HONDURAS Act

Bill Number

H.R. 525

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

International Affairs

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-01-16: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Last Updated

2026-06-11T05:06:22Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

The HONDURAS Act (H.R. 525) aims to address situations where the Government of Honduras refuses or fails to host U.S. military and civilian personnel at Soto Cano Air Base. It authorizes the suspension of all U.S. assistance to Honduras as a response, emphasizing accountability for Honduras' role in regional security cooperation.

Key Provisions

• Short Title: The bill is officially titled the "Honduras Obstinately Neglects Defense and Risks Alienating Security Act" or simply the "HONDURAS Act."
• Funding Prohibition: Starting after the redeployment of U.S. military and civilian personnel from Soto Cano Air Base—triggered by Honduras' refusal or unwillingness to host them—the President may suspend all U.S. assistance to Honduras.
• Scope of Suspension: This includes aid under the 1954 bilateral military assistance agreement between the U.S. and Honduras, as well as any later changes to that agreement.
• Override Clause: The prohibition applies regardless of any conflicting laws.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• The bill introduces a new conditional authority for the President to halt all forms of U.S. assistance to Honduras, overriding prior legal obligations under the 1954 agreement and other statutes.
• It shifts from ongoing support (e.g., military aid) to a potential full cutoff, making assistance contingent on Honduras' cooperation with U.S. basing needs— a change not explicitly tied to this scenario in previous laws.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: U.S. agencies like the Department of State and Department of Defense may need to redirect or pause aid programs, affecting budgeting and operations in Central America.
• On Citizens: Honduran citizens could face reduced access to U.S.-funded development, health, or security aid, potentially worsening economic or stability issues; U.S. taxpayers might see savings from suspended programs but risks to regional influence.
• On International Relations: This could strain U.S.-Honduras ties, signal tougher U.S. policy toward allies not meeting security commitments, and impact broader Central American cooperation on issues like migration or counternarcotics.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• U.S. Government: The President, military branches, and foreign aid agencies (e.g., USAID) directly involved in implementing or suspending assistance.
• Government of Honduras: Officials and military leaders, who may lose critical U.S. support if the base hosting issue arises.
• U.S. Personnel and Interests: Military and civilian staff at Soto Cano Air Base, along with broader U.S. strategic goals in the region.
• Honduran Population and Regional Partners: Citizens relying on U.S. aid, and neighboring countries affected by any shifts in regional security dynamics.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: The bill's "notwithstanding any other provision of law" clause strengthens presidential discretion in foreign aid but could face challenges if seen as conflicting with treaty obligations under the 1954 agreement (a bilateral pact for military cooperation).
• Constitutional: It aligns with Congress's power to control appropriations (under Article I) while delegating implementation to the executive branch, potentially raising questions about separation of powers if the suspension is broadly applied.
• Political: As an introduced bill (referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on January 16, 2025), it reflects bipartisan concerns (sponsors from both parties) over alliance reliability but could polarize debates on U.S. interventionism in Latin America or aid conditionality. If enacted, it might set a precedent for tying aid to specific hosting agreements in other countries.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Ogles, Andrew [R-TN-5]

Cosponsors (2)

Rep. Salazar, Maria Elvira [R-FL-27], Rep. Weber, Randy K. Sr. [R-TX-14]

Recent Actions

• 2025-01-16: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
• 2025-01-16: Introduced in House
• 2025-01-16: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Honduras Obstinately Neglects Defense and Risks Alienating Security Act — issued 2025-01-16 — PDF (2 pages)