House-Senate Conference Committee Passes Supplemental Spending Bill Containing $200M for International HIV/AIDS Efforts
A House-Senate conference committee yesterday approved a $28.9 billion fiscal year 2002 supplemental appropriations bill (HR 4775) that includes $200 million for international HIV/AIDS efforts, the AP/Baltimore Sun reports (AP/Baltimore Sun, 7/19). The measure contains nearly $5 billion in "contingent" emergency items, including the HIV/AIDS funding. President Bush must choose within 30 days of the enactment of the bill whether he will authorize funding for either all or none of the emergency items. If he fails to make a declaration on the measure, all $5 billion of the funding, including the $200 million for HIV/AIDS, would be lost (Rogers, Wall Street Journal, 7/19). Lawmakers said that both the Senate and House are expected to approve the bill before leaving for the August recess. Bush is expected to sign the bill (Fram, AP/Nando Times, 7/18).
Senate Committee Passes FY 2003 Foreign Operations Bill
In related legislative news, the Senate Appropriations committee yesterday approved a $16.35 billion FY 2003 foreign operations spending bill. The bill would boost foreign operations spending by nearly $954 million over last year's level, and the majority of the increases support international programs to fight HIV/AIDS and other diseases. The bill contains $750 million in funding for international HIV/AIDS programs, including $200 million for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The bill now goes to the full Senate for debate (Senate Appropriations Committee release, 7/18).