H.R. 4650: Safe Return Act

This bill, titled the Safe Return Act, proposes amendments to the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 to establish a program for repatriation grants. Here’s a breakdown of the key components and intended changes of the bill:

Repatriation Grant Program

The main focus of the bill is to create a repatriation grant program, which would assist specific groups of individuals who need help returning to the United States from abroad.

• The program will offer financial assistance in the form of grants rather than loans.
• It aims to support:
• Private United States citizens
• Lawful permanent residents of the United States
• Third-country nationals on a grant basis.

Changes to Current Regulations

Several regulatory updates are proposed within the bill:

• The current reference to "loans" in specific provisions will be changed to "grants," indicating a shift away from a repayment model to a non-repayable assistance model.
• Destitute lawful permanent residents will also be included as eligible for grants, in addition to destitute U.S. citizens.
• The Secretary of State is required to update the Foreign Affairs Manual to align with these changes, ensuring that procedures reflect the new grant-based approach.

Implementation

The bill provides a framework for how the program will function, specifying that recipients will receive grants rather than loans and that grant agreements will replace loan agreements in the documentation. The update to the Foreign Affairs Manual is a necessary step to facilitate the transition from loans to grants.

Objective

The overarching aim of the Safe Return Act is to ensure that U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents who find themselves in difficult circumstances abroad have access to direct assistance that helps them return home without the burden of repayment. This initiative is expected to streamline the support process for repatriation services.

Relevant Companies

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