Senate Appropriations Committee Press Release, July 26, 2001

Senate Appropriations Committee Press Release, July 26, 2001
Committee Approves FY02 Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill

The Senate Appropriations Committee Thursday approved the Fiscal Year 2002 Foreign Operations Appropriations bill. The bill now awaits action by the full Senate.

The legislation contains $15.524 billion in discretionary and $44,880,000 in mandatory spending. It is an increase of $342 million from the President's request.

The bill funds most of the President's requests at or near the request level, with the exception of aid to the Andean countries. The request was for $882 million, of which $731 million was for counterdrug programs. The bill contains $718 million, with $567 million for counterdrug programs. The bill also contains the caps on military and civilian personnel put in law last year. That language caps military personnel at 500 people, and 300 people for civilian contractors in Colombia.

As in past years, the bill funds aid for Israel and Egypt at the President's request levels (for Israel, $2.040 billion in military aid, and $720 million in economic aid; for Egypt, $1.3 billion in military aid and $655 million in economic aid).

Other funding issues:

-- Export-Import [Ex-Im] Bank: $753 million.

-- Child survival and health programs fund: $1.45 billion.

-- Development assistance: $1.23 billion.

-- International disaster assistance: $255 million.

-- Economic support fund: $2.2 billion.

-- Assistance for Eastern Europe: $603 million.

-- Assistance for the Former Soviet Republics: $800 million.

-- Military Assistance: $3.889 billion.

-- Multilateral banks: $1.179 billion.

EX-IM BANK: $753 million

The bill increases the Ex-Im Bank's subsidy appropriation from the President's request of $633.3 million to $753.3 million. This level will enable Ex-Im to finance approximately $1 billion more in exports than in FY01.

CHILD SURVIVAL AND HEALTH PROGRAMS FUND: $1.45 billion

This account contains $450 million for HIV/AIDS, including a $50 million contribution to a Global Fund to combat AIDS, TB [tuberculosis], and malaria (this is in addition to the $100 million contribution to the Global Fund, which was included in the Supplemental Appropriations bill signed by the President earlier this week); $325 million for child survival and maternal health; $120 million for UNICEF; and $175 million for other infectious diseases.

Includes $450 million for voluntary family planning, which is $25 million above the request, plus $39 million for the UN [United Nations] Population Fund.

DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE: $1.23 billion

This provides $135 million for basic education, as well as funding for economic growth, agriculture (including $30 million for biotechnology programs), democracy, and $295 million for environmental and energy conservation programs.

DEBT FORGIVENESS

Includes the full request for the HIPC [Heavily Indebted Poor Countries] debt forgiveness initiative, plus $25 million to implement the Tropical Forest Conservation Act.

INTERNATIONAL DISASTER ASSISTANCE: $255 million

This increases the President's request of $200 million by $55 million for relief programs in El Salvador, Afghanistan, Sudan and elsewhere.

REFUGEE ASSISTANCE: $735 million

This amount is $20 million above the President's request.

ECONOMIC SUPPORT FUND: $2.2 billion

This includes the earmarks of $720 million for Israel, $655 million for Egypt, and $150 million for Jordan.

ASSISTANCE FOR EASTERN EUROPE: $603 million

The request was $605 million. $115 million has been provided for Serbia, with similar conditions as in the FY01 bill.

ASSISTANCE FOR THE FORMER SOVIET REPUBLICS: $800 million

This includes levels of $180 million for Ukraine; $90 million for Armenia and $90 million for Georgia. This also includes language identical to current law which cuts 60 percent of assistance to the Central Government of Russia until the President determines and certifies that Russia has ceased its nuclear/technical relationship with Iran and that Russian is permitting international relief organizations access to Chechnya.

ANDEAN REGIONAL INITIATIVE (ARI): $718 MILLION

The $718 million includes $567 million for the Andean Counterdrug Initiative (ACI). The Administration requested $882 million for ARI, and $731 million for ACI. This brings to over $2 billion the total U.S. assistance to the Andean region in two years.

COLOMBIA

Includes conditions on the assistance for Colombia relating to human rights. Requires a determination on the safety of herbicides.

MILITARY ASSISTANCE: $3.889 billion

This includes a $10 million increase for IMET (International Military Education Training) to $75 million. It also includes the President's request of $3.674 billion in FMF (Foreign Military Financing) assistance, which is an increase of $106 million to the account from the FY01 level. This includes $2.04 billion for Israel; which is a $60 million increase while Egypt holds steady at $1.3 billion.

MULTILATERAL BANKS: $1.179 billion

This is $31 million below the President's request.

As of August 1, 2001, this document was also available online at http://www.senate.gov/~appropriations/releases/record.cfm?id=177710