*EPF417 10/25/01
Senate Passes $15,500 Million Foreign Operations Spending Bill
(Measure approved by 96-2 now goes to conference committee) (430)
By Kathryn McConnell
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- The Senate has passed 96-2 a $15,500 million foreign operations and export financing bill for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2002.

The bill passed October 24 after two days of debate on the Senate floor is approximately $300 million more than the Bush administration requested. The House of Representatives passed a $15,200 million foreign operations spending bill in July.

The Senate bill cuts $164 million from the administration's request of $731 to fight drug trafficking in South America. Opponents of increasing funding for counter-narcotics efforts in Latin America questioned the effectiveness of past anti-drug spending in the region.

The foreign operations bill now goes to conference committee for reconciliation of difference between the House and Senate versions. A final bill will then go to President Bush for signature or veto.

The bill includes $2,700 million for military and economic aid to Israel, $2,000 million for Egypt and $225 million for Jordan.

An amendment introduced during the final hours of debate would authorize the president to waive the restriction on assistance to Azerbaijan if he determines it is in the national security of the United States.

The measure also would require the Secretary of State to report to Congress on U.S. military presence in and assistance to Uzbekistan.

Other amendments introduced on the Senate floor would make funds available for:

-- Programs that foster democratization, human rights, press freedoms and rule of law in countries with significant Muslim populations, including programs that train emerging Afghan women leaders. Programs for Afghan women would receive a total of $2 million.

-- Studying the feasibility of sending more Peace Corps volunteers to countries with significant Muslim populations.

-- Services aimed at reintegrating war-affected youth in East Asia.

-- Relief and reconstruction assistance for victims of earthquakes and drought in Central America.

-- Treatment, control and research of tuberculosis.

-- To modify annual drug certification procedures for Western Hemisphere countries.

The bill includes $753 million for the Export-Import (Ex-Im) Bank, $1,179 million for multilateral banks, $1,450 million for child and health programs and $800 million to assist former Soviet Union countries. Funds would be withheld from Russia if the president determines the Russian government has implemented any law or regulation that results in religious discrimination.

The bill includes a total of $3,889 for military assistance and $2,200 for economic assistance.

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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