2606 ) because it cut $1.92 billion from his request. 3422 provides $13.5 billion for regular foreign aid programs, plus$1.8 billion over three years for the Wye River/Middle East peace accord, for a totalpackage of $15.3 billion. 3425 , also enacted by reference in P.L.106-113 ) for the U.S. to support the IMF off-market sale of gold. Introduction

The annual Foreign Operations appropriations bill is the primary legislativevehicle through which Congress reviews and votes on the U.S. foreign assistancebudget and influences executive branch foreign policy making generally. The FY2000 budget resolution that cleared Congress on April 15 ( H.Con.Res. 68 set a $17.7 billiontarget for total international affairs budget, a figure 15% below the request. President Clinton, in his initial February 1999 request,asked Congress to appropriate $14.1 billion for Foreign Operations programs inFY2000, plus $1.9 billion in support of the Wye River/Middle East peace accord inFY1999-2001. Compared withthe $15.4 billion total FY1999 Foreign Operations spending -- the "base" plussupplementals -- the FY2000 request, without the Wye River funds, was about $1.35billion, or 9% less than FY1999 amounts. In separate actions during the summer, the House and Senate approved bills spending roughlythe same amount of money overall -- $12.624 billion and $12.691 billion,respectively -- but at levels less than appropriated in FY1999 and well below thePresident's request. Confereesapproved $12.693 billion, nearly identical to the Senate's level, but still belowamounts for FY1999 and the President's request. Other Members voted against the bill because the conference agreementremoved House-passed abortion restrictions related to international family planningprograms and included funding for the U.N. Population Fund which maintainsactivities in China. Keeping to an earlier pledge, President Clinton vetoed H.R. 2606 and several weeks of negotiations, congressionalleaders and White House officials agreed to a compromise package which thePresident says he supports. H.R. Major Policy and Spending Issues in the Foreign Operations Debate

In addition to funding decisions made by Congress in the Foreign Operations appropriation bill, the annual spending measure also includes a wide range of policyprovisions that frequently raise contentious foreign policy disagreements between thePresident and Congress. Among the most significant funding and policy issues raised during congressional debate this year on the Foreign Operations appropriation measureconcern conflicting executive-legislative branch development assistance strategypriorities, restrictions on international family planning programs, regional aidallocations, competing initiatives to reduce debt burdens of the poorest developingcountries, and the terms and conditions under which the United States provides heavyfuel oil to North Korea. Policy Priorities of U.S. Development Aid. The White House said the President would veto any bill that includedthe Smith language. Korean Energy Development Organization (KEDO) and U.S. North Korea Policy. H.R. H.R.
The annual Foreign Operations appropriations bill is the primary legislative vehicle through which Congress reviews the U.S. foreign aid budget and influences executive branch foreign policymaking generally. It contains the largest share -- over two-thirds -- of total U.S. internationalaffairs spending.
For FY2000, President Clinton requested $14.1 billion (later amended upward to $14.4 billion), plus $1.9 billion over three years for the Wye River/Middle East peace accord. The President'sproposal, excluding the Wye River funds, was about $1.35 billion, or 9% less than FY1999 amounts.
Congressional action on the FY2000 budget resolution resulted in preliminary funding allocations for Foreign Operations programs well below the requested amount. H.Con.Res. 68 , which cleared Congress on April 15, cut the $20.9 billion overallforeign policy discretionary budget request to $17.7 billion, 15% less than the President seeks. Because Foreign Operations funds represent over two-thirds of the foreign policy budget, a reductionof this order would substantially limit amounts available for Foreign Operations programs.
In addition to total funding levels, five issues were among those that received the most attention during the FY2000 debate, and in some cases, resulted in the sharpest split between House andSenate, and Congress-Executive branch positions: 1) U.S. development aid policy and spendingpriorities; 2) population aid and international family planning policy; 3) regional aid allocations; 4)U.S. funding for North Korea's heavy fuel oil and broad U.S.-North Korean policy; and 5)competing initiatives to reduce debt owed to the United States and other creditors by the world'spoorest and most highly indebted nations.
During the summer, the Senate ( S. 1234 ) and House ( H.R. 2606 ) approved FY2000 Foreign Operations spending measures providing $12.69 billion and $12.62billion, respectively. Because of the reduced funding levels and a House-passed abortion restriction,the White House said the President would veto either bill. A House-Senate conference committee,after deleting the House abortion restriction, agreed to $12.69 billion for Foreign Operations. President Clinton vetoed the bill, however, due to cuts totaling $1.92 billion to his budget request. Following weeks of negotiations, Congress and the White House agreed to a revised ForeignOperations bill ( H.R. 3422 , enacted by reference in H.R. 3194 , P.L.106-113 ) that totals $15.3 billion, including $1.8 billion for the Wye River/Middle East peaceaccord. The compromise package further funds $799 million of White House spending prioritiesthat Congress had rejected in the vetoed H.R. 2606 .
Key Policy Staff
CRS Division abbreviation: "FDT" = Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division.