This week, the Senate began its debate on the FY2006 foreign affairs authorization bill (S. 600). Controversy over a number of trade-related amendments may push final consideration of the bill until later this year. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved the measure on March 3 (see The Source, 3/4/05).
During consideration of the bill, the Senate approved, 52-46, an amendment offered by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) that would overturn the Mexico City policy, which bars overseas nongovernmental organizations that receive U.S. aid from using their own money to perform abortions or to lobby foreign governments on abortion policy.
Calling the Mexico City policy a “global gag rule,” Sen. Boxer stated, “Our policy should be a model for the world, but the gag rule instead sends a bad signal. It enforces a dangerous code of silence. It tells people if the government in power does not agree with them, then they should put a gag over their mouth and just suck it up and not tell the truth about how they feel and keep vital information from the women they are serving. Whether one is pro-choice or anti-choice, this has nothing to do with it. It is a question of freedom of speech.”
Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) disagreed, arguing that the Mexico City policy “is a commonsense policy…based in part on [the] belief that U.S. taxpayers should not be forced to subsidize or support organizations that perform or promote abortions through international family planning programs, period.” He added, “I think the Bush doctrine, formerly the Reagan doctrine, the Mexico City Policy, should stand for good reason. It stands with the American public. We should not be using Federal taxpayer dollars to fund abortions overseas. That is the view of 75 to 80 percent of Americans.”
S. 600 would authorize $11.2 billion for the State Department and $22.8 billion for foreign assistance programs in FY2006.
Under the bill, $1.25 billion would be authorized in FY2006 for the Child Survival and Health Programs Fund.
The measure would authorize $1.1 billion for development assistance. The measure also would authorize $680.7 million for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
S. 600 would provide $120 million for the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI). The Senate Foreign Relations Committee report accompanying S. 600 states that the funding could be used for the following purposes: “achieving broad-based, multi-ethnic, gender-sensitive, and fully representative governments; modernizing institutions and infrastructure to meet political, educational, health and economic needs; filling the gaps identified in the Arab Development Reports of 2002 and 2003; and support of economic development to create jobs, educating and training women in the labor force, enhance health care; and creating an environment which encourages investment in the region.”
In addition, the measure would authorize the establishment of a Middle East Foundation to be funded through MEPI. According to the report, “The purposes of this assistance are to support civil society, political participation, women’s rights, educational reform, human rights, independent media, economic reform, the rule of law and other democratic development in the Middle East and North Africa.”
The bill would authorize $892.7 million for the migration and refugee assistance account, which includes funding for programs to combat trafficking in persons.
The measure also would authorize $345 million for the Peace Corps and $3 billion for the Millennium Challenge Corporation.
S. 600 would include a provision aimed at protecting vulnerable populations during humanitarian emergencies. The report states that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee “recognizes that during a humanitarian emergency, people especially women and children become extremely vulnerable to a range of abuses including sexual exploitation, trafficking and gender-based violence. This title seeks to ensure that those affected by natural disasters, such as the tsunami that affected countries in Asia and Africa last December or by the man-made crises, such as the ongoing crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan, are protected from such abuses through our foreign assistance programs.”
Based on the text of the Protection of Vulnerable Populations During Humanitarian Emergencies Act (S. 559) sponsored by Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE), the bill would direct the secretary of State to develop a comprehensive strategy for the protection of vulnerable populations, especially women and children, who are affected by a humanitarian emergency. The bill also would designate an individual within the Department of State or USAID to coordinate such efforts.
The measure would urge the secretary of State to cut off military assistance to countries that do not investigate allegations of sexual abuse and exploitation by their troops who are serving as UN peacekeepers. In addition, the bill would express the sense of Congress that the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations should improve its mechanism to prevent and respond to allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by peacekeepers.
Finally, S. 600 would express the sense of the Senate that it is in the interest of Saudi Arabia to permit women to run for office and vote in all future elections.
