Conferees approve $60 M for Ukraine (05/08/05)

Conferees approve $60 M for Ukraine

PARSIPPANY, N.J. - Members of the United States Senate and House of Representatives, meeting on May 3 to iron out a bill to fund emergency supplemental issues, allocated $60 million in funding to Ukraine this year.

The Senate and House conferees agreed to provide a total of $70 million for "Assistance for the Independent States of the Former Soviet Union." The House originally proposed $33.7 million, while the Senate asked for $70 million.

A portion of that bill read: "The conferees are encouraged by recent political developments in Ukraine and recommend $60 million for assistance for that country. This funding should be used for programs to further political and economic reforms and to strengthen democracy and the rule of law."

In addition to the money for Ukraine, the proposed bill provides $5 million for the North Caucasus and $5 million for Belarus. The measure, called the 2005 Emergency Supplemental Bill, would also provide funding for defense-related activities, the global war on terrorism, and tsunami relief.

The bill was to be filed in the House of Representatives on May 4 and the Senate was expected to take up the measure early the following week.

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