USA lawmakers agree to $20.9 billion in foreign aid

02 Nov 2005 00:39:00 GMT

Source: Reuters
By Vicki Allen

WASHINGTON, Nov 1 (Reuters) - U.S. Senate and House of Representatives negotiators on Tuesday agreed to a $20.9 billion foreign aid bill, with less than President George W. Bush wanted for reform-minded nations, and nearly $3 billion to fight AIDS.

The bill, which still faces final votes in both chambers, is about $2 billion below Bush's request, cutting $1.2 billion from his signature program to reward countries that make economic and democratic reforms.

It has $2.8 billion to fight AIDS as well as tuberculosis and malaria that prey on AIDs victims. That is $258 million more than Bush sought, and $629 million above current levels.

Bush's Millennium Challenge Account, which allocates foreign aid to countries that meet standards of reform, would get $1.7 billion. That is $282 million above current levels, but far below Bush's request as lawmakers complained the program has had a slow start and delivered little aid.

Negotiators agreed to $61 million in economic and security assistance to Iraq, down sharply from the $459 million Bush sought in this bill in addition to the tens of billions being spent on the Iraq war in emergency supplemental bills.

Negotiators said that money would come from $3.5 billion in unobligated funds from the $18.4 billion assistance package for Iraq that Congress approved in 2003.

The bill also has $150 million in economic aid for the West Bank and Gaza region, doubling current aid and matching Bush's request. The money is only for projects approved by the U.S. Agency for International Development, not for direct budgetary assistance.

Israel would get $2.3 billion in military assistance, up $60 million from current levels and matching Bush's request.

NARCOTICS ERADICATION

The bill more than doubles aid to Afghanistan to $430 million, but withholds half of that until the State Department certifies that it is fully cooperating with U.S.-funded narcotics eradication and interdiction efforts.

International narcotics control would get $477 million, up $151 million from current levels, and the Andean counter-drug initiative would get $735 million, up $9 million.

The bill eases restrictions on foreign military assistance funds to Indonesia if the State Department reports Jakarta is cooperating on human rights issues.

The administration wanted restrictions lifted as a step to restoring full military ties to the world's biggest Muslim nation, but some Democrats said Indonesia's human rights record had not improved sufficiently.

The bill also bars U.S. assistance to countries that refuse to extradite violent criminals to the United States, but gives the White House the power to waive the prohibition.

Both chambers had approved the restriction, which was aimed mainly at Mexico and several other countries opposed to life sentences that in some cases set term limits for the maximum number of years an individual faces before they will extradite.

The bill also has $432 million for international family planning programs, keeping the ban Bush insists on against U.S. foreign aid funding for organizations that support or perform abortions.