House Passes Supplemental Spending Bill Containing $200M for International HIV/AIDS Efforts
The House yesterday approved a $28.9 billion fiscal year 2002 supplemental spending bill (HR 4775) that includes $200 million in funding for international HIV/AIDS programs, the AP/Baltimore Sun reports (AP/Baltimore Sun, 7/24). The measure, which was approved by a House-Senate conference committee last week, contains nearly $5 billion in "contingent" emergency items, including the HIV/AIDS funding. President Bush must choose within 30 days of the enactment of the bill whether he will authorize funding for either all or none of the emergency items. If he fails to make a declaration on the measure, all of the emergency funding, including the $200 million for HIV/AIDS, would be lost (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 7/19). The House voted 397-32 in favor of the bill, and a final Senate vote on the measure is scheduled for this afternoon (Rogers, Wall Street Journal, 7/24). The Senate is expected to pass the bill ( Reuters/Los Angeles Times, 7/24). Although Bush is expected to sign the bill, it is unclear whether he will approve the $5 billion in contingency spending (Wall Street Journal, 7/24).
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