Drawdown of Commodities and Services from the Departments of State, the Treasury, Defense and Justice for Presidential Security Support to the Government of Haiti

President Clinton authorized a drawdown of up to $3 million in commodities and services from four federal departments to provide security training and augmentation for Haiti's presidential security forces, citing an unforeseen emergency under the Foreign Assistance Act. The determination directs the Secretaries of State, Treasury, Defense, and the Attorney General to make these resources available.

Federal Register Open PDF 61 FR 50417

Impact dates

Sep 12, 1996
Determination signed; drawdown authority effective
Sep 12, 1996
Secretary of State report to Congress and Federal Register publication

Key directives

Drawdown of commodities and services not to exceed $3 million aggregate value from State, Treasury, Defense, and Justice inventories
Provide augmentation and training for Haitian presidential security elements
Secretary of State to report determination to Congress
Secretary of State to arrange Federal Register publication

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

Drawdown authorization takes effect upon signing
Secretary of State must report to Congress and arrange Federal Register publication

Near term (90d)

Deployment of commodities and services to Haiti
Training and augmentation activities for Haitian presidential security elements

Long term

Potential follow-on security assistance depending on Haitian stability
Precedent for emergency drawdown authority in hemispheric security contexts

Risks & tensions

Haiti experienced significant political instability in the 1990s; security force training carries risk of misuse or coup involvement
Drawdown from multiple departments creates interagency coordination burden
$3M cap may be insufficient for sustained security transformation
Unclear whether 'unforeseen emergency' refers to specific threat event or general instability