Leave No Americans Behind Act of 2026

Bill Number

H.R. 8004

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 2

Policy Area

International Affairs

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2026-03-19: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Last Updated

2026-04-03T14:52:36Z

AI-Generated Summary

Summary of H.R. 8004: Leave No Americans Behind Act of 2026

Purpose

This legislation aims to eliminate the repatriation loan program administered by the Department of State. It modifies existing law to remove provisions allowing loans or reimbursable evacuations for U.S. citizens abroad.

Key Provisions

• Amends Section 4 of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956.
• Removes language in subsection (b)(2)(A)(ii) that previously required evacuations to occur on a reimbursable basis, with reimbursements credited to Department of State funds and limited to the cost of a reasonable commercial airfare.
• Strikes subsection (d) in its entirety, which established the repatriation loan program.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• The bill eliminates the authority for the Department of State to provide loans for repatriation or related services.
• It removes requirements for individuals to repay costs associated with emergency evacuations, shifting away from a reimbursable model.

Potential Impacts

• Government agencies: The Department of State would no longer manage or collect repayments for repatriation loans, potentially simplifying its administrative processes but requiring adjustments to funding for emergency assistance.
• Citizens: U.S. citizens abroad facing emergencies could receive assistance without the obligation to repay loans, though the exact scope of coverage would depend on remaining authorities in the law.
• International relations: No direct changes to diplomatic operations are specified, but the removal of loan programs might affect how the U.S. handles citizen evacuations in crisis situations overseas.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• U.S. citizens living or traveling abroad who may require emergency repatriation assistance.
• The Department of State, as the primary agency responsible for implementing the amended authorities.
• Congress, through its oversight of foreign affairs funding and legislation.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• The changes are limited to statutory amendments within the 1956 Act and do not address broader constitutional issues such as executive authority over foreign affairs.
• No specific political or legal challenges are outlined in the bill text itself.

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

Sponsor

Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-6]

Cosponsors (1)

Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2]

Recent Actions

• 2026-03-19: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
• 2026-03-19: Introduced in House
• 2026-03-19: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Leave No Americans Behind Act of 2026 — issued 2026-03-19 — PDF (2 pages)