On May 18, the Senate began consideration of the FY2001 foreign operations spending bill (S. 2522); however, a Democratic objection to the consideration of spending bills that do not originate in the House prevented the Senate from debating the bill. Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-MS) said that he hopes to resume consideration the week of May 22. The following are highlights for programs important to women and families:
Overall, development assistance would receive $1.4 billion, an increase from the $1.1 billion appropriated in FY2000. Under the Senate bill, international family planning programs would receive not less than $425 million, an increase of $52 million over the amount the programs received last year. The bill also would provide $25 million for the U.S. voluntary contribution to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). UNFPA would be required to keep U.S. funds in a separate account and no money could be spent in China. The bill does not include an additional restriction in current law that reduced the U.S. contribution to UNFPA dollar-for-dollar by the amount spent in China.
S. 2522 would establish a new Global Health initiative, which would receive $651 million. Of that amount, $50 million would be used for maternal health programs, $225 million for HIV/AIDS education, prevention, and control, $15 million for microbicide research, $41 million for tuberculosis prevention and treatment, $65 million for malaria prevention and control, and $50 million for the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization.
The bill also would level-fund the Agency for International Development’s (AID) Office of Women in Development at $15 million. Committee report language expresses concern about the “lack of women with science and engineering degrees, particularly in developing nations,” and recommends that $1 million be appropriated for the International Women in Science and Engineering (IWISE) program. Report language also encourages AID to support Women’s Campaign International, which provides political organizing and media training in emerging democracies.
The committee report encourages AID to work with Magee Womancare International to provide vitamins to Russian women and educate them “on the importance of nutrition in pregnancy and infancy in order to reduce infant and maternal morbidity.” AID’s efforts to address violence against women in Russia is also commended in the committee report. The committee requests a report on such activities undertaken in conjunction with the Russian Association of Crisis Centers for Women.
Additionally, the committee report expresses concern about the failure of the International Monetary Fund to implement recommendations from its 1994 Working Group on the Status of Women with regard to increasing the number of women in managerial positions.
