On May 5, the House approved, 368-58, the conference report for the FY2005 emergency supplemental spending bill (H.R. 1268).
As requested by the administration, H.R. 1268 allocates an additional $82 billion for programs administered by the Department of Defense, the State Department, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
Under the bill, $4.2 billion is provided for foreign assistance programs, approximately $1.5 billion less than the administration’s request.
The measure provides $1.7 billion in economic assistance for Afghanistan, $283 million below the administration’s request. Of that amount, $54.5 million is allocated for education and $68.5 million for public health improvements. In addition, $5 million is provided for internally displaced persons in Afghanistan.
The conference report states that the conferees “believe that USAID needs to be more proactive in assisting women-led nongovernmental organizations in Afghanistan, particularly those that defend women’s rights and support women’s efforts to participate in the political process. The conferees recommend that [$5 million] be made available to strengthen the capacity of these organizations.”
H.R. 1268 includes $656 million for tsunami relief efforts in Indonesia and Sri Lanka, $45 million less than the administration’s request. The conference report states that $10 million should be made available for programs and activities that create new economic opportunities for women, $20 million should be made available for microenterprise programs, and $1.5 million should be made available for trafficking in persons monitoring and prevention programs. In addition, no less than $12.5 million should be made available “to support initiatives that focus on the immediate and long-term needs of children for protection and permanency, including the registration of unaccompanied children, the reunification of children with their immediate or extended families, the protection of women and children from violence and exploitation, and activities designed to prevent the capture of children by armed forces and promote the integration of war affected youth.”
The conference report does not include a House-approved amendment offered by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) that would have provided an additional $3 million for tsunami relief efforts. The funds would have been earmarked for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to provide care for pregnant women in tsunami-affected areas (see The Source, 3/18/05).
Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY) expressed his frustration that the provision was removed during conference, stating, “UNFPA’s priorities are reproductive health, including safe childbirth, prevention of violence against women and girls, and counseling for those affected by the 26 December tsunami. For many of these women, they must now become the head of the household. They have become widows overnight, and must deal with the emotional and economic issues involved with being the sole breadwinner in an area with no jobs. In early January, UNFPA asked for $28 million to support its tsunami-related work. Our amendment would have given them $3 million, which is about 11 percent of what they requested…The money would not have been used for abortions. The money would have helped women deliver their babies. It would have helped women who have been sexually assaulted. It would have given women some of the tools they need to take care of themselves and their children. It is unconscionable that this Congress would not allocate this $3 million to UNFPA.”
H.R. 1268 provides approximately $400 million for humanitarian assistance for the Darfur region of Sudan. In addition, the bill expresses the sense of the Senate that the atrocities unfolding in Darfur are genocide and encourages the UN Security Council to impose additional sanctions against the government of Sudan.
According to the report, the conferees “recognize the importance of adequate health care for Palestinian women and children and recommends [$3.5 million] be provided to support the activities of the Holy Family Hospital in Bethlehem and [$2 million] to support the healthcare activities of Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America.”
Finally, the measure includes 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 is expected to consider the conference report for H.R. 1268 next week.
