Foreign Aid Reform Act of 1997

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Jan 21, 1997

Foreign Aid Reform Act of 1997 - Prohibits U.S. assistance to a foreign country that did not cast its vote in agreement with the United States for at least 50 percent of the recorded votes taken in the General Assembly and Security Council of the United Nations during the preceding calendar year. Prohibits domestic Federal agencies from furnishing, directly or indirectly, assistance to a foreign country or international organization. Declares it shall not be in order in either the House of Representatives or the Senate to consider any bill, joint resolution, amendment, motion, or conference report providing new budget authority for a fiscal year with respect to foreign operations, export financing, or other related U.S. activities until that House of the Congress has passed all other appropriations measures for that year.

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People & committees

Who introduced it

Sen. Faircloth, Lauch [R-NC] · R–NC

Committees

Foreign Relations Committee

0 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

Jan 21, 1997
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Jan 21, 1997
Introduced in Senate

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in Senate · Jan 21, 1997 Formatted Text PDF

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Aug 21, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze S.141 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

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Discuss S.141, 105th Congress: Foreign Aid Reform Act of 1997

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/senate-bill/141

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 1997-01-21.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/105/bills/s141/BILLS-105s141is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-21T16:14:52Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze S.141 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine S.141 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

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Discuss S.141, 105th Congress: Foreign Aid Reform Act of 1997

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/senate-bill/141

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 1997-01-21.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/105/bills/s141/BILLS-105s141is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-21T16:14:52Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.141 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine S.141 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.141, 105th Congress: Foreign Aid Reform Act of 1997

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/senate-bill/141

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 1997-01-21.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/105/bills/s141/BILLS-105s141is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-21T16:14:52Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.141 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine S.141 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.141, 105th Congress: Foreign Aid Reform Act of 1997

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/senate-bill/141

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 1997-01-21.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/105/bills/s141/BILLS-105s141is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-08-21T16:14:52Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.141 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.