HOUSE PANEL OKS FOREIGN AID BILL

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A House panel endorsed spending $15.2 billion in foreign
aid next year, amid disputes over the size of funds to wage drug wars in
South America, congressional meddling in foreign policy and President
Bush's ban on aid to foreign pro-abortion groups.

The $15.2 billion for fiscal 2002, which begins Oct. 1., represents a 2
percent increase over the current year and matches Bush's request.

The proposal cleared the House Appropriations foreign operations subcommittee.

As requested by Bush, it would provide $474 million to combat HIV/AIDS
overseas, including $100 million for a global trust fund, and $200 million
for international disaster assistance. Separately, the House International
Relations Committee voted 32-4 to authorize $1.36 billion for international
AIDS efforts, including $750 million for the AIDS trust fund. Authorization
does not mean the money will be appropriated for spending next year.

The House Appropriation measure undercut other Bush requests: The South
American anti-drug plan would get $676 million, $55 million less than Bush
sought, and assistance for independent states of the former Soviet Union
would total $768 million, $42 million less than this year and $40 million
less than Bush wanted.

Some Middle East countries would see changes in their aid package.

- --Israel would get $2.04 billion in military financing, up from $1.96
billion, and $720 million in economic assistance, a $120 million decrease.
This is part of a 10-year plan for annual cuts of $120 million in economic
aid and increases of $60 million in military aid, changes Israel requested.

- --Egypt would get $1.3 billion in military assistance, the same as this
year, and $655 million in economic assistance, a $40 million decrease.

- --Jordan would get $75 million in military financing and $150 in economic
assistance, the same as this year.

The bill takes aim at the Palestine Liberation Organization, requiring the
president to determine whether the PLO is complying with its commitment to
renounce terrorism and discipline PLO personnel involved in terror or violence.

If the president determines it is not complying, he can close the
Palestinian information office in Washington, designate the PLO or any of
its groups as a terrorist organization or limit humanitarian assistance to
the West Bank and Gaza.

Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Ill., said the provision sends the wrong message
to America's Arab allies. "We must be seen as an entity that both sides
have confidence in," he said.

The House used similar language regarding Yugoslavia and its extradition of
former President Slobodan Milosevic for a war-crimes trial.

Rep. David Obey of Wisconsin, the ranking Democrat on the Appropriations
Committee, said that by micromanaging foreign policy by forcing the
president to certify the behavior of other countries to allow aid, "we
require the executive branch to spend so much ... time nurse-maiding
Congress on these issues they don't have time to deal with the real
problems on the ground."

Among the amendments discussed -- but withdrawn before a vote -- was one
that would temporarily halt aerial spraying of crops used for narcotics in
Colombia until the U.S. and Colombian governments have launched alternative
economic development pacts in 75 percent of the communities that want them.

Rep. Steven Rothman, D-N.J., the amendment's author, contended the
herbicide being used in Colombia posed a danger when sprayed over water.

The only amendment voted on would have overturned Bush's order barring
groups that advocate abortion rights from sharing in $425 million in aid
for global family planning. No Republicans spoke against the measure,
offered by Rep. Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., before rejecting it by voice vote. The
spending for 2002 would remain the same.

The full House upheld the Bush ban in a vote last month on State Department
reauthorization.