19 October 1998
CONGRESS MOVING TO WAIVE SANCTIONS ON INDIA, PAKISTAN
(Spending bill enhances anti-drug efforts, food safety) (560)
Washington -- If the U.S. Congress votes to pass the massive omnibus
spending package, sanctions imposed in June on India and Pakistan for
nuclear weapons testing may be waived by the president.
That measure along with other measures to allow certain Haitian
refugees to receive immigration green cards, to enhance anti-drug
efforts, to combat terrorism and enhance Year 2000 compliance are
expected to win easy approval from the Senate and House of
Representatives before closing out the 1998 legislative year. These
measures are contained in a sweeping omnibus spending bill that would
complete implementation of the federal budget for fiscal year 1999
(FY99) that began October 1.
"This bill, encompassing the eight remaining spending bills, the
emergency aid package, and several substantial authorizing bills,
completes our work for the new fiscal year, keeps hundreds of
government agencies up and running, and provides important relief to
the nation's farmers," House Appropriations Committee Chairman Bob
Livingston said.
However, the entire scope of the omnibus spending bill is still not
fully clear to nearly everyone. It is being prepared and distributed
for consideration by the Senate and House before a vote is to be taken
late October 20. The House Appropriations Committee released October
18 a series of brief information sheets on the pending bill, which are
intended to give some indication of the nature of the provisions in
the massive spending package.
The United States imposed a series of sanctions against India and
Pakistan for conducting nuclear testing in May. The objective was to
encourage the two South Asian nations to immediately halt nuclear
weapons testing and subscribe to international weapons treaties that
aim to curb nuclear weapons use.
A provision in the agriculture section of the omnibus bill, however,
would allow the president to waive those sanctions. According to a
House Appropriations Committee staff member, it would give the
president authority to waive all sanctions, not just those related to
agriculture.
The agriculture section of the omnibus spending bill would also
provide $617.5 million for the U.S. Food Safety Inspection Service and
a $75.2 million increase for the Food Safety Initiative.
In the Treasury-Postal spending bill, the Congress proposes to permit
certain Haitian refugees to receive immigration green cards to enter
the United States and find work. The measure also contains substantial
increases in spending for anti-drug measures.
It would provide U.S. Treasury law enforcement with $3,600 million, an
increase of $219 million over last fiscal year and $22 million more
than the president requested. The U.S. Customs Service would receive
$1,830 million for new equipment to detect narcotics at both sea and
land ports of entry as well as funding to address critical maintenance
needs for the air and marine drug interdiction programs. Additional
funds would also be provided for narcotics and money laundering
investigations.
The bill would also provide emergency supplemental spending that
includes $2,441 million for fighting terrorism worldwide, including
funding for embassy security and repairs, as well as $3,350 million
for Year 2000 compliance for the U.S. government's computer systems.
The emergency spending portion of the bill would provide $1,900
million for U.S. operations in Bosnia.
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