restore u.s. government

funding to UNRWA

Urge your elected officials to co-sponsor the

UNRWA Funding Emergency Restoration Act.

Your elected officials need to hear from you –

loudly and consistently.

As a tax-paying constituent, your voice matters and it needs to be heard through the halls of Congress.

on the hill

on the hill

Advocacy Doesn’t End in DC

it starts with YOU

In March 2025, UNRWA USA held our first Advocacy Days on Capitol Hill since 2019, bringing together supporters from across the country to meet with congressional offices and advocate for the restoration of US funding to UNRWA.

This powerful return to in-person advocacy made one thing clear: your voice matters.

Whether or not you joined us in DC, you can still make a lasting impact. Contact your representatives, request a meeting, or plan/attend a town hall in your community—and use our resources to help guide the conversation.

  • Download our Digital Advocacy Toolkit

  • This toolkit is designed to equip you with the facts, messages, and tools you need to advocate effectively for Palestine refugees.

  • Together, we can continue to raise our voices for Palestine refugees and push for policies rooted in dignity, justice, and humanitarian support.

behind the bill

    • The United States has historically been UNRWA’s biggest government donor, providing $300-400 million annually in recent years.

    • In January 2024, the Biden Administration paused all funding to UNRWA, which the Trump Administration has upheld until today. 

    • Every other major UN member state that had paused funding to UNRWA, the Agency, has since restored their funding, leaving the US the only holdout.

    • Restore US government funding to UNRWA, which was suspended in 2024.

    • Bring the US back as UNRWA’s largest donor — in recent years, that meant $300-400 million annually.

    • Support UNRWA’s work providing education, health care, and food assistance for millions of Palestine refugees across the Gaza Strip, the West Bank (including East Jerusalem), Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria.

    • Affirm UNRWA’s indispensable role as the backbone of the humanitarian response in Gaza and a lifeline for millions of Palestine refugees across the region.

  • Over 70 members of Congress have signed on in support of these bills. See if your member of Congress has signed on: Senate (S.898) /  House (H.R. 2411).

    • UNRWA is the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East established in 1949; working in Gaza, the West Bank (including East Jerusalem), Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria.

    • Provides education, health care, emergency relief, and social services to millions of registered Palestine refugees in Gaza, the West Bank (including East Jerusalem), Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria.

    • UNRWA is the backbone of humanitarian response in Gaza, operating schools, clinics, and food distribution centers — even during what experts are now calling genocide.

    • Mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to provide assistance and protection to Palestine refugees, until there is a just and lasting solution to their plight.

    • 75+ years of experience supporting millions of Palestine refugees across Gaza, the West Bank (including East Jerusalem), Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan.

    • The only agency with the scale, expertise, and community trust to meet the catastrophic humanitarian needs in Gaza.

    • Provides public-like services such as primary education to over 500,000 children, primary health care to nearly 2 million refugees, and livelihoods for its 30,000 UNRWA staff, over 90% of whom are Palestine refugees.

    • Gaza faces an Israeli-engineered famine. Israel is blocking humanitarian aid from entering Gaza at scale. Families are being forced to starve while trucks of food sit blocked at the border.

    • Over 90% of Gaza’s population is displaced and over 80% of its buildings are destroyed.

    • UNRWA is the backbone of the humanitarian response in Gaza, providing education, primary healthcare, water, sanitation, shelter, and psychosocial support. UNRWA delivers 40% of all primary healthcare in Gaza, providing 14,000 medical consultations easy day — making it largest primary healthcare provider in the Gaza Strip.

    • UNRWA remains the only agency capable of operating safely, effectively, and at scale.

    • Email Congress: Urge your reps to co-sponsor this bill and restore US funding.

    • Spread the word: Share online, talk with friends, and raise awareness about UNRWA and this bill.

    • Host an event: Organize an event and Gather for Gaza in your community to build solidarity and raise funds for UNRWA USA.

unrwa is still in gaza

get the facts

Advocacy Resources

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An illustrated Palestinian grandmother wearing traditional clothing with a pointed finger. Text above her reads 'I want you,' and text below reads 'to take action for a ceasefire now.'

Wear Your Advocacy

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What our American officials are saying

  • “Since day one of this conflict, UNRWA has proven to be the backbone of the humanitarian response in Gaza. It is unacceptable that the funding pause has gone on this long — the civilian populations of Gaza and the West Bank are paying the price.”

    — Senator Peter Welch (VT)

  • “UNRWA is not only the primary distributor of desperately-needed aid in Gaza, it also provides critical services to millions of Palestinians in the West Bank, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan… We must restore U.S. funding to UNRWA to ensure it has the resources to carry out its critical humanitarian work.”

    — Senator Chris Van Hollen (MD)

  • “For decades, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has been a lifeline for Palestinians, providing food, clean water, healthcare, shelter, education, and livelihoods. Today, UNRWA remains the backbone of the humanitarian response in Gaza…”

    — Representative Jan Schakowsky (IL-09)

  • “UNRWA plays a crucial role in providing essential social services and life-saving humanitarian assistance like food and medication in Gaza, the West Bank, and throughout the region.”

    — Senator Mazie Hirono (HI)

  • “UNRWA’s on-the-ground understanding is invaluable to ensure that humanitarian aid makes it to the people who need it most … There is no question in my mind that revoking funding for UNRWA will lead to more devastation and loss of life in Gaza.”

    — Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07)

  • “We must … support the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which provides social services to a large number of the over 7 million Palestinian refugees.”

    — Representative Rashida Tlaib (MI-13)

stay informed

  • Read UNRWA USA’s latest statements

    Stay updated on UNRWA USA’s advocacy, impact, and response to urgent issues affecting Palestine refugees.

    learn more

  • Follow UNRWA USA on social media

    Get real-time updates, stories, and campaign highlights. Platforms: Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Bluesky, YouTube, X, and LinkedIn.

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  • Join UNRWA USA’s email list

    Be the first to know about advocacy alerts, breaking news, events in your area and opportunities to support Palestine refugees.

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  • Read our Voices of UNRWA blog

    Discover stories from the field, staff spotlights, and community features that bring UNRWA USA’s mission to life.

    Visit the Blog

  • Attend UNRWA USA events

    Join live discussions, panel events, and briefings to learn directly from experts and advocates.

    view upcoming events