H.R. 2411, the UNRWA Funding Emergency Restoration Act
For information about how to set up a lobby visit with your Congress member about H.R. 2411, click here.
On April 6th & 7th: Join national call-in days
Call your representative at 202-224-3121.
“My name is [name] and I am a voting constituent in your district and I am calling to urge Congress member [name] to co-sponsor and champion H.R. 2411: the UNRWA Funding Emergency Restoration Act. UNRWA is the backbone of all aid delivery operations in Gaza. Blocking U.S. funding is a key part of the catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza, home to two million Palestinians who are experiencing displacement, hunger, and disease. Will Representative [name] co-sponsor and champion this legislation?”
Background:
Basic info about H.R. 2411, the UNRWA Funding Emergency Restoration Act can be found HERE.
UNRWA is the “backbone” of all aid delivery operations in Gaza. Blocking U.S. funding is a key part of the catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza, home to two million Palestinians who are experiencing displacement, hunger, and disease. Please join this briefing about the UNRWA Funding Emergency Restoration Act. We will learn about this legislation, hear an update about conditions on the ground in Gaza, and walk through how to plan a lobby visit with your Congress member during Passover.
Gaza isn’t starving. It’s being starved. Over two million Palestinian civilians face one of the world’s worst human-made humanitarian crises, with famine and disease spreading due to a lack of aid access. Amidst this catastrophe, the Biden administration and Congress halted all U.S. funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the largest aid operation in Gaza, until March 2025. President Trump has also indicated that his administration will continue the suspension of U.S. funding to the agency.
This U.S. action was a knee-jerk response to Israeli allegations that a dozen UNRWA employees (out of 13,000 working in Gaza) were directly involved in Hamas’ horrific attacks on October 7. As the facts continue to come in, it has become clear there was an unjustified rush to judgment against UNRWA. Other countries that suspended UNRWA funding have resumed funding it.
UNRWA was established by a United Nations General Assembly Resolution in 1949 to carry out direct relief programs for Palestine refugees displaced in the Nakba, the violence suffered by Palestinians following the establishment of the state of Israel. The agency began operations in 1950 and has provided vital relief to Palestinian civilians in need ever since.
Why Congress must pass H.R. 2411:
UNRWA is the “backbone” of all aid delivery operations in Gaza. Blocking U.S. funding will only exacerbate the already catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which is home to two million Palestinians who are experiencing displacement, hunger, and disease.
Continuing to block U.S. funding to UNRWA doesn’t just impact civilians in Gaza. This vital UN agency provides essential shelter, healthcare, education, and financial assistance to millions of other Palestinian refugees across the region including in the West Bank, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan. If UNRWA closed its doors, we could see even more regional instability and violence. Key allies like Jordan have come to Congress requesting UNRWA funding be restored and citing the national security implications should UNRWA’s work be disrupted.
In response to Israel’s allegations, UNRWA immediately fired the twelve accused employees. UN Secretary General Guterres ordered an inspector general investigation and commissioned an independent, outside review of UNRWA’s mechanisms and procedures. UNRWA has taken concrete steps to implement all recommendations.
After prompt action by UNRWA and the UN, and as additional facts have come to light, all other 15 countries that suspended support to UNRWA have resumed funding, including the United Kingdom, European Union, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, and Australia. The United States should join these key allies in restoring this urgently needed funding.
What are we asking for?
For most members of Congress:
Ask them to sign on to the legislation as a co-sponsor.
For current co-sponsors (see list below):
Express appreciation and support - this is hugely important. Then, ask what else they can do to champion the bill:
Can they make a public statement explaining why they support the legislation?
Can they reach out to other members in support (specifically if they have a relationship with ranking member Rep Meeks)?
Will they ask Leader Hakeem Jeffries to support H.R. 2411?
Can they work within committees they are on to support H.R. 2411?
Current H.R2411 Co-Sponsors:
Introduced by: Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7]
Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7]
Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9]
Rep. Balint, Becca [D-VT-At Large]
Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44]
Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8]
Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1]
Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24]
Rep. Castro, Joaquin [D-TX-20]
Rep. Casar, Greg [D-TX-35]
Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28]
Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5]
Rep. Courtney, Joe [D-CT-2]
Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4]
Rep. DeGette, Diana [D-CO-1]
Rep. DeLauro, Rosa L. [D-CT-3]
Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10]
Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-6]
Rep. Doggett, Lloyd [D-TX-37]
Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3]
Rep. Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4]
Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10]
Rep. Garamendi, John [D-CA-8]
Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4]
Rep. Green, Al [D-TX-9]
Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5]
Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2]
Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1]
Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4]
Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17]
Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12]
Rep. Leger Fernandez, Teresa [D-NM-3]
Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-18]
Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8]
Rep. McCollum, Betty [D-MN-4]
Rep. Mfume, Kweisi [D-MD-7]
Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2]
Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4]
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria [D-NY-14]
Rep. Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5]
Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1]
Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2]
Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7]
Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5]
Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3]
Rep. Raskin, Jamie [D-MD-8]
Rep. Sánchez, Linda T. [D-CA-38]
Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12]
Rep. Stansbury, Melanie A. [D-NM-1]
Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]
Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2]
Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20]
Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7]
Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-43]
Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12]
Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2]
Rep. Jacobs, Sara [D-CA-51]
Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2]
Rep. Thompson, Mike [D-CA-4]
Rep. Dexter, Maxine [D-OR-3]
Rep. Underwood, Lauren [D-IL-14]
Rep. McClellan, Jennifer L. [D-VA-4]
Rep. Larson, John B. [D-CT-1]
Rep. Larsen, Rick [D-WA-2]
Rep. Garcia, Sylvia R. [D-TX-29]
Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-39]
Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5]
Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7]
Rep. Davids, Sharice [D-KS-3]
Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9]
Rep. Randall, Emily [D-WA-6]
Rep. Deluzio, Chris (D-PA-17)