USCCB nears success on foreign aid increases

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January 2004

USCCB nears success on foreign aid increases
Legislative advocates from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Office of Social Development and World Peace say Congress has agreed to significant increaes in funding to fight global health crises and poverty in the new budget. But a victory on greater aid still awaits a final Senate vote and a presidential OK late this month.

The final 2004 foreign aid bill, as agreed to by Senate and House conferees in November, marks a significant victory for USCCB development assistance priorities and contains the largest increase in developmental and civilian foreign aid programs in four decades. The bill includes a major increase in money to fight AIDS and infectious diseases and significant new funding for poor countries through the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA), the president’s new development assistance program. The final bill also contains authorizing language for the MCA and protects important provisions in the Global AIDS Act.

The foreign aid bill has been incorporated into the 2004 Omnibus Appropriations bill H.R. 2673. While the House passed the Omnibus on December 8, the Senate will not vote on final passage until late January.

The 2004 foreign aid bill, as agreed to by Senate and House conferees, provides $17.55 billion (BN) in overall foreign aid, including: $2.4BN to fight global AIDS and other infectious diseases (a $900 million increase from 2003); $1BN for the MCA (new poverty-focused development aid); and $1.4BN in Development Assistance.

The final bill retains a Senate amendment which protects those provisions in the Global AIDS Act that seek a more effective and "morally appropriate" global health program.

Over the past year, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and Catholic Relief Services (CRS), in partnership with grassroots networks, have advocated for a minimum of $18.8BN for the 2004 Foreign Operations Appropriations bill, including $3BN to fight HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases, and $1.3BN for the MCA.

The USCCB and CRS also urged Congress to protect those provisions in the Global AIDS Act (P.L. 108-25) which "seek a more effective and morally appropriate global health program," including an emphasis on abstinence and fidelity within marriage as part of prevention education, and the "conscience clause," a provision which ensures that religious organizations such as Catholic Relief Services, who are the principal providers of care and treatment for those who have or are affected by HIV/AIDS, will not be discriminated against in the allocation of aid funds on the basis of religious or moral convictions.

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