Recap From Last Night – A Huge Victory

Jun 22nd, 2007 5:30 PM UTC
By Erin Erlenborn, ONE Policy Staff

The House of Representatives passed its version of the FY 2008 State & Foreign Operations 241-178. Since the Republican leadership urged their caucus to oppose final passage it was more or less a party line vote. Yeas – 210 Ds and 31 Rs. Noes 164 Rs and 14 Ds. The bill represents a 10% increase in funding over last year’s enacted levels. Poverty-focused development assistance received a 2+ billion dollar increase.

The bill highlights remain largely unchanged, see below.

*A major increase for the Development Assistance account for a total of $1.734 billion, which is $692 million above the President’s request. This will fund an initiative on basic education for developing countries as well as an expansion of safe water and environmental programs.
*$750 million for basic education
$300 million for improving access to clean water

Amendments:

*Amendment offered by Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ), the bill adds $50 million for addressing the spread of tuberculosis (TB), bringing to the total for TB up to $313 million.

*Amendment offered by Rep. Tierney (D-MA) — to redirect $75 million in funding for the Economic Support Fund for Pakistan to fund basic education programs in Pakistan passed by voice vote.

*Jackson-Lee amendment to redirect $5m with respect to Child Survival Health funding to build health care capacity – hospital training medical staff was agreed by voice vote.

*Amendment offered by Mr. Blumenauer to shift $50 million from Foreign Military Financing (FMF) for Pakistan to the Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Mr. Obey raised a point of order against the Blumenauer amendment. Mr. Obey stated that the provisions of the Blumenauer amendment violated the Budget Act. EMRA is an emergency account which has ceiling for the amount of funding that can be allocated to this account. This amendment would have exceeded the $100m cap and therefore Obey issued a point of order.

Policy Amendments: There were a few heated ideological debates last night on family planning. The bill faces a veto threat due to the adoption of Rep. Lowey’s amendment to allow family planning organizations which have been denied USAID funding due to the Global Gag Rule to receive contraceptives from USAID. However, it may never get to that point since the bill needs to pass the Senate and the language could be stripped in conference. This made the NYTs: House Reverses Contraceptive-Aid Ban.

* Family planning: Lowey amendment to provide that no contract or grant for the exclusive purpose of providing donated contraceptives in developing countries shall be denied to any NGO solely on the basis of the Mexico City Policy, with respect to providing contraceptives in developing countries, or any comparable administration policy regarding the provision of contraceptives was adopted 223 to 20l.

* Smith/Stupak amendment to strike the Lowey language regarding the Mexico City policy on family planning assistance was defeated 205 to 218.

* HIV/AIDS: Pitts amendment to restore the President’s emergency plan for AIDS relief authorization provision requiring 33% of HIV/AIDS prevention funding to be spent on abstinence and fidelity promotion programs was defeated 200 to 206. (the underlying bill makes the 33% set aside discretionary).

Cutting Amendments:

There were three amendments to substantially cut funding from the SFOPS bill. GOP leadership urged their caucus to support these cutting amendments.

1. Rep. Jeff Jordan (R-OH) attempted to cut the entire $3 billion increase. The failed by a vote of 152-268 .

2. Rep. Musgrave (R-CO) attempted to reduce overall funding for foreign assistance programs through an across the board cut of .5 percent which failed by a vote of 179-241. She offered the same amendment to the Energy and Water Appropriations bill.

3. Rep. Tom Price attempted to reduce the overall appropriations in the bill by $342,430,000 across-the-board – failed 168 – 252

LEG NEWS:

*House Appropriators Find Different Ways to Spread Earmarks Around.

*New UN/WHO Plan Commits $2.5 Billion to Fight Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis

*Drive to curb drug-resistant TB

TAGS: The ONE Blog