Congress: 104 · Status: active · Israel/Palestine classification: bundled package
Sponsor: Rep. Callahan, Sonny [R-AL-1] (R-AL)
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Export and Investment Assistance Title II: Bilateral Economic Assistance Title III: Military Assistance Title IV: Multilateral Economic Assistance Title V: General Provisions Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1997 - Title I: Export and Investment Assistance - Makes appropriations for FY 1997 for: (1) Export-Import Bank subsidies; (2) the Overseas Private Investment Corporation; and (3) the Trade and Development Agency. Title II: Bilateral Economic Assistance - Makes appropriations for FY 1997 for: (1) expenses of the President under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961; (2) the Agency for International Development (AID) for child survival and disease programs; (3) specified development assistance; (4) international disaster relief; (5) debt restructuring; (6) micro and small enterprise development programs; (7) guaranteed loans under the worldwide housing guarantees program; (8) the Foreign Service Retirement and Disability Fund; (9) operating expenses of AID and the AID Office of Inspector General; (10) economic support fund (ESF) assistance (but not for Zaire); (11) the International Fund for Ireland; (12) economic assistance for Eastern Europe, the Baltic States, and the independent states of the former Soviet Union; (13) the African Development Foundation; (14) the Inter-American Foundation; (l5) the Peace Corps (but with a ban on fund use for abortions); and (16) the Department of State for international narcotics control, migration and refugee assistance, and nonproliferation, anti-terrorism and related programs and activities. Title III: Military Assistance - Makes appropriations for FY 1997 for: (1) international military education and training (with a ban on such assistance to Zaire and Guatemala); (2) foreign military financing and direct loans; and (3) international peacekeeping operations. Prohibits foreign military financing for: (1) any non-NATO country participating in the Partnership for Peace Program except through the regular notification procedures of the Committees on Appropriations; and (2) Zaire, Sudan, Liberia, and Guatemala. Title IV: Multilateral Economic Assistance - Makes appropriations for FY 1997 for the U.S. contribution to the: (1) International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank); (2) International Finance Corporation; (3) Inter-American Development Bank; (4)Enterprise for the Americas Multilateral Investment Fund; (5) Asian Development Bank; (6) Asian Development Fund; (7) European Bank for Reconstruction and Development; and (8) North American Development Bank. Makes appropriations for FY 1997 for international programs and organizations, with restrictions, including a ban on the use of funds for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for activities in China. Title V: General Provisions - Sets forth limits on the use of appropriations identical or very similar to restrictions enacted in the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1996 (P.L. 104-107), notably with respect to: (1) countries supporting the Arab boycott of Israel, Cuba, Iraq, Iran, Liberia, Montenegro, the Palestine Liberation Organization, Serbia, terrorist countries or countries supporting terrorism or giving sanctuary to war criminals; and (2) financial incentives to induce a business to relocate outside the United States or assistance to develop certain kinds of export processing zones in foreign countries. (Sec. 517) Declares it continues to be U.S. policy that funds allocated to Israel from the ESF shall not be less than the annual debt repayment from Israel to the United States. (Sec. 518A) Makes funds appropriated by this Act for population assistance activities available for a foreign private or nongovernmental organization only if it certifies that it will not perform abortions, except where the life of the mother would be endangered or in cases of forcible rape or incest. Prohibits the use of such assistance to: (1) lobby for or against abortion; or (2) be made available for any foreign private or nongovernmental organization until it certifies that it will not violate the laws of a foreign country, or engage in any activity to alter the laws of such country, concerning the circumstances under which abortion is permitted, regulated, or prohibited. (Sec. 520) Prohibits the use of funds for Pakistan, Serbia, South Africa, among other specified countries, except through the regular notification procedures of the Committees on Appropriations. (Sec. 539) Authorizes the President, subject to notification of the congressional appropriations committees, to direct the transfer of defense articles to the Bosnia and Herzegovina Government, without reimbursement, if he certifies to the Congress that the transfer of such articles would assist that nation in self-defense and promote the security and stability of the region. Authorizes appropriations. (Sec. 565) Authorizes the President (similarly to authority under P.L. 104-107) to: (1) reduce certain debts owed the United States by eligible countries; and (2) sell, reduce, or cancel certain loans under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 in order to facilitate debt-for-equity, debt-for-development, or debt-for-nature swaps, or debt buybacks.