On March 16, the House approved, 388-43, an emergency supplemental spending bill for FY2005 (H.R. 1268). The House Appropriations Committee approved the measure on March 8 (see The Source, 3/11/05).
H.R. 1268 would allocate an additional $81.3 billion in FY2005 for programs administered by the Department of Defense, the State Department, and the U.S. Agency for International Development. The total is $600 million below the administration’s request.
Under the bill, $1.7 billion would be provided for foreign assistance programs, approximately $850 million less than the administration’s request. The total would include $372 million for reconstruction projects and health programs in Afghanistan.
The measure would include $656 million for tsunami relief efforts in Indonesia and Sri Lanka, $45 million less than the administration’s request. The House Appropriations Committee report accompanying H.R. 1268 states that the committee “recommends education as an important priority for supplemental spending, with funds allocated to school building repair and construction, educational materials, teacher training and vocational training. The Committee also recommends extra efforts to support initiatives for the protection of women and children from violence, trafficking and exploitation.” The report also notes that $10 million of the funds provided for economic development should be used “for small grants to support training and equipment for women-led local non-governmental organizations in tsunami-affected areas.”
During consideration of the bill, the House approved, by voice vote, an amendment offered by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) that would provide an additional $3 million for tsunami relief efforts. The funds would be earmarked for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to provide care for pregnant women in tsunami-affected areas.
Explaining that there are more than 150,000 pregnant women living in tsunami-affected areas, Rep. Maloney stated, “UNFPA is determined to enhance the likelihood of deliveries occurring in safe and clean conditions by providing emergency care, basic supplies, and helping to rebuild health care facilities. They are uniquely qualified to provide these services. In fact, they are and have been on the ground since that tragic day, helping save the lives of women, children, and families.”
H.R. 1268 would provide $92 million for humanitarian assistance for the Darfur region of Sudan. According to the report, $48.4 million should be used “to meet the needs of Sudanese refugees in Chad and internally displaced persons in the Darfur region of Sudan.” In addition, $5 million would be used to facilitate the return and resettlement of refugees in southern Sudan.
Finally, the measure would include the text of the Humanitarian Assistance Code of Conduct Act (H.R. 912), which aims to protect women from sexual exploitation and abuse. The House approved the measure on March 2 (see The Source, 3/4/05).
The Senate Appropriations Committee will mark up the supplemental spending bill on April 6.
