TL/DR –
Republican members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee are proposing an amendment to require U.S. foreign aid to bear the American flag. The amendment aims to revive a Trump-era policy in which the flag is used to “appropriately identify” overseas programs administered by USAID. The amendment would not apply if images representing the U.S. pose a safety or security concern and is exclusive to aid distributed by USAID, which primarily handles civilian assistance and economic development.
House Republicans Propose Amendment in Support of Displaying American Flag on Foreign Aid
Several House Republicans are proposing an amendment to mandate the display of the American flag on U.S. foreign assistance. This proposal aims to reinstate a Trump-era policy that had been rescinded by President Biden.
The amendment is being spearheaded by members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, including Reps. Brian Mast (Fla.), Maria Elvira Salazar (Fla.), Mike Lawler (N.Y.), and Jim Baird (Ind.).
The proposed change is planned as an amendment to the USAID Branding Modernization Act, passed in 2019. The act encouraged the incorporation of American flags into foreign aid logos but left the choice of logo to the discretion of the USAID director.
The House Republicans’ amendment would require the USAID director to use the American flag to identify American overseas programs administered by USAID. However, the amendment would still allow the director discretion in cases where certain U.S. images might pose safety or security concerns.
Presently, USAID’s logo comprises of block letters spelling the agency’s name with a tagline saying, “From the American people,” and an image of clasping hands and American flag bunting.
The GOP amendment aligns with former President Trump’s initiative to standardize logos on U.S. foreign aid, favoring the American flag as the sole logo, a move that was reversed by President Biden in May 2021.
The proposed amendment only applies to aid provided by USAID and primarily affects civilian assistance and economic development aid. USAID has always been required to state that its assistance comes from the American people under the 1961 Foreign Assistance Act.
According to a Pew Research poll, positive attitudes about the U.S. tend to rise in foreign countries when it is recognized that America is providing aid.
Rep. Salazar, in a statement, emphasized the importance of the American flag as a symbol of freedom globally and the need to showcase it wherever possible.
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