Foreign Assistance Act (FAA, 1961)

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (22 U.S.C. § 2151 et seq.)

2) Why It Was Done
The FAA was enacted to reorganize U.S. foreign aid programs and establish the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). It separated military and non-military aid and created a framework for economic and humanitarian assistance.

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
Prior aid programs like the Marshall Plan were temporary. The FAA created a permanent structure for U.S. foreign assistance tied to Cold War strategy and international development.