Special Envoy for Humanitarian Aid Workers

Section 1 of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2651a) is amended by adding at the end the following: (p) Special Envoy for Humanitarian Aid Workers (1) Definitions In this subsection: (A) Aid worker The term aid worker means an individual who provides humanitarian assistance to people in need outside the United States. (B) Appropriate congressional committees The term appropriate congressional committees means— (i) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; (ii) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; (iii) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and (iv) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives. (2) Establishment There shall be a Special Envoy for Humanitarian Aid Workers (referred to in this subsection as the Special Envoy), who shall— (A) be appointed by the President; and (B) report to the Secretary of State. (3) Rank and status of ambassador The Special Envoy shall have the rank and status of ambassador. (4) Duties The Special Envoy shall be responsible for— (A) inquiring into the death, fatal injury, or detention of any aid worker in the course of providing assistance as part of a humanitarian mission supported by the United States; (B) advocating for the robust coordination and deconfliction between humanitarian missions supported by the United States, international bodies, and relevant foreign security forces; (C) advocating for foreign countries to adopt best practices, including security for aid workers, to enable nongovernmental organizations to freely deliver humanitarian aid and assistance; (D) developing and advocating, in consultation with the Secretary of State, best practices for foreign countries to work with humanitarian nongovernmental organizations and civil society organizations; and (E) advocating for any other matter that supports the efforts of nongovernmental organizations to provide humanitarian assistance without the interference of the security of a foreign country. (5) Annual report to Congress Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this subsection, and annually thereafter, the Special Envoy shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees regarding the working environment of the conflict areas in which aid workers operate to provide humanitarian assistance as part of a humanitarian mission supported by the United States, including— (A) any security challenges that nongovernmental organizations face in providing United States humanitarian assistance; (B) the effectiveness of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in deconflicting between nongovernmental organizations providing humanitarian assistance and parties to conflict; (C) how much humanitarian assistance the United States has distributed during the preceding 1-year period; and (D) any policy recommendations. (6) Report on united nations office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this subsection, the Special Envoy, in consultation with the Secretary of State, shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees regarding the effectiveness of the efforts of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs with respect to coordination and deconfliction between humanitarian nongovernmental organizations and foreign countries as part of a humanitarian response supported by the United States..