Bills of Congress by U.S. Congress

S.313 - Stop Funding Global Terrorists Act of 2025 (119th Congress)

Summary

The "Stop Funding Global Terrorists Act of 2025" (S.313) aims to restrict U.S. contributions to the United Nations for assistance in Afghanistan. It prohibits voluntary or assessed contributions until the Secretary of State certifies that no U.S. funds are used in cash shipments by the UN into Afghanistan that could benefit terrorist organizations.

The bill requires the Secretary of State to revoke the certification if it's found to be inaccurate and to notify Congress with a detailed justification. The bill defines key terms such as "appropriate congressional committees," "foreign terrorist organization," and "specially designated global terrorist organization."
The intended effect is to ensure U.S. funds are not inadvertently supporting terrorist activities through UN aid programs in Afghanistan.

Expected Effects

The immediate effect would be a potential reduction or suspension of U.S. contributions to the UN for Afghan aid, pending certification by the Secretary of State.

This could lead to a decrease in overall aid reaching Afghanistan through UN channels. It could also force the UN to alter its aid distribution methods to comply with the certification requirements.

Longer term, it may increase scrutiny of how international aid is delivered to conflict zones to prevent funds from reaching terrorist groups.

Potential Benefits

  • Prevents U.S. taxpayer money from indirectly funding terrorist organizations operating in Afghanistan.
  • Increases accountability and oversight of UN aid programs, ensuring funds are used for their intended purposes.
  • Potentially reduces the financial resources available to terrorist groups, hindering their operations.
  • Strengthens U.S. national security by limiting the flow of funds to terrorist organizations.
  • Reinforces the principle that U.S. aid should not support entities that threaten U.S. interests or security.

Potential Disadvantages

  • May reduce the amount of humanitarian aid reaching vulnerable populations in Afghanistan, potentially worsening the humanitarian crisis.
  • Could strain relations between the U.S. and the UN, hindering cooperation on other global issues.
  • The certification process may be complex and time-consuming, delaying the delivery of needed aid.
  • Terrorist organizations may find alternative sources of funding, negating the impact of the restrictions.
  • The bill may be perceived as a withdrawal of U.S. support for Afghanistan, potentially destabilizing the region.

Constitutional Alignment

The bill appears to align with the constitutional powers of Congress to appropriate funds and regulate foreign commerce (Article I, Section 8). It also aligns with the President's power to conduct foreign policy.

The bill does not appear to infringe on any specific constitutional rights or liberties. The restrictions on funding are targeted at specific uses of funds related to terrorist organizations, rather than broad restrictions on speech, religion, or other protected activities.

However, the implementation of the bill would need to be carefully monitored to ensure that it does not violate any international treaties or agreements to which the U.S. is a party (Article VI).

Impact Assessment: Things You Care About

This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).