USTDA Modernization Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8625 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8625

To amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize assistance for
certain development activities in high-income countries, and for other
                               purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 30, 2026

Mr. Moylan (for himself and Ms. Tokuda) introduced the following bill;
         which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

To amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize assistance for
certain development activities in high-income countries, and for other
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``United States Trade and Development
Agency Modernization Act of 2026'' or the ``USTDA Modernization Act of
2026''.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that the United States Trade and
Development Agency plays a critical role in advancing United States
commercial, energy, digital, and infrastructure interests in priority
emerging markets by supporting early-stage project preparation and
technical assistance and should be authorized to allocate some of its
annual program funds for activities in high-income countries that
directly affect United States economic and national security.

SEC. 3. EXPANSION OF COUNTRY ELIGIBILITY.

    Section 661(b) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C.
2421(b)) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (3), (4), and (5) as
        paragraphs (4), (5), and (6), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
            ``(3) Assistance in high-income countries.--Notwithstanding
        any other provision of law, the Director of the Trade and
        Development Agency is authorized to provide not more than 15
        percent of the total amount of funds appropriated in a fiscal
        year for assistance under this section for--
                    ``(A) activities described in paragraph (2) in
                high-income countries; or
                    ``(B) projects in high-income countries that serve
                United States strategic interests in the energy,
                critical minerals, transport, or telecommunications
                sectors.''.

SEC. 4. PERSONNEL AUTHORITIES.

    Section 661(c) of such Act (22 U.S.C. 2421(c)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (2)(C), by striking ``2'' and inserting
        ``5'' before ``may be appointed''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(3) Personal services contractors.--
                    ``(A) The Trade and Development Agency may contract
                with individuals for personal services, and such
                individuals may not be considered Federal employees for
                the purpose of any provision of law administered by the
                Director of the Office of Personnel Management.
                    ``(B) The Director shall submit to Congress an
                annual report describing the number of individuals
                contracted for personal services by the Trade and
                Development Agency, the roles of such contractors, and
                the costs associated with such contracts.''.
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