Reassessing the United States-Tanzania Bilateral Relationship Act

Key Points

• Shaheen and Cruz introduced a bill to rethink how the United States works with Tanzania. This comes after reports of a rigged election in 2025 where the current leader claimed to win 98 percent of the vote while police killed hundreds of protesters.
• The bill would stop most military and security aid to Tanzania. It also blocks government loans and investments for businesses there until the country makes major changes to its elections and stops arresting political rivals.
• U.S. officials would have to create a list of Tanzanian leaders who are responsible for kidnapping people, shutting down the internet, or hurting protesters. These individuals could have their U.S. bank accounts frozen and be banned from visiting the United States.
• The plan also looks at how much influence China has over Tanzania's military and economy. Lawmakers are concerned that China is helping the Tanzanian government move away from democratic values and toward a one-party system.
• Help for basic needs like food, medicine, and healthcare would not be stopped. The goal is to pressure the government to respect human rights while still helping regular people who live there.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.