A report by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy documents that the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided funds to institutions controlled by Hamas in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in defiance of guidelines issued by President Bush and Congress. The institute revealed that USAID has failed to screen applicants for U.S. funding to ensure that they were not linked to Hamas and other groups on the State Department terrorist list... In March 2006, USAID eliminated a requirement to periodically reevaluate aid recipients after initial clearance,... USAID's new policy ensured that the State Department would remain "unaware" of Hamas and other insurgency takeovers of Palestinian charities. Under pressure from Congress, USAID has demanded that aid applicants provide details of principal officers and other employees.