249
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that the Secretary of State, in consultation with the 
heads of other appropriate departments and agencies of 
the Government of the United States, should develop an 
initiative to encourage the use of disaster mitigation tech-
niques, including techniques described in subsection 
(a)(1), by foreign governments in regions considered espe-
cially vulnerable to natural disasters. 
(c) AMENDMENT TO THE FOREIGN ASSISTANCE ACT 
OF 1961.—Section 491(b) of the Foreign Assistance Act 
of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2292(b)) is amended by adding at the 
end the following new sentence: ‘‘Assistance relating to 
disaster preparedness under the preceding sentence shall 
include assistance to encourage the use of disaster mitiga-
tion techniques, including to assist communities to build 
in safer locations, construct sturdier dwellings, enforce 
sound building codes and practices, and protect natural 
ecosystems.’’. 
SEC. 1009. ASSISTANCE TO PROMOTE DEMOCRACY IN 
BELARUS. 
Of the amounts made available for each of the fiscal 
years 2006 and 2007 to carry out chapters 11 and 12 
of part I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 
2295 et seq. and 2296 et seq.) and the FREEDOM Sup-
port Act (22 U.S.C. 5801 et seq.), $12,000,000 for each
250
such fiscal year is authorized to be available for assistance 
for the promotion of democracy in the Republic of Belarus, 
including free and fair electoral processes, the develop-
ment of political parties and nongovernmental organiza-
tions, promoting democracy and respect for human rights 
and the rule of law, independent media, and international 
exchanges and training programs for leaders and members 
of the democratic forces that foster civil society. 
SEC. 1010. ASSISTANCE FOR MATERNAL AND PRENATAL 
CARE 
FOR 
CERTAIN 
INDIVIDUALS 
OF 
BELARUS AND UKRAINE INVOLVED IN THE 
CLEANUP OF THE CHORNOBYL DISASTER. 
Of the amounts made available for each of the fiscal 
years 2006 and 2007 to carry out chapters 11 and 12 
of part I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 
2295 et seq. and 2296 et seq.) and the FREEDOM Sup-
port Act (22 U.S.C. 5801 et seq.), such sums as may be 
necessary for each such fiscal year are authorized to be 
available for assistance to improve maternal and prenatal 
care, especially for the purpose of helping prevent birth 
defects and pregnancy complications, for individuals in the 
Republic of Belarus and Ukraine involved in the cleanup 
of the region affected by the Chornobyl disaster.
251
SEC. 1011. ASSISTANCE TO ADDRESS NON-INFECTIOUS DIS-
EASES IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 
(a) STATEMENT OF POLICY.—Congress declares the 
following: 
(1) Medical evidence indicates that non-infec-
tious diseases, like heart disease and obesity, are on 
the rise worldwide. 
(2) In response to these statistics, the current 
allocation of funds appropriated to the United States 
Agency for International Development for Child Sur-
vival and Maternal Health, Vulnerable Children, 
HIV/AIDS, 
Infectious 
Diseases, 
Reproductive 
Health and Family Planning, and the Global Fund 
to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria does not 
address noninfectious diseases. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION
OF ASSISTANCE.—The Presi-
dent, acting through the Administrator of the United 
States Agency for International Development, is author-
ized to provide assistance, on such terms and conditions 
as the President may determine, to address non-infectious 
diseases in foreign countries. 
CHAPTER 2—PART II OF THE FOREIGN 
ASSISTANCE ACT OF 1961
SEC. 1021. ECONOMIC SUPPORT FUND ASSISTANCE FOR 
EGYPT. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following:
252
(1) Despite more than $28 billion in economic 
assistance provided by the United States to Egypt 
since 1975, Egypt’s economy and educational sys-
tems are underdeveloped and democratic develop-
ment remains extremely limited. Egypt remains near 
the bottom of many indices of growth and human 
development. 
(2) Egypt’s economic troubles, if not addressed 
through programs to develop Egypt’s private sector, 
could destabilize the country. 
(3) United States programs to promote growth 
in Egypt, including traditional development assist-
ance as well as programs that attempt to link dis-
bursement of cash assistance to the adoption of eco-
nomic reforms by the Government of Egypt, have 
had, at best, mixed success. 
(4) The United States has provided more than 
$32 billion in military assistance to Egypt since 
1979. 
(5) Egypt is currently at peace with all its 
neighbors. 
(6) Egypt and the United States entered into 
an agreement in March 2005, whereby Egypt under-
took to accomplish certain reform-oriented policies 
primarily related to its financial sector, and the
253
United States undertook, subject to its constitu-
tional processes, to provide Egypt with cash assist-
ance. This program of financial reform is important 
and should continue, supported by assistance in the 
form of cash transferred from the United States, but 
not in amounts in excess of amounts already agreed 
to and not for lesser policy reforms than have al-
ready been agreed to. 
(7) The model of an agreement for policy 
change between the United States and Egypt, simi-
lar but not identical to, the concept of a ‘‘Millen-
nium Challenge’’ compact that emphasizes perform-
ance and outcomes, would be a way to reinvigorate 
a program for the development of the Egyptian 
economy that has languished for years, and would 
give more Egyptians a stake in the proper planning 
and execution of programs to assist in their coun-
try’s development. 
(b) STATEMENT OF POLICY.—It shall be the policy 
of the United States—
(1) to acknowledge that—
(A) threats to Egypt’s stability derive far 
more from domestic problems, such as inad-
equate economic growth, deficient educational
254
and health-care systems, and lack of political 
freedom, than from external dangers; and 
(B) external threats to Egyptian stability 
are, in fact, minimal; 
(2) to provide non-military assistance to Egypt 
which results in actual, sustainable, and, to the ex-
tent possible, measurable outcomes in terms of eco-
nomic growth, poverty reduction, humanitarian con-
ditions, health, education, and political reform; 
(3) to restructure Egypt’s assistance package 
over time so as to diminish military assistance and 
end the reduction of economic assistance and to 
begin the process of this restructuring without delay; 
and 
(4) to ensure that this restructuring is done in 
such a manner that ensures that maintenance and 
spare parts for existing Egyptian military equipment 
is not jeopardized and that Egyptian military pur-
chases and projects to which the United States has 
already committed itself be funded fully in accord-
ance with previous understandings. 
(c) AMENDMENT TO THE FOREIGN ASSISTANCE ACT 
OF 1961.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 4 of part II of the 
Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2346 et
255
seq; relating to the ‘‘Economic Support Fund’’) is 
amended by inserting after section 534 the following 
new section: 
‘‘SEC. 535. REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO ASSISTANCE FOR 
EGYPT. 
‘‘(a) REQUIREMENT FOR ASSISTANCE.—Assistance 
may be provided for Egypt under this chapter for a fiscal 
year only if Egypt provides to the United States for the 
fiscal year a proposal described in subsection (b) that is 
evaluated and approved in accordance with subsection (c). 
‘‘(b) PROPOSAL.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—A proposal described in 
this subsection is a proposal that reflects Egyptian 
priorities to use assistance provided under this chap-
ter to meet the requirements of paragraph (2). 
‘‘(2) REQUIREMENTS.—The requirements de-
scribed in this paragraph are—
‘‘(A) promoting economic growth (includ-
ing economic freedom); 
‘‘(B) reducing poverty; 
‘‘(C) improving humanitarian conditions 
among the poorest individuals in Egypt; 
‘‘(D) improving education and health sys-
tems for the people of Egypt;
256
‘‘(E) reducing corruption in the public and 
private sectors; and 
‘‘(F) strengthening democratic institutions 
and individual freedoms. 
‘‘(c) EVALUATION AND APPROVAL OF PROPOSAL.—
‘‘(1) 
EVALUATION.—The 
President, 
acting 
through the Secretary of State, and in consultation 
with the Secretary of the Treasury, the United 
States Trade Representative, and the Administrator 
of the United States Agency for International Devel-
opment, shall evaluate the proposal provided to the 
United States pursuant to subsection (a) to deter-
mine the extent to which the proposal meets the re-
quirements of subparagraphs (A) through (F) of 
subsection (b)(2). 
‘‘(2) APPROVAL.—The President shall approve 
the proposal only if the President determines that—
‘‘(A) the proposal sufficiently meets the re-
quirements of subparagraphs (A) through (F) 
of subsection (b)(2) in a manner that achieves, 
in particular, lasting economic growth and pov-
erty reduction and substantially strengthened 
democratic institutions and individual freedoms; 
and 
‘‘(B) the Government of Egypt—
257
‘‘(i) has adopted and implemented re-
forms necessary to implement the proposal; 
‘‘(ii) has implemented the proposal 
provided to the United States and ap-
proved for the prior fiscal year in accord-
ance with the requirements of subpara-
graphs (A) through (F) of subsection 
(b)(2); and 
‘‘(iii) has demonstrated high stand-
ards of fiduciary controls and account-
ability with respect to assistance provided 
for Egypt under this chapter. 
‘‘(d) SUSPENSION
AND TERMINATION
OF ASSIST-
ANCE.—The President, acting through the Secretary of 
State, may suspend or terminate assistance in whole or 
in part for Egypt under this chapter if the President de-
termines that the Government of Egypt is not imple-
menting the proposal in accordance with the requirements 
of subparagraphs (A) through (F) of subsection (b)(2). 
‘‘(e) CASH ASSISTANCE.—
‘‘(1) 
REQUIREMENT.—Notwithstanding 
any 
other provision of this section, cash assistance may 
be provided to Egypt under this chapter for a fiscal 
year pursuant to the memorandum of understanding 
specified in paragraph (2) only if a proposal pro-
258
vided to the United States pursuant to subsection 
(a) for the fiscal year has been evaluated and ap-
proved in accordance with subsection (c). 
‘‘(2) MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.—The 
memorandum of understanding specified in this 
paragraph is the memorandum of understanding 
agreed to by the Government of the United States 
and the Government of Egypt in March 2005, in-
cluding any modification to the memorandum of un-
derstanding, except—
‘‘(A) a modification to increase the 
amounts of assistance agreed to be provided 
under the memorandum of understanding; or 
‘‘(B) a modification to reduce significantly 
the scope of, or to extend significantly the time 
for, the performance by Egypt of obligations 
that it has undertaken under the memorandum 
of understanding. 
‘‘(f) CONGRESSIONAL
NOTIFICATION.—Assistance 
may not be obligated for Egypt under this chapter until 
30 days after the date on which the President has pro-
vided notice thereof to the Committee on International Re-
lations and the Committee on Appropriations of the House 
of Representatives and to the Committee on Foreign Rela-
tions and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate
259
in accordance with the procedures applicable to re-
programming notifications under section 634A(a) of this 
Act. 
‘‘(g) REPORT.—The President, acting through the 
Secretary of State, shall prepare and transmit to the Com-
mittee on International Relations of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of 
the Senate a report for each fiscal year that contains—
‘‘(1) the proposal provided to the United States 
pursuant to subsection (a) for the fiscal year; and 
‘‘(2) the evaluation of the proposal carried out 
pursuant to subsection (c)(1). 
‘‘(h) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—The provisions of 
this section or subsections (d) or (f) of section 1021 of 
the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 
2006 and 2007, shall not be superseded except by a provi-
sion of law enacted after the date of the enactment of such 
Act, which specifically repeals, modifies, or supersedes the 
provisions of this section or subsections (d) or (f) of sec-
tion 1021 of such Act, as the case may be.’’. 
(2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made 
by paragraph (1) shall apply with respect to assist-
ance for Egypt under chapter 4 of part II of the 
Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 for fiscal year 2007 
and each subsequent fiscal year.
260
(d) MILITARY ASSISTANCE LEVELS
FOR EGYPT; 
TRANSFER REQUIREMENT.—The following amounts avail-
able for assistance for Egypt under section 23 of Arms 
Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2763; relating to the ‘‘For-
eign Military Financing’’ program) shall be transferred to 
and consolidated with amounts available for assistance for 
Egypt under chapter 4 of part II of the Foreign Assist-
ance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2346 et seq.; relating to the 
‘‘Economic Support Fund’’): 
(1) For fiscal year 2006, the amount that ex-
ceeds $1,260,000,000. 
(2) For fiscal year 2007, the amount that ex-
ceeds $1,220,000,000. 
(3) For fiscal year 2008, the amount that ex-
ceeds $1,180,000,000. 
(e) CASH-FLOW FINANCING FOR EGYPT.—As soon as 
practicable after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the President shall modify the program of cash-flow fi-
nancing for Egypt under section 23 of the Arms Export 
Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2763; relating to the ‘‘Foreign 
Military Financing’’ program) so as to accomplish the pur-
poses of the policy set forth in paragraphs (3) and (4) 
of subsection (b) of this section. 
(f) TRANSFER OF CERTAIN INTEREST FOR EGYPT.—
For fiscal year 2006 and subsequent fiscal years, any in-
261
terest earned from amounts in an interest bearing account 
for Egypt to which funds made available under section 23 
of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2763; relating 
to the ‘‘Foreign Military Financing’’ program) are dis-
bursed—
(1) shall be transferred to and consolidated 
with amounts available for assistance for the Middle 
East Partnership Initiative under chapter 4 of part 
II of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 
2346 et seq.; relating to the ‘‘Economic Support 
Fund’’); and 
(2) shall be allocated for democracy and govern-
ance programs for Egypt, including direct support 
for nongovernmental organizations. 
SEC. 1022. INTER-ARAB DEMOCRATIC CHARTER. 
(a) STRATEGY.—The Secretary of State, acting 
through the Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human 
Rights, and Labor, and in consultation with the Assistant 
Secretary for Near East Affairs and the Assistant Sec-
retary for Western Hemisphere Affairs, shall develop and 
implement a strategy to—
(1) support, including through the provision of 
technical assistance, efforts to establish an Inter-
Arab Democratic Charter to promote human rights 
and democracy in the Near East region; and
262
(2) support and promote coordination among 
human rights organizations, pro-democracy advo-
cates, and civil society members from both the Near 
East region and the Western Hemisphere to assist 
in efforts to establish the Inter-Arab Democratic 
Charter referred to in paragraph (1). 
(b) REPORT.—Section 665(c) of the Foreign Rela-
tions Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2003 (Public Law 
107–228; 22 U.S.C. 2151n note) as amended by section 
614(a)(2) of this Act, is further amended by inserting 
after the first sentence the following new sentence: ‘‘As 
part of such separate report, the Secretary shall include 
information on efforts by the Department of State to de-
velop and implement the strategy to support efforts to es-
tablish an Inter-Arab Democratic Charter pursuant to sec-
tion 708(a) of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, 
Fiscal Years 2006 and 2007.’’. 
(c) FUNDING.—Of the amounts made available for 
each of the fiscal years 2006 and 2007 to carry out chap-
ter 4 of part II of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 
(22 U.S.C. 2346 et seq.; relating to the ‘‘Economic Sup-
port Fund’’), including amounts made available to carry 
out the Human Rights and Democracy Fund and the Mid-
dle East Partnership Initiative, such sums as may be nec-
essary for each such fiscal year is authorized to be avail-
263
able to the Secretary to carry out this section and the 
amendments made by this section. 
SEC. 1023. MIDDLE EAST PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE. 
(a) FUNDING.—Of the amounts made available for 
each of the fiscal years 2006 and 2007 to carry out chap-
ter 4 of part II of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 
(22 U.S.C. 2346 et seq.; relating to the ‘‘Economic Sup-
port Fund’’), such sums as may be necessary for each such 
fiscal year is authorized to be available to the Secretary 
of State to carry out programs and activities of the Middle 
East Partnership Initiative. 
(b) REQUIREMENT.—Not less than 50 percent of 
amounts made available for each of the fiscal years 2006 
and 2007 to carry out the Middle East Partnership Initia-
tive shall be used to—
(1) strengthen civil society, particularly non-
governmental organizations, and expand female and 
minority participation in the political, economic, and 
educational sectors of countries participating in the 
Initiative; and 
(2) strengthen the rule of law and promote 
democratic values and institutions, particularly 
through—
264
(A) developing and implementing stand-
ards for free and fair election in countries par-
ticipating in the Initiative; and 
(B) supporting inter-regional efforts to 
promote democracy in countries under authori-
tarian rule, including through the Community 
of Democracies and Forum for the Future. 
SEC. 1024. WEST BANK AND GAZA PROGRAM. 
(a) OVERSIGHT.—For each of the fiscal years 2006 
and 2007, the Secretary of State shall certify to the appro-
priate congressional committees not later than 30 days 
prior to the initial obligation of funds for the West Bank 
and Gaza that procedures have been established to ensure 
that the Comptroller General of the United States will 
have access to appropriate United States financial infor-
mation in order to review the use of United States assist-
ance for the West Bank and Gaza funded under chapter 
4 of part II of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 
U.S.C. 2346 et seq.; relating to the ‘‘Economic Support 
Fund’’). 
(b) VETTING.—Prior to any obligation of funds for 
each of the fiscal years 2006 and 2007 to carry out chap-
ter 4 of part II of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 
for assistance for the West Bank and Gaza, the Secretary 
of State shall take all appropriate steps to ensure that
265
such assistance is not provided to or through any indi-
vidual or entity that the Secretary knows, or has reason 
to believe, advocates, plans, sponsors, engages in, or has 
engaged in, terrorist activity. The Secretary of State shall, 
as appropriate, establish procedures specifying the steps 
to be taken in carrying out this subsection and shall termi-
nate assistance to any individual or entity which the Sec-
retary has determined advocates, plans, sponsors, or en-
gages in terrorist activity. 
(c) PROHIBITION.—None of the funds made available 
for each of the fiscal years 2006 and 2007 to carry out 
chapter 4 of part II of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 
for the West Bank and Gaza program may be made avail-
able for the purpose of recognizing or otherwise honoring 
individuals who commit, or have committed, acts of ter-
rorism. 
(d) AUDITS.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Administrator of the 
United States Agency for International Development 
shall ensure that independent audits of all contrac-
tors and grantees, and significant subcontractors 
and subgrantees, under the West Bank and Gaza 
Program, are conducted for each of the fiscal years 
2006 and 2007 to ensure, among other things, com-
pliance with this section.
266
(2) AUDITS
BY
INSPECTOR
GENERAL
OF 
USAID.—Of the funds available for each of the fiscal 
years 2006 and 2007 to carry out chapter 4 of part 
II of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 that are 
made available for assistance for the West Bank and 
Gaza, up to $1,000,000 for each such fiscal year 
may be used by the Office of the Inspector General 
of the United States Agency for International Devel-
opment for audits, inspections, and other activities 
in furtherance of the requirements of paragraph (1). 
Such funds are in addition to funds otherwise avail-
able for such purposes. 
(e) DEFINITION.—In this subsection, the term ‘‘ap-
propriate congressional committees’’ means—
(1) the Committee on Appropriations and the 
Committee on International Relations of the House 
of Representatives; and 
(2) the Committee on Appropriations and the 
Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate. 
SEC. 1025. ECONOMIC SUPPORT FUND ASSISTANCE FOR 
VENEZUELA. 
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Presi-
dent $9,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2006 and 
2007 for assistance under chapter 4 of part II of the For-
eign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2346 et seq.; relat-