SB 111-14: Support Iranian Civilians Act (Debating)

[WD]

AN ACT
To provide direct humanitarian aid to the people of Iran

Be it enacted by the Senate of the Republic of Atlasia assembled;

Section 1. Title

This legislation may be cited as the Support Iranian Civilians Act.

Section 2. Funding for direct aid to the people of the Islamic Republic of Iran

Whereas,

(i) under an illegitimate and illegal government, thousands of Iranian civilians have been killed or wounded
(ii) tens of thousands of Iranian dissenters and protestors have been imprisoned,

1. $2.5 billion shall be reserved for providing direct aid to Iranian people in need, including but not limited to food, shelter, and healthcare.

2. The Office of Foreign Assistance shall authorize a strategic plan to provide basic necessities to the Iranian people through work with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) including charities and faith-based institutions. The Office shall be required to report to the Department of State records of how every dollar for the aforementioned aid fund is used.

Section 3. Bar on aid via cash payments

1. No funds, from public or private resources, shall be used for the purpose of providing cash sums to beneficiaries of the aid program established under this act.

Section 4. Enactment

The establishment of the aid fund and network authorized under this act shall be applied upon passage of this act.

Sponsor: West Midlander

The gentleman from North Carolina is recognized

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

On behalf of the Cao administration, the State Department proposed this aid package to directly help the people of Iran. Foreign aid has historically been tricky and sometimes unaccountable, but the prohibition on monetary/cash aid allows us to help Iranians without running afoul of the sanctions we've imposed.

Israel announced that it would be withdrawing all aid. I don't believe that's the right course of action. And this bill, while religiously neutral, empowers faith-based charities to better serve the people they desire to serve. Regardless of a charity's mission, we want to promote any effort that provides basic necessities like shelter, food, and healthcare to Iranians in danger.

And personally, I would also be in favor of allowing asylum to be granted more easily, particularly to women and children. That may require another bill or executive action, though.

But this emergency aid needs to be included in the budget before the CR expires, so I am urging the Senate to act quickly.

Thank you to Senator Midlander for sponsoring this on the administration's behalf.

[West_Midlander]

Thank you to the SoS for his comments. I concur with them completely.

[SevenEleven]

This seems more like a handout to favored organizations than a true helping hand to Iranians in need. The government should not be funding religious groups in this manner. We should focus on giving aid to those in need with no strings attached.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

This seems more like a handout to favored organizations than a true helping hand to Iranians in need. The government should not be funding religious groups in this manner. We should focus on giving aid to those in need with no strings attached.

The bill merely allows religious charities, of any affiliation, to provide aid so long as they provide the same services (access to food, shelter, and healthcare) that any other charity does. "Strings attached" would only be a problem if we were excluding NGOs on the basis of religious affiliation.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Plus if we exclude an entity simply because they are religious and they might by chance be in the best position to lend such aid, that itself would get in the way of "helping those in need".

[Saint Milei]

Slapping sanctions, then giving aid. How American/Atlasian of us.

[Joseph Cao]

I'm not sure I understand Sev's reasoning here.

We're not handing anything out based on favoritism for anything. This is the opposite of strings attached, NGOs of all kinds operating in the area are precisely the lifelines we need to be offering to the Iranian people.

[Devout Centrist]

Do we need a blanket provision on banning direct cash payments to Iranian civilians?

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Do we need a blanket provision on banning direct cash payments to Iranian civilians?

The problem is there's really no way to track or verify where that cash is going. I don't want foreign aid money wasted in government fraud operations. If you want to make the rules more flexible while still maintaining accountability, I'd hear ideas.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

I'm going to request a final vote as soon as possible. We have other budgetary calculations to make for CUBI, so this needs to be set and done.

I can't emphasize enough that this program does not reward special religion organizations. However, excluding faith-based charities - Muslim, Christian, or otherwise - is counterproductive to our efforts here. We are taking a neutral approach towards religion, in accordance with our Constitution.

[WD]

Opening a final vote in 24 hours

[WD]

A final vote is now open. Please vote Aye, Nay, or Abstain

[Saint Milei]

nay

[Senator-elect Spark]

Nay

[West_Midlander]

aye

[Devout Centrist]

Aye

[Utah Neolib]

Aye

[FT-02 Senator A.F.E. 🇵🇸🤝🇺🇸🤝🇺🇦]

Aye

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Aye

[Mr. Reactionary]

Abstain

[SevenEleven]

Aye.

[WD]

Aye

[WD]

By a vote of 7-2-1-8, this bill is passed and goes to the President for his veto or signature

[Joseph Cao]

and goes to the President for his veto or signature

I sure hope it does!