-Caveat Lector-
>From http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-1723949,00.html
}}}>Begin
House Panel Oks Extra Aid To Israel
Friday May 10, 2002 6:30 AM
WASHINGTON (AP) - A Republican-led House committee approved $200 million in
aid for Israel on Thursday despite earlier objections by the Bush administration.
Unable to head off the move, Secretary of State Colin Powell persuaded the House
Appropriations Committee's GOP leaders to add $50 million in humanitarian help for
Palestinians.
Both provisions were approved by voice vote.
``The secretary believes he has no problem with this amendment, but it would be
much more useful to the diplomatic efforts of the administration if it were balanced''
to include the Palestinian funds, said Rep. Jim Kolbe, R-Ariz., chairman of the
Appropriations panel's foreign operations subcommittee, who spoke to Powell.
The provision, which had strong bipartisan support, was the latest congressional
show of solidarity for Israel despite administration warnings against provoking Arab
nations.
In the weeks leading up to the committee's debate, administration officials urged
lawmakers to delay any effort to provide additional aid to Israel. The country already
is the biggest recipient of U.S. foreign assistance, at $2.8 billion.
The language providing the money was sponsored by Kolbe and Rep. Jack Kingston,
R-Ga., and strongly backed by House GOP Whip Tom DeLay, R-Texas. It underlined
the ideological support Israel has among conservative Republicans and a reluctance
by GOP lawmakers to let Democrats alone lead an election-year effort likely to
please many Jewish voters.
Even so, Rep. Sonny Callahan, R-Ala., said the money was only being provided
because of ``political ramifications.''
He said ``the Israel lobby ... comes to Washington and says we need to take
advantage of this and we need to raise $200 million for Israel. .... Vote your
convictions.''
The panel met amid reports that Israel was massing troops and tanks at its border
with the Gaza Strip, two days after 15 Israelis died in the latest Palestinian suicide
bombing.
The money was added to a package of defense and counterterrorism spending for
the remaining five months of the federal fiscal year, bringing its price to $29.4
billion.
After a day prolonged by House procedural votes and a break to watch a
subcommittee appearance by actress Julia Roberts, completion of the overall bill
was set for next Tuesday.
The initial House version of the measure cost $29.8 billion, about 10 percent over
President Bush's $27.1 billion request. Republicans shrank the bill a bit in an effort
to
woo conservative support.
The committee also:
-Killed a provision that would have doubled the $2.50 per flight segment tax paid by
airline passengers to help foot federal security costs.
-Put tighter restrictions on $100 million Bush had requested for the Defense
Department to give to U.S. allies in the fight against terrorism. Now, that money could
not be spent without approval of Congress' Appropriations committees.
-Approved by 38-18 a DeLay amendment barring the United States from cooperating
with a permanent international war crimes tribunal that is to start its work in July.
-Voted 32-31 for a provision aimed at pressuring Bush to release $34 million for
overseas family planning programs that he has declined to spend.
Congress approved nonbinding resolutions a week ago expressing support for Israel
following futile administration efforts to forestall any formal congressional
statements
on the violence in the Middle East.
An effort to add funds for Israel is also likely in the Senate, which is expected to
write
its own anti-terrorism legislation after the House approves its version, perhaps next
week.
Asked about the extra aid for Israel, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said,
``We're taking a look at that now. Clearly, the president has supported and does
support aid for Israel.''
Kolbe said the aid to Israel was for the military, though aides later said it was
economic assistance that can be used for security items like police.
He said the money for the Palestinians would be funneled through the U.S. Agency
for International Development, not the Palestinian Authority headed by Yasser Arafat.
Kolbe said the money would go to humanitarian purposes such as providing food,
health care and housing in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
The overall bill contained $15.8 billion for the Reserves, National Guard and other
defense programs; $5.8 billion to bolster safety at airports, dams, nuclear weapons
plants and other domestic security initiatives; and $5.5 billion to help New York
rebuild from the Sept. 11 attacks.
It also contains $200 million to help the global fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and
malaria.
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2002
End<{{{
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