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US foreign aid bill includes boost for AIDS fight

Posted on: Friday, 4 November 2005, 13:33 CST

By Vicki Allen

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives cleared a final $20.9 billion foreign aid bill with more money than President George W. Bush sought to fight AIDS abroad but significantly less than he wanted for Iraq and his program to reward reform-minded countries.

The bill, which is about $2 billion less than Bush had sought, passed on 358-39 vote. It now awaits final action by the Senate before being sent to Bush.

The bill has $2.8 billion to fight the AIDS pandemic 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. It has $450 million for the U.S. contribution to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, doubling Bush's request.

The bill cuts $1.2 billion from Bush's request for his Millennium Challenge Account program, which tailors assistance to countries that make required economic and political reforms. The bill gives the program $1.77 billion, $282 million above current levels but far below Bush's $3 billion request.

Lawmakers have complained the program has had a slow start and delivered little aid.

Bush had requested $459 million in economic and security assistance for Iraq but the bill provides only $61 million. That money would come from $3.5 billion in funds that have not been used yet from the $18.4 billion assistance package that Congress approved for Iraq in 2003.

Rep. James Kolbe, the Arizona Republican who chairs the Appropriations foreign aid subcommittee, said he was "a big believer in this new concept of delivering foreign aid" but said Congress could not deliver all Bush sought because of budget constraints.

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.

Egypt would receive $1.3 billion in military assistance and $459 million in economic assistance, with $100 million set aside for political reform programs and education initiatives.

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.

Pakistan is due to receive $300 million in military assistance.

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

While the foreign aid passed easily on a bipartisan vote, Democrats used the debate to push for a ban on torture of military detainees held by the United States that is being considered on two separate defense bills.

"It is a moral imperative that we adopt that amendment on the defense bill," said Rep. David Obey of Wisconsin, top Appropriations Committee Democrat. "Otherwise the $21 million in this bill for victims of torture is a joke and a sham."

The White House has threatened to veto the defense bills if they had language restricting its treatment of detainees, saying that would interfere with its conduct of the war on terrorism.

Source: REUTERS

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