On May 21, the Senate passed, 86-3, its version of the FY2009 supplemental appropriations bill (H.R. 2346). The Senate Appropriations Committee approved the measure on May 14; the House passed its version of the bill the same day (see The Source, 5/15/09).
According the Appropriations Committee report, the bill would provide $91.267 billion for “for the costs of overseas deployments and related activities, including $1.5 billion for unanticipated needs for influenza…and for the cost of responding to natural disasters.”
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Immigrations and Customs enforcement, both housed within the Department of Homeland Security, would receive $6.2 million and $11.8 million, respectively, to provide care and transport of unaccompanied alien children to custodial facilities run by the Department of Health and Human Services (p. 63). The Administration for Children and Families also would receive $82 million for the care of unaccompanied alien children (p.69).
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) would receive $112.6 million (p. 81).
Included in the $2.828 billion provided for the Economic Support Fund is $866 million for Afghanistan and $439 million for Iraq. Citing gains for, and remaining challenges facing, women and girls in Afghanistan, the committee provides $5 million for widow support (p. 83) and $10 million “to train and support Afghan women investigators, police officers, prosecutors, and judges with responsibility for investigating, prosecuting, and punishing crimes of violence against women and girls. The committee supports special law enforcement units for this purpose, as well as social services for victims”; and $5 million “for capacity building for Afghan women-led nongovernmental organizations and $25 million to support programs and activities of such organizations, including to provide legal assistance and training for Afghan women and girls about their rights, and to promote women’s health (including mental health), education, and leadership.” The report language also “directs the USAID Administrator to submit a report not later than 60 days after enactment of this act detailing the planned uses of funds to enhance the role of Afghan women in agriculture” (p. 84-85). Of the $349 million for Iraq, widows in provinces would receive $5 million (p. 83).
The committee also expresses its concern about violence against women in the Democratic Republic of Congo, stating, “The committee is alarmed by the continuing widespread incidence of sexual violence against women and girls in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and recommends $10 million to support medical, rehabilitation, judicial, and other programs and activities to assist the victims” (p. 86).
The legislation also provides $10 million for International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement for the protection of women and girls (p. 89).
