Presidential Drawdown Authority

Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) is a power granted to the President of the United States under sections 506(a) and 552(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. §§ 2318(a), 2348a(c)) to direct the immediate transfer of defense articles and services from U.S. Government stockpiles to foreign governments or international organizations in response to unforeseen military emergencies or other legislatively authorized purposes. PDA does not require prior appropriation, but the President must notify Congress before a drawdown and report on its execution and impact.^[1][2][3]

Background

PDA was first enacted as part of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to allow the President to meet “unforeseen emergencies” by drawing on Department of Defense stockpiles without waiting for new appropriations. Initially limited to $100 million per fiscal year, Congress raised the cap to $11 billion for FY 2022 and to $14.5 billion for FY 2023 to address the needs of Ukraine following the 2022 Russian invasion.^[4]

Legal framework

Under Foreign Assistance Act of 1961:

• Section 506(a) (22 U.S.C. § 2318(a)) authorizes drawdowns for military assistance, with a 15-day prior notification to Congress if over $25 million in articles or services are provided.^[1]
• Section 552(c) (22 U.S.C. § 2348a(c)) authorizes drawdowns for peacekeeping and humanitarian support, also requiring congressional notification.^[2]

Process

1. Interagency determination by the National Security Council, Department of State, and Department of Defense identifies an unforeseen military emergency requiring PDA.
2. The Department of State obtains an FAA § 503 eligibility determination and FAA § 505 assurances, then prepares a Presidential Determination memorandum for the President.
3. Upon Presidential approval, the Department of State formally notifies Congress of the drawdown intent at least 15 days prior to execution.^[5]
4. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency issues a drawdown execution message to the Military Departments, authorizing transfer of specified articles, services, and training.

Usage

PDA has been used for:

• Russo-Ukrainian War: As of January 2025, PDA has been invoked over 55 times to provide Ukraine with military equipment and munitions valued at more than $40 billion.^[5][6]
• Taiwan: In December 2024, PDA was employed to transfer $345 million in air defense systems and surveillance equipment to Taiwan.^[7][8]
• International disaster response and peacekeeping missions.^[9][10]

Oversight and evaluation

A 1985 Government Accountability Office report noted PDA’s original intent as a temporary, emergency authority and recommended enhanced accountability and reporting for drawdown items.^[11] A November 2024 DoD Inspector General evaluation found that the Defense Security Cooperation Agency and Military Services generally tracked PDA items effectively but suggested improvements in property book documentation and reporting procedures.^[12]

See also

• United States military aid
• United States Foreign Military Financing
• Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative
• Foreign Assistance Act of 1961
• Security Assistance Group–Ukraine
• Section 1206 bridge authority