HOUSE PANEL REJECTS ROLLBACK IN COLOMBIA DRUG PLAN

Democrats on Tuesday failed to turn back an initiative to fight drug
trafficking in South America which they argued will do little to
combat drug abuse in the United State as a House panel passed a $15.2
billion bill for foreign aid.

The Republican-led House Appropriations Committee agreed to provide
$676 million for the U.S. role in Plan Colombia, an effort launched
under Democratic former President Bill Clinton to fight drug lords in
the Latin American nation that produces almost all of the cocaine
sold in this country.

The bill for foreign aid next fiscal year that starts on Oct. 1 also
boosts money to fight AIDS worldwide and restores cuts President Bush
wanted in the Export-Import Bank that promotes U.S. exports.

On a bipartisan vote, the committee also approved a $38.5 billion
bill to fund the departments of Commerce, Justice and State. The
Democratic-led Senate has not yet taken up its versions of the bills.

In the foreign aid bill, the committee rejected 43-18 an amendment to
shift all of the money from the South American drug fighting effort
to expand drug abuse treatment programs here.

It also defeated a measure to shift $100 million from the Colombia
program to help fight disease among the world's poorest children.

While Republicans provided $55 million less than Bush wanted, they
said it was too early to pull the plug on the Colombia program
launched a year ago as part of an international plan to stabilize the
violence-torn Latin American country.

``We're on a path of actually making the program work,'' said Rep.
Jim Kolbe, an Arizona Republican who chairs the subcommittee on
foreign aid appropriations.

But Democrats said studies show money is more effectively spent by
making treatment available to abusers instead of trying to eradicate
drug supplies.

They also said the program put the United States at risk of being
drawn into the conflict in Colombia that could result in a long
military involvement.

``Drugs are a side issue in what has really been a civil war,'' Rep.
Jose Serrano, a New York Democrat, said.

The committee also rejected a push by some Democrats to provide $250
million in emergency relief for victims of January's devastating
earthquake in El Salvador. Republicans said that would break spending
limits, and instead voted to designate that $100 million out of other
international aid programs be devoted to El Salvador.

The foreign aid bill boosts U.S. funds for the effort to stem the
spread of AIDS worldwide to $474 million, up $159 million.

It has $805 million for the Export-Import Bank, $107 million below
current levels but $118 million more than Bush wanted.

The panel also passed the $38.5 billion bill for the Commerce,
Justice and State after defeating on a voice vote a measure pushed by
New York Democrat Maurice Hinchey to allow states to carry out their
own laws allowing the medical uses of marijuana.

The Supreme Court in May ruled against a ``medical necessity''
exception for marijuana, which is an illegal drug under federal law.

Rep. David Obey of Wisconsin, ranking Appropriations Committee
Democrat, said when the bill reaches the House floor he will offer an
amendment to prevent the Federal Communications Commission from
pursuing proposals he said would allow too much consolidation of
media companies. FCC funding is covered in the bill.