Pubdate: Wed, 27 Jun 2001 Source: Associated Press (Wire) Copyright: 2001 Associated Press Author: Carolyn Skorneck, Associated Press Writer HOUSE PANEL OKS FOREIGN AID BILL WASHINGTON (AP) -- A House panel endorsed spending $15.2 billion in foreign aid next year, amid disputes over the size of funds to wage drug wars in South America, congressional meddling in foreign policy and President Bush's ban on aid to foreign pro-abortion groups. The $15.2 billion for fiscal 2002, which begins Oct. 1., represents a 2 percent increase over the current year and matches Bush's request. The proposal cleared the House Appropriations foreign operations subcommittee. As requested by Bush, it would provide $474 million to combat HIV/AIDS overseas, including $100 million for a global trust fund, and $200 million for international disaster assistance. Separately, the House International Relations Committee voted 32-4 to authorize $1.36 billion for international AIDS efforts, including $750 million for the AIDS trust fund. Authorization does not mean the money will be appropriated for spending next year. The House Appropriation measure undercut other Bush requests: The South American anti-drug plan would get $676 million, $55 million less than Bush sought, and assistance for independent states of the former Soviet Union would total $768 million, $42 million less than this year and $40 million less than Bush wanted. Some Middle East countries would see changes in their aid package. - --Israel would get $2.04 billion in military financing, up from $1.96 billion, and $720 million in economic assistance, a $120 million decrease. This is part of a 10-year plan for annual cuts of $120 million in economic aid and increases of $60 million in military aid, changes Israel requested. - --Egypt would get $1.3 billion in military assistance, the same as this year, and $655 million in economic assistance, a $40 million decrease. - --Jordan would get $75 million in military financing and $150 in economic assistance, the same as this year. The bill takes aim at the Palestine Liberation Organization, requiring the president to determine whether the PLO is complying with its commitment to renounce terrorism and discipline PLO personnel involved in terror or violence. If the president determines it is not complying, he can close the Palestinian information office in Washington, designate the PLO or any of its groups as a terrorist organization or limit humanitarian assistance to the West Bank and Gaza. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Ill., said the provision sends the wrong message to America's Arab allies. "We must be seen as an entity that both sides have confidence in," he said. The House used similar language regarding Yugoslavia and its extradition of former President Slobodan Milosevic for a war-crimes trial. Rep. David Obey of Wisconsin, the ranking Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, said that by micromanaging foreign policy by forcing the president to certify the behavior of other countries to allow aid, "we require the executive branch to spend so much ... time nurse-maiding Congress on these issues they don't have time to deal with the real problems on the ground." Among the amendments discussed -- but withdrawn before a vote -- was one that would temporarily halt aerial spraying of crops used for narcotics in Colombia until the U.S. and Colombian governments have launched alternative economic development pacts in 75 percent of the communities that want them. Rep. Steven Rothman, D-N.J., the amendment's author, contended the herbicide being used in Colombia posed a danger when sprayed over water. The only amendment voted on would have overturned Bush's order barring groups that advocate abortion rights from sharing in $425 million in aid for global family planning. No Republicans spoke against the measure, offered by Rep. Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., before rejecting it by voice vote. The spending for 2002 would remain the same. The full House upheld the Bush ban in a vote last month on State Department reauthorization. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth