Drawdown Under Section 506(a)(2)(A)(i)(II) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as Amended To Provide Emergency Disaster Relief Assistance for Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Guatemala

President Clinton authorized a drawdown of up to $30 million in Defense Department articles and services to provide emergency disaster relief assistance to Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Guatemala following Hurricane Mitch. The determination requires the Secretary of State to report to Congress immediately and arrange for Federal Register publication.

Federal Register Open PDF 63 FR 64169

Impact dates

Nov 19, 1998
Federal Register publication
Nov 6, 1998
Secretary of State to report determination to Congress immediately

Key directives

Drawdown of up to $30 million of articles and services from DOD inventory and resources
Provide international disaster relief assistance to Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Guatemala
Secretary of State to report this determination to Congress immediately
Secretary of State to arrange for publication in the Federal Register

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

Drawdown authority exercised
Disaster relief assistance authorized
Secretary of State directed to report to Congress immediately

Near term (90d)

Delivery of articles and services to affected countries
Implementation of relief operations

Long term

Regional recovery from Hurricane Mitch damage

Risks & tensions

Immediate reporting requirement to Congress suggests urgency but 'immediately' is vague as to exact hours/days
Drawdown reduces DOD inventory without immediate replenishment mechanism specified
Central American disaster relief follows catastrophic Hurricane Mitch; scale of need may exceed $30 million authorization