Memorandum for the Secretary of State

President George W. Bush authorized drawing up to $5.75 million from the Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund to provide humanitarian aid to victims and displaced persons from the August 2008 conflict in Georgia. The Secretary of State is assigned presidential functions to establish terms and conditions for this assistance.

Federal Register Open PDF 73 FR 54285

Impact dates

Date TBD
Federal Register publication

Key directives

Draw up to $5.75 million from United States Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund
Furnish assistance for unexpected and urgent refugee and migration needs of Georgian conflict victims
Make contributions to international, governmental, and nongovernmental organizations
Pay administrative expenses of Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration
Assign presidential functions under section 2(d) of the Act to Secretary of State
Authorize Secretary of State to establish terms and conditions under section 2(c)(1)
Permit further delegation to subordinates consistent with applicable law
Publish memorandum in Federal Register

Who is ordered

Secretary of State · Department of State

Timeline

Immediate

$5.75 million emergency fund drawdown authorized
Secretary of State assigned presidential functions for implementation

Near term (90d)

Humanitarian assistance disbursed to international, governmental, and nongovernmental organizations
Administrative expenses paid to State Department Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration

Long term

—

Risks & tensions

Document filed in Federal Register 20 days after signing (September 17, 2008), suggesting possible administrative delay in public notice
No explicit spending deadline specified; 'not to exceed' ceiling allows flexibility but lacks temporal constraint
Delegation chain (President to Secretary to subordinates) may create accountability gaps in rapid crisis response