Senate approves foreign aid bill with earmark, conditions for Ukraine

by Michael Sawkiw Jr.
Ukrainian National Information Service

WASHINGTON - Following nearly two days of deliberations, the U.S. Senate passed the foreign aid bill on July 17. In a show of support for the continuance of U.S. foreign policy prerogatives, members of the Senate voted 91-8 to fund assistance to vital regions of the world - including $800 million to the new independent states (NIS).

As he introduced the bill on the Senate floor on July 16, Foreign Operations Subcommittee Chairman Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) stated: "We must use [foreign aid] to promote American values as well as American interests." With that in mind, the senators began their debate on the proposed $13.2 billion foreign aid package, a slight reduction in President Bill Clinton's budget request of $13.3 billion.

The Senate's version of the foreign aid bill maintains a $225 million earmark for Ukraine, for Fiscal Year 1998. Included are several subearmarks for specific programs needed in Ukraine: Chornobyl-related safety assistance, commercial law and legal reform, democratic initiatives, and law enforcement procedures.

However, the bill contains language that "holds" half of the earmarked funds until the secretary of state certifies that economic progress is continuing in Ukraine, corruption is being dealt with appropriately and American investor-business problems are resolved. Since the subearmarks pertain to many of the major economic and political reforms that are to be addressed by the secretary of state in her certification, they are exempt from the hold on FY 1998 funds.

In related news, Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) introduced an amendment to the FY 1998 foreign aid bill which would restrict assistance to Russia if the Russian Duma passes a law that forbids certain religious segments from practicing their religion freely in Russia. [President Boris Yeltsin has vetoed the bill.] International media have reported that the law would deny legal registration of newly organized religious groups in Russia. It would not affect the major religions already existing in Russia, such as Orthodoxy, Judaism, Islam or Buddhism, but would discriminate against Protestant Christian and Catholic communities. Sen. Don Nickles (R-Okla.) said the U.S. needs to obtain the attention of Russia since what they are doing is "outlawing ... basically most all Christian religions and organizations." The amendment was overwhelmingly passed by a vote of 95-4.

The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to pass a similar version of the foreign aid bill on July 23. Significantly lower in the over-all foreign aid account, the House version provides for assistance to the NIS at $625 million for FY 1998, the same as last year's allocation. No specific earmarks have been designated for any particular NIS country. The bill contains language similar to the Senate's measure regarding the course of economic reform and the fight against corruption in Ukraine.

Over all, the House bill is nearly $1 billion lower in funding than the Senate version. Following passage in the House, which is most likely, a conference between the House and Senate subcommittees will be held to arrive at one final version of the bill for the president's signature.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, July 27, 1997, No. 30, Vol. LXV

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