Use of Special Presidential Authorities for Foreign Assistance

摘要

Under the Foreign Assistance Act, the Congress has granted the President special and unusual flexibility in the conduct of foreign policy. Congressional recognition and acceptance of the need for this flexibility have been demonstrated by the use of some form of these authorities for over 30 years. The authorities have been invoked at least 163 times since 1961 and involved over $2.5 billion in foreign assistance. Congressional guidance on the use of the special presidential authorities has generally been broad, and reflects a recognition of trade-offs between executive flexibility and congressional control. This control has changed over time and will likely continue to change. The degree of congressional control is a judgement the Congress must make based on such factors as its needs, the state of executive-legislative relations, and the international situation.