COVID-19 and Foreign Assistance: Congressional Oversight Framework and Current Activities

COVID-19 and Foreign Assistance: Congressional Oversight Framework and Current Activities

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July 29, 2020
COVID-19 and Foreign Assistance: Congressional Oversight
Framework and Current Activities
In March 2020, Congress enacted two supplemental
State and USAID Administrator submit a strategy for the
appropriations measures that included a combined $1.59
response before funds could be obligated.
billion for foreign assistance programs to “prevent, prepare
for, and respond to” Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-
Implementation Overview
19; P.L. 116-123, P.L. 116-136). Congress established
On March 24, State issued the Joint Strategy for
mechanisms to oversee the implementation of these funds,
Supplemental Funding, which organizes response efforts
but concerns some have raised about oversight have
under four pillars:
intensified amid media reporting on the implementation of
1. Protect American citizens overseas, ensure the
COVID-19 assistance by the State Department (State) and
continuation of U.S. government operations overseas,
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
and communicate effectively about COVID-19.
Some reports suggest that planning and spending practices
have left agencies unable to effectively address global
2. Strengthen global health institutions to address the
COVID-19-related needs. Other stakeholders have
spread of COVID-19 and its possible future
expressed frustration with the agencies’ public reporting,
reemergence.
citing a lack of transparency.
3. Prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19 in
Oversight Framework
existing and potential new humanitarian settings.
The first supplemental measure, P.L. 116-123, directed that
4. Prepare for, mitigate, and address economic, security,
funds were to be subject to notification procedures as
stabilization, and governance challenges that may
required by regular appropriations (§401). Section 406 of
emerge as a result of COVID-19.
that act sets additional reporting requirements for the
Each pillar largely aligns with a funding account included
Secretary of State and USAID Administrator (Table 1).
in the supplemental appropriations acts. USAID and State
are supporting Pillar One largely through their operational
Table 1. Reporting Requirements, P.L. 116-123
accounts (not presented in this product). Pillar Two aligns
Requirement
Timeframe
largely with Global Health Programs (GHP) account
Joint Strategy to “prevent,
Within 15 days of
activities; Pillar Three with Migration and Refugee
prepare for, and respond to
enactment
Assistance (MRA) and International Disaster Assistance
coronavirus abroad”
(IDA) account activities; and Pillar Four with Economic
Plan for spending funds to
Within 30 days of
Support Fund (ESF) activities.
support the joint strategy
enactment
Updated spending report
Every 60 days until Sept.
Current Activities
detailing changes, including new
30, 2020; every 180 days
Assistance has been committed to over 120 countries,
obligations and expenditures
after until all funds are
largely in line with broader foreign assistance spending.
expended
(Congress did not allocate supplemental funds to specific
Source: P.L. 116-123, Section 406.
countries; Figure 1.) Sub-Saharan Africa is the largest
Notes: Al reports are to be submitted to the House and Senate
recipient region. Two nontraditional recipients include $50
Appropriations Committees.
million in ESF to Italy and over 200 ventilators to Russia.
The second supplemental appropriations bill that included
foreign assistance funds, P.L. 116-136, directed that funds
Figure 1. Committed COVID-19 Assistance by Region
appropriated in that act be subject to the same reporting
requirements outlined in P.L. 116-123 (§21003).
This notification and reporting structure is similar to prior
supplemental funding for global health emergencies. For
example, supplemental foreign assistance funds to address
the West Africa Ebola outbreak in FY2015 and the Zika
virus in FY2017 (through P.L. 113-235, Division J, Section
9003, and P.L. 114-223, Division B, Section 203,
respectively) included similar requirements for spending

plans and updates. Neither the Ebola nor Zika supplemental
Source: State Foreign Assistance Bureau.
foreign assistance funding required that the Secretary of
Notes: East Asia/Pacific includes Afghanistan.
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link to page 2
COVID-19 and Foreign Assistance: Congressional Oversight Framework and Current Activities
Due to the fast-moving nature of the pandemic, agencies
COVID-19 and general primary care, suggesting most GHP
have largely addressed immediate needs through ongoing
funds may be disbursed in the next year.
projects that predate the pandemic. USAID and State
Reallocations. Congress may exercise oversight with
provide periodic fact sheets detailing ongoing activities.
regard to the allocation of funds. Reported assistance
U.S. domestic supply constraints for personal protective
allocations align in large part with spring 2020 pandemic
equipment (PPE) items have led State and USAID to
hotspots rather than more recent developments. Italy, which
restrict PPE procurement and distribution abroad. Much of
now generally appears to have the pandemic under control,
the funding has therefore been used to supply ventilators for
has received commitments of $50 million in assistance. By
requesting countries, support broader health systems
comparison, Brazil and India, which have the second- and
strengthening, and mitigate disruptions due to the pandemic
third-most confirmed cases worldwide, are expected to
through economic relief and distance learning assistance.
receive $9.7 million and $5.9 million, respectively. Some
projects are to be awarded in the coming months. Because
As of July 2, 2020, 14.4% of the supplemental aid funds
Congress is informed of IDA and MRA funding only after
remained uncommitted, with the largest amount remaining
commitment, Members may seek to voice allocation
in the MRA account. Some suggest that the funds remain
preferences prior to a notification.
uncommitted as a result of a lack of clarity surrounding the
purchase and distribution of PPE, while others cite broader
Procurement Practices. While much assistance reporting
bureaucratic processes as the primary obstacles. As of this
includes a dollar value, some have questioned exactly what
writing, disbursements have not been reported; it is unclear
that assistance has purchased. State does not list a value for
if spending has accelerated or commitments announced
ventilators donated to Russia, for instance, and media
have not yet been disbursed. Figure 2 presents total funding
reports have noted inconsistencies in the unit price of
appropriated, committed, and remaining.
ventilators elsewhere. A focus on ventilators due to PPE
procurement restrictions may have contributed to slower
Figure 2. FY2020 Emergency/Supplemental Foreign
spending for humanitarian assistance: contracting-to-
Aid for COVID-19 Response, by Account
delivery time for ventilators is typically three months.
(in millions of U.S. dol ars)
Furthermore, considering the developing nature of the
pandemic, it is unclear whether agencies have contemplated
temporary lending of such equipment rather than permanent
donations. Congress may inquire as to accounting practices
for such equipment and whether procurement planning has
received adequate scrutiny.
Impact on Ongoing Programs. While the Administration
has committed much of the supplemental funding to
pandemic hotspots, missions’ regular spending plans make

little mention of the pandemic. This approach preserves

Sources: P.L. 116-123; P.L. 116-136; State.gov fact sheet, July 2,
existing, long-validated aid priorities, but it could lead to
2020.
missed opportunities if existing programs do not adapt to
Notes: Omits supplemental Department of Health and Human
the local conditions of the pandemic. Sub-Saharan Africa,
Services funding and operations funding to foreign affairs agencies, as
for instance, has a comparatively young population,
those funds are not subject to the reporting addressed here. GHP
whereas aging populations in Eastern Europe may be more
funding includes $227 mil ion transferred to USAID’s Emergency
Response Fund (ERF) and committed.
vulnerable to the disease. Congress may consider whether
agencies are revising programs strategies with these
Issues for Congress
considerations in mind, whether congressional action is
Spending Status. While State fact sheets suggest that most
needed to protect or adjust prepandemic priorities, and
supplemental assistance has been committed, they contain
investigate whether efficiencies are being achieved by using
inconsistencies. Country-level commitments do not align
existing programs for pandemic response efforts.
with total commitments. Some commitments are described
For more information on COVID-19 foreign assistance, see
as “previously announced,” suggesting funds may be older.
CRS In Focus IF11496, COVID-19 and Foreign
Media reports in early June suggested that a small fraction
Assistance: Issues for Congress. For additional information
of humanitarian assistance (IDA and MRA) had been
on broader COVID-19 issues, see CRS In Focus IF11421,
released at the time. Members may consult congressional
COVID-19: Global Implications and Responses, and CRS
notifications about ESF and GHP, but State and USAID
Report R46319, Novel Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19):
report IDA and MRA funds after they are committed.
Q&A on Global Implications and Responses.
Congress may inquire if funding will be sufficient over the
last quarter of FY2020 and if committed funds have been
Nick M. Brown, Analyst in Foreign Assistance and
disbursed in full, particularly as Members consider further
Foreign Policy
appropriations to combat COVID-19 abroad. USAID
Emily M. Morgenstern, Analyst in Foreign Assistance and
forecasts awarding roughly half of committed GHP
Foreign Policy
supplemental funds in August under a one-year, $100-$300
million project to bolster local health platforms for both
IF11606
https://crsreports.congress.gov

COVID-19 and Foreign Assistance: Congressional Oversight Framework and Current Activities

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