WASHINGTON, May 23: A key Senate sub-committee has approved USD 1 billion to Pakistan for the fiscal 2013.
The USD 52.1 billion Department of State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Bill for the year 2103 was passed by the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Department of State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs, during its meeting yesterday.
In a statement, the sub-committee said the bill includes a total of USD 1 billion for Pakistan, USD 184 million was for Department of State operations, USD 800.3 million for foreign assistance, including USD 50 million for the Pakistan Counterinsurgency Capability Fund.
“Conditions on assistance, similar to those in prior fiscal years, are continued,” the statement said.
The bill also includes a total of USD 3.5 billion for Afghanistan, of which USD 1.6 billion is for Department of State operations; USD1.6 billion for foreign assistance; and USD49.9 million in Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) is recommended for the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.
Chairman of the Subcommittee Senator Patrick Leahy, in a statement, said the bill totals USD 52.1 billion, which is USD 2.6 billion below the President’s budget request, and USD 1.2 billion below the Fiscal Year 2012 level.
“Because Iraqi police training program has not progressed as hoped, and our relations with Pakistan have been stalled for months, (ranking Member) Senator (Lindsey) Graham and I have not used USD 881 million that full Committee initially recommended for the Subcommittee. That is money we are saving the taxpayers,” he said.
“This is a bipartisan bill that addresses the priorities of Senators of both parties. To get there, Ranking Member Lindsey Graham and I have each made compromises. There are some things in the bill that he does not like, and the same goes for me,” he said.
The bill also includes USD 8.4 billion for Global Health Programs, of which USD 2.9 billion for USAID health programs, and USD 5.6 billion for the Department of State.
Of the total, USD 5.9 billion is for HIV/AIDS programs, including USD 1.65 billion for a US contribution to the Global Fund; USD 265 million to combat tuberculosis; USD 650 million to combat malaria; USD 655 million for Maternal and Child Health; USD 700 million for Family Planning and Reproductive Health (from all accounts in the bill); and USD 75 million is for pandemic influenza and other emerging threats. (PTI)
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