Senator Mike Lee of Utah and Representative Warren Davidson of Ohio have introduced the Aid Accountability Act of 2025. The proposed legislation aims to impose stricter penalties on federal employees and non-governmental organizations that violate the Helms Amendment. This amendment prohibits the use of U.S. foreign aid for performing or promoting abortion as a method of family planning.
The introduction of the bill follows recent admissions from the State Department regarding misuse of funds from the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). It was revealed that partners and grantees used funds meant for HIV/AIDS prevention to perform abortions in Mozambique during the Biden administration. Although the funding was suspended and reimbursements were secured, no substantial penalties have been imposed on those involved in the misuse of funds.
The misuse of funds intended for HIV/AIDS prevention is reportedly not an isolated incident. There have been several instances where over $1 million allocated by Congress has been used to promote abortion, violating the Helms Amendment.
Senator Lee emphasized the importance of enforcing penalties, stating, “For years, American tax dollars have gone to foreign aid efforts that promote abortion, in direct violation of the Helms amendment. This is largely because there have been no real penalties for this grievous abuse—until now. Our legislation permanently cuts aid off from any organizations which violate the abortion prohibition, and permanently fires any federal employee who knowingly facilitates it.”
Representative Davidson echoed similar sentiments by stating, “It is illegal and immoral for the U.S. government to fund abortion abroad. Federal funding for groups that promote abortion damages our credibility and hurts our ability to work with nations that share pro-life values. The Aid Accountability Act ensures real consequences for those who ignore the Helms Amendment by permanently banning non-profits caught using federal funds for abortion. Further, it would ban federal workers from civil service who knowingly violate the law. Only by restoring accountability to foreign aid can we hope to restore trust in the State Department.”
The bill is cosponsored by Senators Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Ashley Moody of Florida. It is endorsed by organizations such as the Family Research Council and Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America.
Key provisions of the Aid Accountability Act include making any grantee, sub-grantee, or contractor that violates abortion-related prohibitions permanently ineligible for future U.S. funding. The act would also bar any civil servant who knowingly facilitates a violation from civil service for life and hold them financially liable. The Secretary of State is tasked with determining violations and penalties, with these decisions subject to review only by a federal court and under the Congressional Review Act.
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