Appropriations Committee Forwards Emergency Supplemental to U.S. House Floor

Press Release

Congresswoman Betty McCollum (MN-04), a member of the House Committee on Appropriations, voted to send the FY 2009 emergency supplemental appropriations bill to the floor of the House, following a committee mark-up.

"These funds will provide our troops in Afghanistan and Iraq the necessary equipment and resources to carry out their missions and do it safely. We are also providing assistance to Pakistan with every expectation that they will confront the Taliban threat and assist the U.S. in eliminating safe havens from which to attack our troops in Afghanistan," Congresswoman McCollum said. "Here at home, the potential of pandemic flu is real and I commend Chairman Obey for including $2 billion for public health preparation, surveillance and response."

The FY 2009 Supplemental Appropriations bill provides funding for the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, aid to Pakistan, and a significant investment in pandemic flu preparedness. The bill totals $94.2 billion or $81.6 billion for the Department of Defense and intelligence activities in Iraq and Afghanistan; $10.4 billion for the Department of State and USAID, international affairs and stabilization activities, and; $2 billion for pandemic flu response. Earlier this month, President Obama sent a letter to Congress asking for an additional $1.5 billion to fight the virus.

The spending the full House will vote on next week includes:

Pandemic Flu Response: $2 billion

HHS and CDC Response: $1.5 billion for priority efforts including: supplementing federal stockpiles; developing and purchasing vaccines; and expanding detection efforts.

State and Local Response: $350 million, not requested, to assist state and local governments in preparing for and responding to a pandemic.

Global Efforts: $200 million, not requested, to support global efforts to track, contain, and slow the spread of a pandemic.

Department of Defense and Intelligence Activities in Iraq and Afghanistan: $84.5 billion

Stop Loss: $734.4 million to provide over 170,000 service members who have had their enlistments involuntarily extended since September 11, 2001 with $500 per month for every month they were held under stop-loss orders.

Ongoing Military Operations

$47.7 billion, $1.1 billion above the request, for operations and maintenance, and military personnel requirements for ongoing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

$1.2 billion, $300 million above the request, for defense health and programs to support military families.

$453 million, matching the request, to enable U.S. military commanders to respond to urgent, humanitarian relief and reconstruction needs in their areas of responsibility.

Support for Coalition Partners

$3.6 billion, matching the request, to expand and improve capabilities of the Afghan security forces.

$810 million, $240 million below the request, to support Coalition partners who have provided assistance to U.S. military operations in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq.

*$400 million, as requested, to build the counterinsurgency capabilities of the Pakistani security forces.

Equipment and Force Structure

$23 billion, $3.9 billion above the request, to refurbish or replace equipment worn out or damaged in Iraq and Afghanistan including an additional $3.1 billion for C-17s and C-130s.

$4.8 billion, $2.2 billion above the request, for lightweight Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles to protect our forces and provide a vehicle suited to the terrain and poor roads in Afghanistan.

$1.3 billion, $150 million below the request, to confront the threat from improvised explosive devices.

Military Construction Projects: $3.2 billion, $905 million above the request, to support our troops in Afghanistan and their families at home, including:

$1.1 billion, not requested, for hospital construction to address hospitals that are decades old and do not meet current standards for medical care.

$488 million, matching the request, for wounded warrior complexes to help soldiers wounded in combat recover and remain on active duty or transition to civilian life and support families through this process.

$276 million, matching the request, for child development centers, to provide an additional 5,000 child care spaces and address a top concern of military families.

$263 million, matching the request, to accelerate and enhance the construction of new hospitals at Bethesda and Ft. Belvoir to replace Walter Reed, as requested.

$1.1 billion, $191 million above the request, for increased troop strength in Afghanistan.

Rescission: $2.9 billion of these efforts are paid for by rescinding previous appropriations due to a reduction in world-wide fuel prices.

Department of State and USAID, International Affairs and Stabilization Activities: $10 billion

Assistance and Operations in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq

Afghanistan: $1.52 billion, $86 million above the request, including: $980 million to fund economic development and agriculture programs, strengthen national and provincial governance, and expand the rule of law; and $536 million, $86 million above the request, for diplomatic operations including additional civilian staff and diplomatic security.

Pakistan: $1.9 billion, $591 million above the request, including: $597 million, $100 million above the request, to help address the economic crisis including agriculture and food security, assist the displaced population, strengthen national and provincial governance, expand the rule of law, and improve access to and quality of education; $46 million for diplomatic operations including additional civilian staff and diplomatic security; $897 million, $91 million above the request, for a new secure embassy and consulates in Pakistan; and $400 million for the Pakistan Counterinsurgency Capability Fund, available September 30th 2009, to build the counterinsurgency capabilities of the Pakistani security forces.

Iraq: $968 million, $336 million above the request, including: $482 million to continue stabilization programs, and strengthen governance and rule of law; and $486 million, $336 million above the request, for diplomatic operations.

Oversight: $20 million, $13 million above the request, to expand oversight capacity of the State Department, USAID, and the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan to review programs in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq.

Performance Assessment for the Governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan

Because the stability and security of the region is tied more to the capacity and conduct of the Afghan and Pakistani governments and to the resolve of both societies than it is to the policies of the United States, the President shall submit a report to Congress, not later than the date of submission of the fiscal year 2011 budget request, assessing whether the Governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan are, or are not, demonstrating the necessary commitment, capability, conduct and unity of purpose to warrant the continuation of the President's policy announced on March 27, 2009. This report must include five concrete standards of performance:

1. The level of political consensus and unity of purpose to confront the political and security challenges facing the region;

2. The level of government corruption and actions taken to eliminate it;

3. The performance of security forces with respect to counterinsurgency operations;

4. The performance of intelligence agencies in cooperating fully with the U.S. and not undermining the security of our troops and our objectives in the region; and

5. The ability of the government to control the territory within their borders.

Other Efforts in the Middle East

West Bank and Gaza: $665 million in bilateral economic, humanitarian, and security assistance for the West Bank and Gaza.

Jordan: $250 million, $250 million above the request, including $100 million for economic and $150 million for security assistance.

Egypt: $360 million, $310 million above the request, including $50 million for economic assistance, $50 million for border security, and $260 million for security assistance.

Israel: $555 million of the $2.8 billion 2010 request for security assistance, $555 million above the supplemental request.

Lebanon: $74 million, $24 million below the request, for security assistance.

Humanitarian Assistance

International Food Assistance: $500 million, $200 million above the request, for PL 480 international food assistance to alleviate suffering during the global economic crisis.

Refugee Assistance: $343 million, $50 million above the request, to help displaced people around the world with food, water, shelter and other basic needs, including humanitarian assistance for Gaza. Funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency programs in the West Bank and Gaza is limited to $119 million.

Disaster Assistance: $200 million to avert famines and provide life-saving assistance during natural disasters and for internally displaced people around the world, including Somalia, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, the Middle East and South Asia.

Peacekeeping: $837 million for United Nations peacekeeping operations, including an expanded mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and a new mission in Chad and the Central African Republic.

HIV/AIDS: $100 million, $100 million above the request, for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to address a funding shortfall for grants in key countries such as Haiti, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Afghanistan.

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