GAO-04-276R UNRWA
November 17, 2003
The Honorable Mitch McConnell
Chairman
The Honorable Patrick Leahy
Ranking Minority Member
Subcommittee on Foreign Operations
Committee on Appropriations
United States Senate
The Honorable Jim Kolbe
Chairman
The Honorable Nita M. Lowey
Ranking Minority Member
Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs
Committee on Appropriations
House of Representatives
Subject: Department of State (State) and United Nations Relief and Works
Agency (UNRWA) Actions to Implement Section 301(c) of the Foreign
Assistance Act of 1961
Established in 1949 by the United Nations, UNRWA provides assistance to
Palestinian refugees in the Middle East. UNRWA assistance is primarily
education, health, and relief and social services. More than 4 million Palestinian
refugees are eligible to receive these services in UNRWA’s five areas of
operation—Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank, and Gaza.
In section 301(c) of the 1961 Foreign Assistance Act (PL 87-195) as amended,
Congress has directed that “No contributions by the United States shall be made
to [UNRWA] except on the condition that [UNRWA] take all possible measures to
assure that no part of the United States contribution shall be used to furnish
assistance to any refugee who is receiving military training as a member of the so-
called Palestine Liberation Army or any other guerrilla type organization or who
has engaged in any act of terrorism.”
In 2003, Congress approved the Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, 2003 (PL
108-7), section 580, which required the General Accounting Office (GAO) to report
to the appropriations committees on State Department compliance with section
301(c) of the 1961 Foreign Assistance Act and the implementation of procedures
established to meet State standards for section 301(c). To fulfill this mandate, we
United States General Accounting Office
Washington, DC 20548
