Earmarks for Ukraine are signed into law (10/06/96)

Earmarks for Ukraine are signed into law

by Eugene Iwanciw

WASHINGTON - President Bill Clinton signed into law a $600 billion spending bill containing a $225 million earmark (spending mandate) for Ukraine, on the evening of September 30. The measure, H.R. 3610, incorporates the foreign assistance bill and five other unfinished appropriations bills for fiscal year 1997.

As previously reported when the foreign assistance bill passed the House-Senate conference on September 17, the legislation contains an earmark of "not less than" $225 million for Ukraine and a series of subearmarks for programs that the Ukrainian government requested, including programs for agriculture, small business development, a land and resources management institute, and commercial law reform.

The bill provided a total of $625 million of assistance to the new independent states of the former Soviet Union under the Freedom Support Act.

The Clinton administration, which strongly opposed the subearmarks for Ukraine, fought unsuccessfully to strip the earmark for Ukraine and a $95 million earmark for Armenia.

In commenting on the bill, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), chairman of the Foreign Operations Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee, stated: "Even though the administration made repeated and public attempts, including late-night phone calls, to strip out the earmarks, we succeeded in retaining them in the final bill. This is a clear and total victory which serves the interests of Ukrainian development and bilateral ties."

"This year's foreign aid bill is a great victory for Ukraine and the Ukrainian American community," said Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.), a member of the House Foreign Relations Committee. She went on to state: "Ukraine has demonstrated over the last five years that it is deserving of our respect, praise, and commitment. The critical U.S. aid package to Ukraine sends a clear message that we support Ukraine's outstanding efforts to implement democratic reforms."

One of the subearmarks contained in the bill is for a Ukrainian Land and Resource Management Institute. The proposal for the institute was developed as a result of a suggestion made by Rep. David Bonior (D-Mich.), the House minority whip, to officials of the Environmental Research Institute of Michigan (ERIM) over three years ago. [The Ukrainian National Association has worked with Rep. Bonior, ERIM and the Ukrainian government in the development of the proposal since the initial suggestion.]

"This investment from the U.S. will go a long way in continuing Ukraine's recovery from Chornobyl and the development of its economy," said Rep. Bonior, who organized bipartisan support for the project among his Michigan colleagues in Congress and members of the House subcommittee.

Rep. Bonior, the second highest ranking Democrat in the House, went on to note: "I have had a long-held belief that a partnership like this [between ERIM and the Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Agricultural Sciences] should be established, and I am very pleased that we were able to help make this a reality."