EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATION FOR HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE

SEC. 331. EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATION FOR HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE (a) Authorization of Funds.—There is authorized to be appropriated to the Department of Defense for fiscal year 1988 the sum of $13,000,000 for the purpose of providing transportation for humanitarian relief for persons displaced or who are refugees because of the invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviet Union. Of this sum, not more than $3,000,000 is authorized to be used for distribution of humanitarian relief supplies to the non-Communist resistance organizations at or near the border between Thailand and Cambodia. (b) Authority to Transfer Funds.—The Secretary of Defense is authorized to transfer to the Secretary of State not more than $3,000,000 of the funds appropriated pursuant to the authorization in this section to provide for (1) paying for administrative costs of providing the transportation described in subsection (a), and (2) the purchase or other acquisition of transportation assets for the distribution of relief supplies in the country of destination. (c) Transportation Under Direction of the Secretary of State.—Transportation provided with funds appropriated pursuant to the authorization in this section shall be under the direction of the Secretary of State. (d) Means of Transportation to Be Used.—Transportation for humanitarian relief provided with funds appropriated pursuant to the authorization in this section shall be by the most economical commercial or military means available, unless the Secretary of State determines that it is in the national interest of the United States to use means other than the most economical available. Such means may include the use of aircraft and personnel of the reserve component of the Armed Forces. (e) Availability of Funds.—Amounts appropriated pursuant to the authorization in subsection (a) shall remain available until expended, to the extent provided in appropriations Acts. (f) Reports.—The Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services and Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committees on Armed Services and Foreign Affairs of the 101 STAT. 1079 House of Representatives two reports, one of which shall be submitted not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act and the other not later than June 1, 1988. Each such report shall contain (as of the date on which the report is submitted) the following information: (1) The total amount of funds obligated for humanitarian relief under this section and section 331 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1987 Public Law 99–661; 100 Stat. 3856). (2) The number of scheduled and completed flights for purposes of providing humanitarian relief under this section and section 331 of such Act. (3) A description of any transfer (including to whom the transfer is made) of excess nonlethal supplies of the Department of Defense made available for humanitarian relief purposes under section 2547 of title 10, United States Code.