Kayla Hamilton Act

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Bill ID: 119/hr/4371

Last Updated: July 29, 2026

Kayla Hamilton Act

HR. 4371, 119th Congress — read as touching Private Prisons & Immigration Detention.

The sponsor

Rep. Fry, Russell [R-SC-7]

Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.

The money

$87,215 raised

24 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.

The alignment

85% match to Project 2025

This bill's text tracks the "Department of Homeland Security" section, p. 180-182 of the Mandate for Leadership.

Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law

Track this bill's progress through the legislative process

Latest Action

Received in the Senate.

December 16, 2025

Introduced

Committee Review

Floor Action

Passed House

Senate Review

📍 Current Status

Next: Both chambers must agree on the same version of the bill.

🎉

Passed Congress

🖊️

Presidential Action

⚖️

Became Law

📚 How does a bill become a law?

1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.

2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.

3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.

4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.

5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.

6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.

7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!

Bill Summary

Summary Style:

The Kayla Hamilton Act (HR 4371). A bill that, at its core, seeks to enhance efforts to combat the trafficking of children. How quaint.

**Main Purpose & Objectives** The bill's primary objective is to amend existing laws to better protect unaccompanied alien children from traffickers and smugglers. It aims to do so by strengthening placement determinations, enhancing screening processes, and ensuring that these children are placed in secure facilities when necessary.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law** The bill makes several key changes to the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 and the Homeland Security Act of 2002. Specifically:

* It amends section 462(b)(2) of the Homeland Security Act to require the Director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement to make placement determinations in accordance with section 235(c)(2) of the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act. * It modifies section 235(c) of the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act to include new requirements for safe and secure placements, including consultations with relevant officials and screening for gang-related activity.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders** The bill primarily affects unaccompanied alien children, as well as various government agencies responsible for their care and protection. These include the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Attorney General's office.

**Potential Impact & Implications** From a purely economic perspective, this bill is unlikely to have a significant impact on my business interests or those of my fellow billionaires. However, I do note that the enhanced screening processes and secure facility placements may lead to increased costs for taxpayers. A minor concern, really.

What's more intriguing is the potential for this bill to set a precedent for future legislation aimed at protecting vulnerable populations. As a rational actor, I must consider the possibility that such efforts could eventually be directed towards regulating industries in which I have significant investments. In that case, it would be wise to monitor these developments closely and ensure that our think tanks are prepared to provide... guidance on the matter.

In conclusion, while the Kayla Hamilton Act may not directly affect my wealth or influence, its implications for future regulatory efforts warrant attention. As a visionary leader in the tech industry, I must always stay one step ahead of potential threats to innovation – and by extension, my empire.

💰 Campaign Finance Network

Rep. Fry, Russell [R-SC-7]

Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions

$87,215

23 donors

PACs

Organizations

$10,100

Committees

Individuals

$77,115

No PAC contributions found

EASTERN BAND OF CHEROKEE INDIANS

2 transactions

$6,600

RMS LLC

1 transaction

$2,500

ROBERT S GUYTON PC

1 transaction

$1,000

No committee contributions found

GAMBLE, KATHRYN

1 transaction

$6,600

AUSTIN, ROBERT

1 transaction

$6,600

MOORE, KEVIN

1 transaction

$6,600

LOWELL, RANDY

1 transaction

$3,435

GRUBBS, WESLEY

1 transaction

$3,435

WOOTEN, GAIL

1 transaction

$3,435

WELLS, MICHAEL

1 transaction

$3,435

JOHNSON, CYNDI

1 transaction

$3,435

JOHNSON, ROBERT

1 transaction

$3,435

AVENT, BARRY

1 transaction

$3,435

CASSELMAN, JOHN

1 transaction

$3,435

MARINO, PATRICK

1 transaction

$3,435

VALLARINO, MANUEL

1 transaction

$3,300

PLYLER, JUSTIN

1 transaction

$3,300

STOREY, JOAN

1 transaction

$3,300

PETERS, BP

1 transaction

$3,300

BELL, MENDEL J

1 transaction

$3,300

WISE, WYMAN

1 transaction

$3,300

SHY, STACEY

1 transaction

$3,300

PAYNE, FRANK K

1 transaction

$3,300

Cosponsors & Their Campaign Finance

This bill has 2 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.

Rep. Nehls, Troy E. [R-TX-22]

ID: N000026

Top Contributors

ALABAMA-COUSHATTA TRIBE

COMLIVINGSTON, TX

$1,000

Sep 30, 2024

GONSOULIN, AL A

RETIRED • RETIRED

IndividualSUGAR LAND, TX

$6,600

Feb 26, 2024

FISHER, KENNETH

FISHER INVESTMENTS • EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN

IndividualPLANO, TX

$6,600

May 23, 2024

FISHER, SHERRILYN

PLANO 6500 LLC • MEMBER

IndividualPLANO, TX

$6,600

May 23, 2024

MARCHELI, DANNY

CLEAR PAVE • PRESIDENT

IndividualRICHMOND, TX

$5,000

Sep 30, 2023

EMPARTIO, JOESPH

HERITAGE RANCH LLC • OWNER

IndividualRICHMOND, TX

$5,000

Sep 10, 2024

DOUDS, KENNETH

KBR BUILDERS • OWNER

IndividualSTAFFORD, TX

$5,000

Dec 3, 2024

GILL, EDWARD

RETIRED • RETIRED

IndividualHALLETTSVILLE, TX

$5,000

Dec 3, 2024

MARCHELI, DANIEL

CLEAR PAVE LLC • PRESIDENT

IndividualRICHMOND, TX

$5,000

Dec 3, 2024

DOUDS, ROBERT F JR.

SELF EMPLOYED • CONSTRUCTION

IndividualHOUSTON, TX

$5,000

Dec 3, 2024

Rep. Moore, Barry [R-AL-1]

ID: M001212

Top Contributors

WINRED TECHNICAL SERVICES

OrganizationARLINGTON, VA

$3,300

Sep 30, 2023

ENTERPRISE TARPAULIN PRODUCTS, INC.

OrganizationENTERPRISE, AL

$3,300

Aug 9, 2023

WINRED TECHNICAL SERVICES

OrganizationARLINGTON, VA

$3,300

Jul 16, 2023

WINRED TECHNICAL SERVICES

OrganizationARLINGTON, VA

$3,300

Jul 16, 2023

NORTH MONTGOMERY MATERIALS LLC

OrganizationMILLBROOK, AL

$3,300

Sep 11, 2023

PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ASSOCIATES, P.C.

OrganizationENTERPRISE, AL

$3,300

Aug 21, 2023

SOUTHLAND STRUCTURAL LLC

OrganizationFLORALA, AL

$3,300

Aug 22, 2023

WATSON GLASS

OrganizationENTERPRISE, AL

$3,300

Sep 13, 2023

WATSON GLASS

OrganizationENTERPRISE, AL

$3,300

Sep 13, 2023

ARGUTA RESOURCES, LLC

OrganizationEUFAULA, AL

$2,500

Aug 2, 2023

Donor Network - Rep. Fry, Russell [R-SC-7]

Show Also Donated To

PACs

Organizations

Individuals

Politicians

Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.

Showing 41 nodes and 51 connections

Total contributions: $51

Top Donors - Rep. Fry, Russell [R-SC-7]

Showing top 23 donors by contribution amount

3 Orgs20 Individuals

Industry Impact

Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 2 helped.

+Private Prisons & Immigration Detentionconfidence 0.80
Section 3(C) allows for the placement of certain unaccompanied alien children in secure facilities, which could increase demand for private prison services.
+Law Enforcement & Surveillance Techconfidence 0.70
Section 3(A)(ii) requires screening for gang-related activity and background checks, which could benefit law enforcement and surveillance technology vendors.

Who funds the sponsor on these industries

For each industry this bill affects, here's what the sponsor (Rep. Fry, Russell [R-SC-7])received from donors associated with that industry during the 2022–present cycles. Donations are not proof of intent — they are a record of who funds the people writing the law.

Industries this bill HELPS

Law Enforcement & Surveillance Tech$2,000
from 3 contributions
- NORTON, JAMES$2,000

Project 2025 Policy Matches

This bill shows semantic similarity to the following sections of the Project 2025 policy document.AI-enhanced analysis provides detailed alignment ratings.

Department of Homeland Security

Strong

Vector: 66%

Pages: 180-182AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The Kayla Hamilton Act aligns closely with Project 2025's objectives regarding unaccompanied alien children by enhancing interagency consultation, improving screening for security risks, and considering secure placements—reflecting goals to strengthen oversight, prevent exploitation, and transfer greater authority to DHS and DOJ in UAC handling."

Key themes:unaccompanied alien childreninteragency consultationsecurity screeningplacement determinationstrafficking prevention

— 148 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise l Unaccompanied minors 1. Congress should repeal Section 235 of the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 (TVPRA),9 which provides numerous immigration benefits to unaccompanied alien children and only encourages more parents to send their children across the border illegally and unaccompanied. These children too often become trafficking victims, which means that the TVPRA has failed. 2. If an alternative to repealing Section 235 of the TVPRA is necessary, the section should be amended so that all unaccompanied children, regardless of nationality, may be returned to their home countries in a safe and efficient manner. Currently, the TVPRA allows only children from contiguous countries (Canada and Mexico) to be returned while every other unaccompanied minor must be placed into a lengthy process that usually results in the minor’s landing in the custody of an illegal alien family member. 3. Congress must end the Flores Settlement Agreement by explicitly setting nationwide terms and standards for family and unaccompanied detention and housing. Such standards should focus on meeting human needs and should allow for large-scale use of temporary facilities (for example, tents). 4. Congress should amend the Homeland Security Act and portions of the TVPRA to move detention of alien children expressly from the Department of Health and Human Services to DHS. l Asylum reform 1. The standard for a credible fear of persecution should be raised and aligned to the standard for asylum. It should also account specifically for credibility determinations that are a key element of the asylum claim. 2. Codify former asylum bars and third-country transit rules. 3. Congress should eliminate the particular social group protected ground as vague and overbroad or, in the alternative, provide a clear definition with parameters that at a minimum codify the holding in Matter of A-B- that gang violence and domestic violence are not grounds for asylum.10 — 149 — Department of Homeland Security l Parole reform. Congress should end the widespread abuse of parole in contravention of statute and return it to its origins as an extraordinary remedy for very limited purposes. l NGOs and processing. Congress should halt funds given to nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to process and transport illegal aliens into and throughout the United States. Such funds and infrastructure, including the DHS joint processing centers, should be redirected to secure the border, detain aliens, and provide space for immigration court proceedings. l Other pathways for border crossers. While Congress should use its oversight authority to ensure that Expedited Removal is used to the fullest extent and followed to the letter of the law, other paths for border crossers should be included in a legislative package. 1. Migrant protection protocols. Update the statutory language providing the basis for the Remain in Mexico program as needed to withstand judicial scrutiny and executive inaction. 2. Asylum Cooperative Agreements. While the agreements themselves must be negotiated, Congress should mandate that the executive branch work faithfully to negotiate and execute ACAs and set parameters to ensure that an unwilling executive cannot renege on an existing agreement or abandon the effort. 3. Other expedited pathways. Congress should explicitly permit programs akin to the Prompt Asylum Claim Review (PACR) and Humanitarian Asylum Review Process (HARP) programs. l Employment authorization 1. Congress should reassert control of employment authorization, which is subject to rampant regulatory abuse, and limit it to certain categories of legal immigrants and non-immigrants. 2. Congress should also permanently authorize E-Verify and make it mandatory. l State and local law enforcement

Department of Homeland Security

Moderate

Vector: 63%

Pages: 180-182AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The Kayla Hamilton Act aligns with Project 2025's focus on reforming the treatment of unaccompanied alien children by enhancing screening and placement protocols, though it does not advocate for transferring custody from HHS to DHS or repealing TVPRA provisions as Project 2025 does."

Key themes:unaccompanied alien childrentrafficking preventionscreening proceduresplacement determinationsWilliam Wilberforce TVPRA

— 147 — Department of Homeland Security Personnel USCIS should be classified as a national security–sensitive agency, and all of its employees should be classified as holding national security–sensitive posi- tions. Leaks must be investigated and punished as they would be in a national security agency, and the union should be decertified. Any employees who cannot accept that change and cannot conform their behavior to the standards required by such an agency should be separated. USCIS’s D.C. personnel presence should be skeletal, and agency employees with operational or security roles should be rotated out to offices throughout the United States. These USCIS employees should live and work in the communities that are most affected by their daily duties and decisions. NECESSARY BORDER AND IMMIGRATION STATUTORY, REGULATORY, AND ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES The current border security crisis was made possible by glaring loopholes in our immigration system. The result was a preventable and predictable his- toric increase in illegal and inadmissible encounters along our southern border. This pulled limited resources from the front lines of our nation’s borders and away from their national security mission, releasing a vast and complex set of threats into our country. To regain our sovereignty, integrity, and security, Congress must pass meaningful legislation to close the current loopholes and prevent future Administrations from exploiting them for political gain or per- sonal ideology. Legislative Proposals l Title 42 authority in Title 8. Create an authority akin to the Title 42 Public Health authority that has been used during the COVID-19 pandemic to expel illegal aliens across the border immediately when certain non- health conditions are met, such as loss of operational control of the border. l Mandatory appropriation for border wall system infrastructure. The monies appropriated would be used to fund the construction of additional border wall systems, technology, and personnel in strategic locations in accordance with the Border Security Improvement Plan (BSIP). l Appropriation for Port of Entry infrastructure. Border security is not addressed solely by systems in between the ports of entry. POEs require technology and physical upgrades as well as an influx of personnel to meet capacity demands and act as the literal gatekeepers for the country. This is the first line of defense against drug and human smuggling operations. — 148 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise l Unaccompanied minors 1. Congress should repeal Section 235 of the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 (TVPRA),9 which provides numerous immigration benefits to unaccompanied alien children and only encourages more parents to send their children across the border illegally and unaccompanied. These children too often become trafficking victims, which means that the TVPRA has failed. 2. If an alternative to repealing Section 235 of the TVPRA is necessary, the section should be amended so that all unaccompanied children, regardless of nationality, may be returned to their home countries in a safe and efficient manner. Currently, the TVPRA allows only children from contiguous countries (Canada and Mexico) to be returned while every other unaccompanied minor must be placed into a lengthy process that usually results in the minor’s landing in the custody of an illegal alien family member. 3. Congress must end the Flores Settlement Agreement by explicitly setting nationwide terms and standards for family and unaccompanied detention and housing. Such standards should focus on meeting human needs and should allow for large-scale use of temporary facilities (for example, tents). 4. Congress should amend the Homeland Security Act and portions of the TVPRA to move detention of alien children expressly from the Department of Health and Human Services to DHS. l Asylum reform 1. The standard for a credible fear of persecution should be raised and aligned to the standard for asylum. It should also account specifically for credibility determinations that are a key element of the asylum claim. 2. Codify former asylum bars and third-country transit rules. 3. Congress should eliminate the particular social group protected ground as vague and overbroad or, in the alternative, provide a clear definition with parameters that at a minimum codify the holding in Matter of A-B- that gang violence and domestic violence are not grounds for asylum.10

Department of Homeland Security

Moderate

Vector: 62%

Pages: 183-185AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The Kayla Hamilton Act focuses on improving placement and screening of unaccompanied alien children to prevent trafficking, which aligns with Project 2025's broader DHS enforcement goals, particularly around border security and immigration enforcement. However, the bill emphasizes child protection and interagency consultation rather than the specific enforcement mechanisms like detention mandates, parole restrictions, or asylum policy changes outlined in Project 2025."

Key themes:immigration enforcementborder securityunaccompanied alien childreninformation sharingdetention policies

— 151 — Department of Homeland Security l Employment authorization. Along with the legislative proposal, take regulatory action to limit the classes of aliens eligible for work authorization. Executive Orders l Pathways for border crossers 1. Direct the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security to reinstate Asylum Cooperative Agreements with Northern Triangle Countries immediately. 2. Recommence negotiations with Mexico to fully implement the Remain in Mexico Protocols. 3. Reinstate, to the extent possible, expedited pathways with full credible fear/immigration court process (PACR and HARP). 4. Prohibit the use of Notices to Report, the use of any funds for travel into the interior of the United States, and government flights or transportation for aliens. 5. Mandate that ICE use all detention space in full compliance with Section 235 of the INA, issue weekly reports on detention capacity, and provide authority for low-level temporary capacity (for example, tents) once permanent space is full. 6. Eliminate the use of ATD for border crossers except in rare cases and only with the explicit authority of the Secretary. 7. Prohibit the use of parole except in matters that are certified by the Secretary of Homeland Security as requiring action for humanitarian or significant public benefit reasons, and prohibit the use of parole in any categorical circumstance. l Enforcement 1. Restrict prosecutorial discretion to eliminate it as a “catch-all” excuse for limiting immigration enforcement. 2. Mandate the use of E-Verify for anyone doing business with the government. — 152 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise 3. Designate USCIS as Intelligence Community–adjacent, ensuring that it has access to national security and law enforcement databases. 4. Rescind all memoranda limiting enforcement of immigration laws including those identifying sensitive zones. 5. End ICE’s widespread use of termination and administrative closure of cases in immigration court. l Averting or curtailing a mass migration event 1. Provide that whenever the Secretary of Homeland Security determines that an actual or anticipated mass migration of aliens en route to or arriving off the coast of the U.S. presents urgent circumstances requiring an immediate federal response, the Secretary may make, subject to the approval of the President, rules and regulations prohibiting in whole or in part the introduction of persons from such countries or places as he or she shall designate in order to avert or curtail such mass migration and for such period of time as is deemed necessary, including through the expulsion of such aliens. Such rule and regulation making shall not be subject to the requirements of the Administrative Procedures Act. 2. Provide that notwithstanding any other provision of law, when the Secretary makes such a determination and then promulgates, subject to the approval of the President, such rules and regulations, the Secretary shall have the authority to waive all legal requirements of Title 8 that the Secretary, in his or her sole discretion, determines are necessary to avert or curtail the mass migration. Subregulatory Matters l USCIS priorities/structural changes 1. Ensure that focus is returned to vetting, base eligibility of applicants, and fraud detection. 2. Realign the Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate (FDNS) to ensure agencywide consistency on implementation of fraud detection and vetting policies. 3. Review and repeal any internal agency memo that is inconsistent with the priorities described in this chapter.

Department of Homeland Security

Moderate

Vector: 61%

Pages: 177-179AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The Kayla Hamilton Act focuses on improving placement and screening of unaccompanied alien children to prevent trafficking, which aligns with Project 2025's emphasis on combating forced labor trafficking and enhancing immigration enforcement coordination. However, the bill does not address denaturalization, agency merger, or work visa reform—key components of the DHS section in Project 2025."

Key themes:human trafficking preventioninteragency coordinationimmigration enforcementscreening procedureschild protection

— 144 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise prosecuting criminal and civil denaturalization cases, in combination with the Department of Justice, for aliens who obtained citizenship through fraud or other illicit means. Additionally, USCIS should create a criminal enforcement compo- nent within the agency to investigate immigration benefits fraud under Title 8 (perhaps requiring additional legislative and regulatory authorities for the offi- cers themselves) and to prosecute cases through Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys (SAUSAs) with substantive knowledge in the field. Particular attention should be given to addressing increasing incidents of forced labor trafficking in temporary work visa programs. While the Biden regulatory agenda has focused on at least two major rules—the credible fear rule and the public charge rule—USCIS has utilized other policy and internal procedural mechanisms to extend employment authorization to large groups of people who are in the country without legal status. The agency has taken quiet steps to cut corners and lessen adjudicatory standards. During a tran- sition period, a complete audit of agency policies, memoranda, and management directives issued during the Biden Administration should be completed, and rescis- sion documents should be prepared for issuance within the first few days of the incoming Administration. Additionally, regulatory documents should be drafted to review or reverse all regulations promulgated during the Biden Administration. New Policies To advance the national interest, the three core immigration agencies—USCIS, ICE, and CBP—should remerge and have immigration elements outside of DHS (such as ORR of HHS) included. The fragmented immigration enforcement frame- work that developed in the wake of the Homeland Security Act has weakened each agency and should be remediated. Combining these critical agencies would strengthen their capabilities, ensure cooperation, and promote information-shar- ing. Agency responsibilities and the delineation of authorities, such as inconsistent use of deferred action and issuance of NTAs by each agency, have long been a point of contention that would be addressed much more easily if they were recombined into a single entity. Alternatively, new policies for USCIS as it currently exists should focus on mat- ters that can be addressed through administrative action. l The workforce should be realigned and, as necessary, retrained on base eligibility and fraud detection rather than speed in processing. l Training should be returned to Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC), which would underscore the enforcement role of USCIS as a vetting agency, and be rebranded accordingly. — 145 — Department of Homeland Security l Management Directives and policies should realign to ensure that the workforce, while adaptable and able to handle the bulk of the USCIS mission, is not allowed to be pulled off mission work to focus on unlawful programs (DACA, mass parole for Afghans, Ukrainians, Venezuelans, etc.), which divert resources away from nuclear family and employment programs. The regulatory agenda should include the immediate submission of notices of proposed rulemaking for the Trump Administration’s public charge rule (includ- ing aspects from its original notice of proposed rulemaking), temporary work visa reform, employment authorization reform rules, asylum bars rule, and a third-country transit rule. At a minimum, an enhanced regulatory agenda should include rules strengthening the integrity of the asylum system, parole reform, and U visa reform that prioritizes relief for victims of heinous crimes and ensures that we protect the truest and most deserving victims of crime. Not all policy changes require formal rulemaking, however, as internal guidance documents are generally exempt under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA).7 In this subregulatory space, USCIS policy memos and operational guidance should reduce the validity of employment authorization documents and end the COVID flexibilities, including the reliance on biometrics reuse. USCIS should also enforce existing regulations by rejecting incomplete applications and petitions, ensuring both that they are completed before accepted for filing and that FDNS signs off on all approved applications and petitions before approval notices are sent to the alien or petitioner. Other efforts should be focused on adjudication standards returning to nearly 100 percent interview requirements for all appropriate cases. The incoming Administration should spearhead an immigration legislative agenda focused on creating a merit-based immigration system that rewards high- skilled aliens instead of the current system that favors extended family–based and luck-of-the-draw immigration. To that end, the diversity visa lottery should be repealed, chain migration should be ended while focusing on the nuclear family, and the existing employment visa program should be replaced with a system to award visas only to the “best and brightest.” Internal efforts to limit employment authorization should be matched by con- gressional action to narrow statutory eligibility to work in the United States and mitigate unfair employment competition for U.S. citizens. The oft-abused H-1B program should be transformed into an elite program through which employers are vying to bring in only the top foreign workers at the highest wages so as not to depress American opportunities. Additionally, Congress should: l Improve the integrity of the temporary work visa programs; l Repeal Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designations;

Agency for International Development

Minimal

Vector: 61%

Pages: 294-296AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The Kayla Hamilton Act addresses domestic protections for unaccompanied alien children and trafficking prevention, whereas the Project 2025 USAID section focuses on foreign aid pro-life policies, international religious freedom, and procurement reforms; there is no substantive thematic or policy overlap."

Key themes:no overlapunrelated

— 261 — Agency for International Development illuminated another loophole in the policy’s effectiveness in safeguarding U.S. tax- payer dollars from being used to promote abortion. Pro-abortion groups also have received funds under other categories of foreign aid that fall outside the scope of global health assistance, including women-related and economic assistance programs. Members of Congress have advocated closing these loopholes by extending PLGHA to all foreign assistance through the Protect- ing Life in Foreign Assistance Act, sponsored by Senator Mike Lee (R–UT) and Representative Virginia Foxx (R–NC).11 Current law in the Foreign Assistance Act gives the President broad authority to set “such terms and conditions as he may determine” on foreign assistance, which legally empowers the next conservative President to expand this pro-life policy. To stop U.S. foreign aid from supporting the global abortion industry, the next conservative Administration should issue an executive order that, at a minimum, reinstates PLGHA and summarily blocks funding to UNFPA but also closes loop- holes by applying the policy to all foreign assistance, including humanitarian aid, and improving its enforcement. The executive order to reinstate PLGHA should be drafted broadly to apply to all foreign assistance. It should simultaneously rescind President Biden’s memorandum entitled “Protecting Women’s Health at Home and Abroad,” issued on January 28, 2021.12 The new pro-life executive order should apply to foreign NGOs, including subgrantees and subcontractors, and remove exemptions for U.S.-based NGOs, public international organizations, and bilateral government-to-government agreements. All entities funded by USAID, both directly and indirectly, should report their compliance with the PLGHA, and USAID should institute penalties, including debarment from future federal funding, for violations of it. The new executive order also should instruct the Administrator of USAID to publish reports on implementation of the PLGHA by both prime and sub-prime recipients. In addition, the Helms Amendment should continue to be applied, as it has been by both Republican and Democratic Administrations for more than 50 years, as a complete ban on the use of taxpayer dollars to pay for abortions abroad. International Religious Freedom. Conservatives believe international religious freedom is central to USAID’s development efforts. President Trump’s Executive Order 13926 on “Advancing International Religious Freedom”13 instructed the Secretary of State, in consultation with the USAID Administrator, to budget at least $50 million a year for programs that advance international reli- gious freedom and “ensure that faith-based and religious entities, including eligible entities in foreign countries, are not discriminated against on the basis of religious identity or religious belief when competing for Federal funding.” Under the Trump Administration, the agency set up a senior-level Chief Adviser for International Religious Freedom who reported directly to the Administra- tor with the task of coordinating a “whole-of-USAID” approach to achieving this — 262 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise priority. It created a robust genocide-response capability. USAID affirmed the agency’s partnerships with faith-based organizations through its rule on “Partic- ipation by Religious Organizations in USAID Programs;”14 “Partnership Guidance and Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Faith Based Organizations;” and “Legal Guidance and Answers to FAQs for USAID Staff.” Today, USAID officials and their progressive partners have resisted efforts to promote religious freedom, especially as it relates to abortion and gender ideology, which are anathema to the traditional societies where USAID funds programs (in addition to many U.S. taxpayers). U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken repudiated his predecessor’s focus on religious freedom. The next conservative Administration must champion the core American value of religious freedom, which correlates significantly with poverty reduction, eco- nomic growth, and peace. It should train all USAID staff on the connection between religious freedom and development; integrate it into all of the agency’s programs, including the five-year Country Development and Coordination Strategies due for updates in 2025; strengthen the missions’ relationships with local faith-based leaders; and build on local programs that are serving the poor. Congress should appropriate funding to USAID specifically to support persecuted religious minori- ties in line with Executive Order 13926. Streamlining Procurement and Localizing the Partner Base. USAID is a grantmaking and contracting agency that disburses billions of dollars of federal funding in developing countries through implementing partners, such as U.N. agen- cies, international NGOs, for-profit companies, and local nongovernmental entities. In rare instances, such as in Jordan and Ukraine, the agency provides direct budget support to finance the operations of host-country governments. USAID far more often counts on expensive and ineffective large contracts and grants to carry out its programs. It justifies these practices based on speed and a lower administrative burden on its institutional capacity. Partnering and procurement reform was a pillar of the Trump Administration’s effort to secure better development results, cut costs, and advance the Journey to Self-Reliance strategy of exiting countries from aid. In December 2018, USAID launched its first Acquisition and Assistance Strategy to streamline procurement processes; introduce innovation into its programming; and diversify its partner base away from large, expensive, and partisan implementers. The strategy counted on local NGOs, including faith-based entities already on the ground, to provide the agency with less costly and more effective alternatives to the aid giants. The strategy also prioritized global partnerships with the private sector—corporations, investors, diasporas, and private philanthropies—the source of real capital invest- ment, innovation, and efficiencies that can maximize the impact of taxpayer dollars. Under the Biden Administration, despite rhetoric to the contrary, the aid industrial complex has recaptured the agency and stifled further reforms.

Showing 3 of 5 policy matches

About These Correlations

Policy matches are calculated using a hybrid approach: initial candidates are found using semantic similarity between bill summaries and Project 2025 policy text, then an AI model (Llama 3.1 70B) provides detailed alignment ratings and analysis. Ratings range from 1 (minimal alignment) to 5 (very strong alignment). This analysis does not imply direct causation or intent.

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