§ 635r. Establishment of tied aid credit program administered by Trade and Development Agency

(a) Establishment and elements of program

The Director of the Trade and Development Agency shall carry out a program of tied aid credits for United States exports. The program shall be carried out in cooperation with the Export-Import Bank of the United States and with private financial institutions or entities, as appropriate. The program may include—

(1) the combined use of the credits, loans, or guarantees offered by the Bank with concessional financing or grants made available under subsection (d) of this section, by methods including the blending of the financing of, or parallel financing by, the Bank and the Trade and Development Agency; and

(2) the combination of concessional financing or grants made available under subsection (d) of this section with financing offered by private financial institutions or entities, by methods including the blending of the financing of, or parallel financing by, the Trade and Development Agency and private institutions or entities.

(b) Combination of funds with financing by Export-Import Bank or private commercial financing

These funds may be combined with financing by the Export-Import Bank of the United States or private commercial financing in order to offer, or arrange for, financing for the exportation of United States goods and services which is substantially as concessional as foreign financing for which there is reasonable proof that such foreign financing is being offered to, or arranged for, a bona fide foreign competitor for a United States export sale.

(1) Funds which are used to carry out a tied aid credit program authorized by subsections (a) and (b) of this section shall be offered only to finance United States exports which can reasonably be expected to contribute to the advancement of the development objectives of the importing country or countries, and shall be consistent with the economic, security, and political criteria used to establish country allocations of Economic Support Funds.

(2) The Director of the Trade and Development Agency is authorized to establish a fund, as necessary, for carrying out a tied aid credit financing program as described in this section.

(d) Use of Economic Support Funds

Funds available to carry out chapter 4 of part II of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 [22 U.S.C. 2346 et seq.] may be used by the Director of the Trade and Development Agency, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State (as provided under section 531 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 [22 U.S.C. 2346]), for the purposes for which funds made available under this subsection are authorized to be used in section 635q of this title and this section. The Secretary of State shall exercise his authority in cooperation with the Administrator of the Agency for International Development. Funds made available pursuant to this subsection may be used to finance a tied aid credit activity in any country eligible for tied aid credits under this subchapter.