§ 2561.
(a)
Authorized Assistance.—
(1)
To the extent provided in defense authorization Acts, funds authorized to be appropriated to the Department of Defense for a fiscal year for humanitarian assistance shall be used for the purpose of providing transportation of humanitarian relief and for other humanitarian purposes worldwide.
(2)
The Secretary of Defense may use the authority provided by paragraph (1) to transport supplies intended for use to respond to, or mitigate the effects of, an event or condition, such as an oil spill, that threatens serious harm to the environment, but only if other sources to provide such transportation are not readily available. The Secretary may require reimbursement for costs incurred by the Department of Defense to transport supplies under this paragraph.
(c)
Notice Before Provision of Assistance.—
(1)
If the Secretary of Defense uses the authority under subsection (a) to provide assistance for any program or activity in an amount in excess of $5,000,000, the Secretary shall provide to the congressional committees specified in subsection (g) notice in writing of the use of such authority in accordance with paragraph (2). Notice under this subsection shall include an identification of each of the following:
(A)
The amount, type, and purpose of assistance to be provided and the recipient of the assistance.
(B)
The goals and objectives of the assistance.
(C)
The number and role of any members of the Armed Forces involved in the provision of the assistance.
(D)
Any other information the Secretary determines is relevant.
(2)
Notice required under paragraph (1) shall be provided—
(A)
before the provision of assistance under subsection (a) using funds authorized to be appropriated to the Department of Defense for a fiscal year for humanitarian assistance; or
(B)
not later than 48 hours after the provision of such assistance, if the Secretary determines that extraordinary circumstances that affect the national security interests of the United States exist.
(e)
Report Regarding Relief for Unauthorized Countries.—
In any case in which the Secretary of Defense provides for the transportation of humanitarian relief to a country to which the transportation of humanitarian relief has not been specifically authorized by law, the Secretary shall notify the congressional committees specified in subsection (g) and the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and House of Representatives of the Secretary’s intention to provide such transportation. The notification shall be submitted not less than 15 days before the commencement of such transportation.
(g)
Congressional Committees.—
The congressional committees referred to in subsections (c)(1), (d)(1), and (e) are the following:
(1)
The Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.
(2)
The Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives.
(Added [Pub. L. 102–484, div. A, title III, § 304(c)(1)], Oct. 23, 1992, [106 Stat. 2361], § 2551; amended [Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title XIII, § 1312], Feb. 10, 1996, [110 Stat. 474]; [Pub. L. 106–65, div. A, title X, § 1067(1)], Oct. 5, 1999, [113 Stat. 774]; renumbered § 2561 and amended [Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A]], title X, § 1033(b)(1), (c)(1)], Oct. 30, 2000, [114 Stat. 1654], 1654A–260; [Pub. L. 108–136, div. A, title III, § 312(d)], Nov. 24, 2003, [117 Stat. 1430]; [Pub. L. 112–239, div. A, title X, § 1076(f)(31)], Jan. 2, 2013, [126 Stat. 1953]; [Pub. L. 117–263, div. A, title X, § 1053(a)], Dec. 23, 2022, [136 Stat. 2777]; [Pub. L. 118–159, div. A, title XVII, § 1702], Dec. 23, 2024, [138 Stat. 2207].)