Bill seeks to stop destruction of foreign aid before it reaches recipients

What does this do?

The "Saving Lives and Taxpayer Dollars Act" requires that foreign aid items like food, HIV medications, vaccines, and family planning supplies be delivered to intended recipients before they expire or spoil. Agencies must quickly release funding needed for timely delivery, and destruction is allowed only after every reasonable effort to sell or donate the supplies. It also requires annual reports to Congress explaining any expired, spoiled, or destroyed supplies.

Who does it affect?

It affects the State Department, USAID, and the Department of Agriculture, along with organizations that distribute aid overseas. It also affects recipients abroad, including refugees, disaster survivors, and people in developing countries, plus U.S. taxpayers and farmers.

Why does it matter?

Failure to deliver aid on time before it expires results in wasted supplies and lost funding that could otherwise reach people in need.

What does it cost, and who pays?

• Reports on money lost from wasted aid
• Funding to be released quickly for delivery
• Destruction allowed only as last resort