The Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill comes up every two years or so for refinancing and is presented to the house and senate for procedural votes. Though on the outside, these bills seem well intentioned, it is not until you get to the nuts and bolts that you find massive military financing for Israel, Egypt, and Sudan, amongst other foreign nations.
Generally, the largest amount of financing always goes to Israel, specifically towards its military. These bills are reprehensible. By tagging military financing along with programs such as Global HIV/AIDS Research, Peace Corps, and Millenium Challenge Accounts, the true intention of the bill is undermined.
Considering the large amount of military aid given to Israel via this bill, and Israel's current and illegal occupation of Palestine, what we eventually wind up with is a foreign relations disaster. Bills such as these undermine the value of a humble foreign policy.
Therefore, along with information specific to each individual bill that has been passed through the house and the senate, I am also providing individual Presidential Candidate votes (where available) for and against each individual bill mentioned.
Please note: Consisten vote of "Y" for this bill equals $18.16 Billion Dollars to Israel's military over 9 years.
2006: Foreign Operations and Export Finance Appropriation Act
HR 5522: Making appropriations for foreign operations, export financing, and related programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007, and for other purposes.
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Highlights:
- Prohibits any use of the funds for direct financial support to Saudi Arabia, Cuba, Libya, North Korea, Iran or Syria (Sec. 507, 589)
- Prohibits the use of funds to pay for abortions as a method of family planning, to motivate or coerce any individual to practice abortion, or perform involuntary sterilizations (Sec. 518)
- Bars bilateral assistance funds to nations that support terrorism or provide a haven for terrorists, unless the President justifies the use of aid for national security or humanitarian reasons (Sec. 526)
- $5.19 billion for the State Department, including:
- $2.77 billion for the Global HIV/AIDS Initiative
- $750.21 million for migration and refugee assistance
- $703.60 million for international narcotics control and law enforcement
- $4.45 billion for the Foreign Military Financing Program, including:
- $2.34 billion for Israel
- $1.3 billion for Egypt
- $216 million for Jordan
- $90 million for Columbia
- $4.09 billion for the U.S. Agency for International Development, including:
- $1.57 billion for child survival and health programs
- $1.29 billion for development assistance
- $348.8 million for international disasters and famine assistance
- $2.65 billion for the Economic Support Fund, including:
- $455 million for Egypt
- $250.5 million for Jordan
- $225 million for Afghanistan
- $120 million for Israel
- $35.5 million for Lebanon
- Other appropriations:
- $2 billion for the Millennium Challenge Corporation to monitor the activities of the Millennium Challenge Account, which provides development assistance to those countries that establish certain economic and human rights criteria
- $324.59 million for the Peace Corps
House Passage Vote: 06/09/2006: Passed 373 - 34. (Roll No. 250).
Senate Passage Vote: 6/12/2006: No vote taken: referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
Foreign Operations FY 2006 Appropriations Bill
Official Title of Legislation:
HR 3057: Making appropriations for foreign operations, export financing, and related programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes.
- Denies funding for the Global Environment Facility due to their failure to initiate a performance based grant allocation system that Congress requested in 2002; the GEF is an international investment firm that provides support to companies that make contributions that meet certain criteria regarding environmental quality and human health
- Prohibits the use of funds for direct financial support to Saudi Arabia (H AMDT 379: Adopted: 293-132 Roll no. 331)
- Prohibits the use of funds for any foreign country that has an extradition treaty with the U.S. but refuses to extradite an individual accused of a criminal offense in the U.S. (H AMDT 382: Adopted: 294-132 Roll no. 333)
- Limits financial assistance to any foreign country that refuses to extradite an individual accused of killing a law enforcement officer in the U.S. (H AMDT 378: Adopted: 327-98 Roll no. 330)
- $4.44 billion for the Foreign Military Financing Fund; of which $2.28 billion is for grants only for Israel, $1.30 billion is for grants only for Egypt, and $206 million for assistance to Jordan
- $4.17 billion for the U.S. Agency for International Development; of which $1.50 billion is for Child Survival and Health Programs, and $1.46 billion is for Development Assistance - to aid countries in Central America and Sub-Saharan Africa
- $2.56 billion for the Economic Support Fund - financial assistance to Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Cyprus, Lebanon, and Afghanistan (not to be used for military purposes)
- $1.92 billion for the Global HIV/AIDS Initiative
- $1.75 billion for the Millennium Challenge Corporation to monitor the activities of the Millennium Challenge Account, which provides development assistance to those countries that establish certain economic and human rights criteria
- $325 million for the Peace Corps
House Passage Vote: 06/28/2005: Passed: 393 - 32 (Roll No. 335).
Senate Passage Vote: 07/20/2005: Passed: 98 - 1. Record Vote No: 197.
House Conference Report Vote: 11/04/2005: Adopted: 358 - 39 (Roll No. 569).
Senate Conference Report Vote: 11/10/2005: Adopted: 91 - 0. Record Vote No: 320.
Presidential Action: 11/14/2005: Signed by President. Became Public Law No: 109-102.
Foreign Operations Appropriations, FY 2004 bill
HR 2800: Making appropriations for foreign operations, export financing, and related programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2004, and for other purposes.
Highlights:
- Over $1 billion to combat HIV/AIDS.
- $800 million for the Millenium Challenge Account, which aids developing countries that meet certain human rights, economic, and political standards.
- $2.2 billion for international child health programs.
- $2.2 billion for Israeli military assistance.
- $1.8 billion for military and economic assistance for Egypt.
House Passage Vote: 07/24/2003: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 370 - 50 (Roll no. 429).
Senate Passage Vote: 10/30/2003: Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
Foreign Operations FY2002 Appropriations bill
Official Title of Legislation:
HR 2506: Making appropriations for foreign operations, export financing, and related programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2002, and for other purposes.
Highlights:
- $3.5 billion for the Agency for International Development
- $475 million for International HIV/AIDS programs
- $625 million for the Andean Regional Initiative for development and anti-narcotics programs
- $727 million for the Export-Import Bank
- $784 million for former Soviet Republics
- $236 million for international disaster assistance
- $2.04 billion (military) and $720 million (economic) in aid to Israel
- Overturns ban on U.S. funds to overseas groups that use their own money to promote or perform abortions
- Withholds aid to any nation that provides "lethal military equipment" to a government that is labeled as a "terrorist government" by the Secretary of State
- No direct aid or reparations to Cuba, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Iran, Sudan or Syria
- No aid to any nation that does not comply with the U.N. sanctions placed on Iraq unless it is in the United States' national interest
House Passage Vote: 07/24/2001: Passed 381-46 (Roll no. 266).
Senate Passage Vote: 10/24/2001: Passed 96-2. Record Vote Number: 312.
House Conference Report Vote: 12/19/2001: Agreed 357-66 (Roll no. 505).
Senate Conference Report Vote: 12/20/2001: Agreed Unanimous Consent.
Presidential Action: 01/10/2002: Signed by President. Became public law 107-115.
Foreign Operations FY 2001 Appropriations bill
Official Title of Legislation:
HR 4811: Making appropriations for foreign operations, export financing, and related programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2001, and for other purposes.
- $2.82 billion for aid to Israel, including $1.98 billion for Foreign Military Financing and $840 million for economic assistance
- $2 billion for aid to Egypt, including $1.3 billion for Foreign Military Financing and $695 million for economic assistance
- $834 million for the Child Survival and Disease Program Fund, including $110 million for UNICEF
- $385 million for international family planning assistance
- $305 million for the International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement
- $258 million for the Peace Crops
- $160 million for emergency disaster assistance for southern Africa, including Mozambique
- $69.4 million for the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative debt relief
- $25 million for aid to Ireland
- Up to $10 million for support of efforts to bring about political transition in Iraq *** THIS WAS VOTED ON A YEAR BEFORE 9/11!!
House Passage Vote: 07/13/2000: Passed: 239-185 (Roll no. 400).
Senate Passage Vote: 07/18/2000: Passed: Unanimous Consent.
House Conference Report Vote: 10/25/2000: Agreed: 307-101 (Roll no. 546).
Senate Conference Report Vote: 10/25/2000: Agreed: 65-27: Record Vote Number 280.
Presidential Action: 11/06/2000: Signed by President. Became Public Law 106-429.
Foreign Operations FY2000 Appropriations bill
HR 2606: Making appropriations for foreign operations, export financing, and related programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2000, and for other purposes.
Highlights:
- $2.88 billion for military and economic assistance to Israel
- $2.04 billion for military and economic assistance to Egypt
- $725 million for former Soviet Republics
- $625 million for refugee and migration assistance
- $393 million for assistance of Eastern Europe and the Baltic states
- $285 million for international narcotics control and law enforcement
- $240 million for the Peace Corps
- $200.88 million for international disaster assistance
- $10 million for funding of political, economic, humanitarian and other activities of Iraqi opposition groups
- Withholds funding from foreign organizations that perform or promote abortions
- Withholds aid to any nation that provides "lethal military equipment" to a government that is labeled as a "terrorist government" by the Secretary of State
House Passage Vote: 08/03/1999: Passed: 385-35 (Roll no. 362).
Senate Passage Vote: 08/04/1999: Passed: Unanimous Consent.
NOTE: Senate passed HR 2606 in lieu of S 1234.
House Conference Report Vote: 10/05/1999: Agreed: 214-211 (Roll no. 480).
Senate Conference Report Vote: 10/6/1999: Agreed: 51-49. Record Vote No: 312.
Presidential Action: 10/18/1999: Vetoed by President.
For Presidential Veto Statement Click Here Why? Short answer: Clinton felt there was not enough funding allocated to foreign governments or aid groups.
Foreign Operations FY98 Appropriations bill
Official Title of Legislation:
HR 2159: Making Appropriations for foreign operations, export financing, and related programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1998, and for other purposes
Highlights:
- Prohibits any funding from being used to perform or promote abortions abroad
- Denies U.S. family planning funding aid to any group that performs or promotes abortions abroad
- Withholds aid to any nation that provides lethal military equipment to a government that is labeled as a terrorist government by the Secretary of State
- $3.6 billion for Foreign Military Financing Program
- $2.4 billion for Economic Support Fund
- $650 million for refugee and migration assistance
- $625 million for former Soviet Republics
- $470 million for assistance of Eastern Europe and the Baltic states
- $230 million for international narcotics control and law enforcement
- $222 million for the Peace Corps
- $190 million for international disaster assistance
House Passage Vote: 7/14/1997: Passed: 379-49 (Roll no. 364).
Senate Passage Vote: 9/4/1999: Passed: Unanimous consent.
Note: The Senate passed HR 2159 in lieu of S 955.
House Conference Vote: 11/13/1997: Adopted: 333-76 (Roll no. 631).
Senate Conference Report: 11/13/1997: Adopted: Unanimous consent.
Presidential Action: 11/26/1997: Signed by President. Became Public Law No. 105-118.
How the candidates voted:
Congress: | 2006 | 2004 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1998 | 2007 |
Duncan Hunter | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
Tom Tancredo | N | N | N | Y | Y | N/A | N |
Dennis Kucinich | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N |
Ron Paul | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
Senate: | |||||||
John McCain | Y | N/A | Y | N | Y | N/A | N/A |
Joe Biden | Y | N/A | Y | Y | Y | N/A | N/A |
Chris Dodd | Y | N/A | Y | Y | Y | N/A | N/A |
Barrack Obama | Y | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Sam Brownback | Y | N/A | Y | Y | Y | N/A | N/A |
Hillary Clinton | Y | N/A | Y | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
John Edwards | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | Y | N/A | N/A |
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