HOUSE REBUFFS ATTEMPT TO CUT ANDEAN COUNTERDRUG AID

The House yesterday rejected efforts to cut funding for President Bush's
$676 million South American anti-drug effort.

Lawmakers from both parties have become nervous about the U.S. military's
involvement in Columbia and other Andean nations and increasing reports of
civil rights violations by those nations.

But pressure from the White House and House Republican leaders prevailed,
leaving opponents of the anti-drug mission short.

"Big victory," said John Feehery, spokesman for House Speaker J. Dennis
Hastert, Illinois Republican, after the House rejected 240-88 an amendment
that would have diverted $60 million from the Andean Counterdrug Initiative
and from foreign military assistance intended to supplement that effort.

The money would have instead gone to increase funding to international
child survival and health programs.

The speaker, who by tradition rarely votes, voted against the amendment
offered by Rep. Barbara Lee, California Democrat.

"The speaker feels very strongly that we need to continue the fight against
drug lords [in South America]," Mr. Feehery said. "Drugs kill 10,000 kids
every year. We have to do something about it."

Opponents of the program attacked it on a number of fronts. They argued
that the initiative could become a military entanglement reminiscent of
Vietnam; that there have been increased civil rights violations by
government-supported right-wing paramilitary groups in Columbia; that
anti-drug efforts should focus more on domestic drug treatment; and that
international health aid, particularly to combat AIDS, is more important.

Proponents said the Andean Counterdrug Initiative, created by President
Clinton in 2000 as Plan Columbia, has not yet had time to reach fruition;
that left-wing paramilitary groups are guilty of far worse atrocities than
their right-wing counterparts; and that the legislation already contains
sufficient funding for international health care initiatives.

While some had worried that centrist Republicans might hand the president a
defeat on the issue, only 15 Republican lawmakers voted for the Lee
amendment yesterday.

Democrats, on the other hand, saw 35 defections, mostly from Texas,
Connecticut, Florida and Arkansas.

Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin, Maryland Democrat, voted against the Lee
amendment, arguing that it was too inexact. While it may have been intended
to remove military aid from the Andean Counterdrug Initiative, he said the
amendment as drafted could have allowed cuts to non-military aid going to
Columbia and its neighbors.

Rep. Jim Kolbe, Arizona Republican, agreed, saying the amendment "cuts
development and humanitarian assistance ... destroying the balance of the
bill."

Rep. Jim McGovern, Massachusetts Democrat, said "our legislative intent is
being made clear. We are sick and tried of the continued collaboration with
paramilitary groups."

Despite the early victories, Republicans leery of a subsequent defeat
reached a compromise with Rep. John Conyers Jr., Michigan Democrat, that
would allow the White House to waive a 300-person cap on civilian
contractors involved in the initiative.

"Allowing an unlimited amount of 'military contractors' to be employed by
the State Department in Columbia ... opens the door to a serious military
escalation in Latin America," Democrats said in a briefing paper.

The White House has argued that the 300-person cap "greatly reduces" its
ability to pursue an anti-drug effort in the region.

The compromise would leave in place a cap of 800 persons for both civilian
contractors and military personnel. The compromise requires the White House
to tell Congress when the cap on 300 civilian contractors is exceeded.