Senate approves
$3 billion for global AIDS fight

The U.S. Senate on Wednesday approved a fiscal year 2006 foreign aid budget that includes nearly $3 billion to fight AIDS overseas. The bill cut about $1 billion in President Bush's proposed foreign aid spending for next year but included about $100 million more for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria than Bush had requested. The House passed an even larger cut of about $3 billion from Bush's foreign aid request when passing a similar bill last month.

The Senate bill also would remove the so-called Mexico City policy enacted by the Bush administration, which prevents foreign aid funds from going to groups that provide abortions or advice on abortions, even if those services are not supported by any U.S. funding. Bush has threatened to veto any final spending bill that comes out of Congress that overturns the policy. The House version of the bill does not attempt to overturn Bush's policy, and it was unclear whether the provision would remain after a joint House-Senate conference finalizes the legislation.