Any transaction for the sale of agricultural commodities, food, medicine, or medical devices to Venezuela or for the provision of humanitarian assistance to the people of Venezuela, and any transaction that is incidental or necessary to any such transaction, regardless of whether the transactions or provision of humanitarian assistance originate in, or have a connection to, the United States, shall be exempt from United States sanctions, including sanctions described in—
(1)
sections 603, 605, 606, 608, and 701;
(2)
the Venezuela Defense of Human Rights and Civil Society Act of 2014 (Public Law 113–278); or
(3)
Executive Orders 13692, 13808, 13827, 13835, 13850, and 13857.