Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to adopt the conference report that appropriates $3.8 billion for the State Department for fiscal years 1998 and 1999, consolidates some agencies, and states the U.S. policy with international organizations, among other provisions.

Highlights:

• Abolishes the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, the U.S. Information Agency, the U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy, and the U.S. International Development Cooperation Agency.

• Designates Romania, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Bulgaria as eligible for assistance under the NATO Participation Act of 1994, provided that they satisfy all criteria required for NATO membership.

• Prohibits assistance to international organizations that perform or promote abortion, in cases other than when the pregnancy results from rape or incest or endangers the woman's life.

• Revokes FY 1998 funding given to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) unless it ends all family planning activities in the People's Republic of China; requires proof that no forced abortions associated with family planning policies of the People's Republic of China have occurred for at least 12 months before allocating any funding to UNFPA in the future.

• States that it is U.S. policy to promote an end to the inequity experienced by Israel in the U.N.

• States that it is U.S. policy to abolish certain U.N. groups, including the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People and the Division for the Palestinian Rights.

• Prohibits military aid to a foreign country unless the President annually certifies that its government follows a national 'code of conduct,' which includes promoting democracy and respecting human rights.

• Establishes Radio Free Iran (RFE-RL) to broadcast in Farsi.

• $819 million for fiscal years 1998 and 1999 for U.S. debt to the U.N.; also forgives the U.N. $107 million in debt to the U.S.

• $589 million for international organizations, such as the World Food Program.

• $145.5 millions for U.N. peacekeeping operations.

• $100 million for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

• $87.6 million for international commissions for fiscal years 1998 and 1999.

• $15 million for support to democratic opposition forces in Iraq.

• $3 million to create an international criminal tribunal to prosecute and punish Saddam Hussein and other Iraqi officials.

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text