H.R. 3526: Humanitarian Assistance Facilitation Act of 2013

113th Congress · introduced 2013-11-18 · International Affairs · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2013-11-18 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Humanitarian Assistance Facilitation Act of 2013

Plain summary

Humanitarian Assistance Facilitation Act of 2013 - Expresses the sense of Congress that humanitarian organizations acting in good faith and with the appropriate restrictions and controls in place should not be prevented from providing aid to civilian populations before or early on in humanitarian crises, such as in the famine in al-Shabaab-controlled areas of Somalia. Amends the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to permit under specified conditions persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction to enter into transactions with certain sanctioned foreign persons that are customary, necessary, and incidental to the donation or provision of goods or services to prevent or alleviate the suffering of civilian populations. Directs the Secretary of State to establish an Advisory Council on United States Policy Related to Non-Governmental Activities to Prevent and Respond to Human Suffering in Areas Affected By Certain Sanctioned Foreign Persons. Amends the federal criminal code to exclude from the definition of "material support or resources" (regarding foreign terrorist organizations) engaging in speech or communication with a terrorist organization to prevent or alleviate the suffering of a civilian population, including speech or communication to reduce or eliminate the frequency and severity of violent conflict and reducing its impact on the civilian population.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Humanitarian Assistance Facilitation Act of 2013

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4] · 3 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Randy K. Weber, Sr. (R-TX), James P. McGovern (D-MA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4] reported raising $797,217 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Jurisdiction: The area or the matters a government or court has authority over.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-113hr3526.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/113/hr>

Record fed-us-cong113-hr3526 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong113 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong113