Africa: Aid Threatened

Africa Policy E-Journal

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Africa: Aid Threatened
Date Distributed (ymd): 950228
Washington Office on Africa
Tuesday, February 28, 1995
URGENT ACTION
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY) THREATENS $110 MILLION
CUTBACK IN THIS YEAR'S AFRICA APPROPRIATIONS 
On Thursday the Senate Appropriations Committee will mark-up 
a bill with supplemental defense appropriations and
rescissions (cuts) in the budget for fiscal year 1995, which
began in October 1994.  Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Chair
of the Foreign Operations Subcommittee, plans to cut $110
million dollars from the Development Fund for Africa (DFA). 
The DFA, currently funded at $802 million a year, operates
under legislative guidelines stressing sustainable development
and ensures a guaranteed share of allocations for African
countries. 
The budget-cutting mood on Capitol Hill targets foreign aid in
general, but Senator McConnell's proposal goes out of its way
to unfairly target Africa.  In its parallel bill, passed
February 22,  the House of Representatives added $670 million
in new military spending to bolster "combat readiness."  Among
House cuts were $62 million designated for the African
Development Fund, the part of the African Development Bank in
Abidjan which provides low-interest loans to 33 of Africa's
poorest countries.  McConnell's proposal goes beyond the House
cuts to take an additional $110 million from the DFA, the
vehicle for bilateral U.S. aid funds. 
The result of this legislation, if the Senate follows the
House example on other components of the bill, would be to
increase the federal deficit, since even these drastic cuts
would not make up for all the additional funds added to the
defense budget.  
Observers say this step could build momentum for
further drastic cuts in aid to Africa for fiscal year 1996,
and even additional cuts for fiscal year 1995.  
ACTION
1)  Calls and faxes to senators on the Appropriations
Committee are needed immediately.  Remind senators that Africa
aid was already reduced by the House of Representatives. 
Disproportionate additional cuts for Africa are profoundly
unfair. 
The Chair of the Appropriations Committee is Senator Mark
Hatfield (R-OR).  Other key Republican senators on the
Committee to contact include Sen. James Jeffords (R-VT), who
has served on the Africa Subcommittee, and Sen. Arlen Specter
(R-PA).  Key Democratic senators to contact include Sen.
Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ).
Senator Leahy, the ranking Democratic Member of the Foreign
Operations Subcommittee, does not support cuts in the DFA. 
Thank him for his support and encourage him to resist attempts
to cut Africa assistance disproportionately.
Senator Mitch McConnell
phone: (202) 224-2541
fax: (202) 224-2499
Senator Mark Hatfield
phone: (202) 224-3753
fax: (202) 224-0276
Senator James Jeffords
phone: (202) 224-5141
fax: (202) 224-8330
Senator Arlen Specter
phone: (202) 224-4254
fax: (202) 224-1893
Senator Patrick Leahy
phone: (202) 224-4242
fax: (202) 224-3595
E-mail: Senator_Leahy@Leahy.senate.gov
Senator Barbara Mikulski
phone: (202) 224-4654
fax: (202) 224-8858
Senator Frank Lautenberg
phone: (202) 224-4744
fax: (202) 224-9707
Note: Email addresses of the form senator_[last name]@[last
name].senate.gov are reported to work for other senators.  But
unless, like Sen. Leahy, the senator has publicized an email
address, there is no guarantee that the electronic mailboxes
are regularly checked.
Please phone, fax or email a report of your action to the
Washington Office on Africa.
2) The Appropriations Committee will hold its mark-up of the
bill on Thursday, March 2, at 2:00 p.m. in the Capitol, Room
S-128.  If you are in Washington, please plan to attend the
hearing.

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