During 4 days of markup, April 11, 12, 13, and 18, the committee incorporated subcommittee recommendations, and the recommendations of the ad hoc group into the draft legislation. On April 19, a clean bill, H.R. 12222, containing the provisions approved during the markup sessions was introduced by Chairman Zablocki and was ordered. favorably reported by the full committee by voice vote. The principal purpose of H.R. 12222, as reported by the committee, was to authorize $3,736,850,000 for U.S. bilateral and multilateral economic assistance for fiscal year 1979. Major features of the bill included: (1) an increase in the proportion of U.S. bilateral economic assistance focusing on basic human needs of the poor population of the Third World, such as food, population, health, and education; (2) adoption of a number of reforms proposed by the late Senator Humphrey to update foreign assistance legislation and strengthen executive branch policymaking and administration of programs dealing with developing countries; (3) transferring from security to economic aid legislation the economic support funds-formerly security supporting assistance-which are authorized to promote economic and political stability in the recipient countries and to advance the economic, political, and security interests of the United States abroad (this. step was taken to insure that development criteria would be applied in the formulation of programs funded under this authority (in conference, the fund was returned to the security assistance bill, but retained the new title, Economic Support Fund)); and (4) a consolidation of reporting requirements so that Congress would receive a single comprehensive report on foreign assistance activities and plans by February 1 of each year. On May 11, 12, and 15, 1978, H.R. 12222 was considered on the House floor. Various amendments were agreed to during the three day period, the majority by voice vote. On May 12, the House agreed to an amendment by voice vote establishing a unified personnel system for all employees of AID, and on May 15, an amendment was agreed upon by a recorded vote of 200 yeas to 172 nays that reduced authorized funding for programs by 5 percent, with the exception of funds for food-forpeace, and American schools and hospitals abroad. H.R. 12222 passed the House by a vote of 225 yeas to 148 nays on the same day. On June 26, H.R. 12222 passed the Senate by a vote of 49 yeas to 30 nays, after being amended to contain the language of the Senate companion bill, S. 3074, as amended. On the same day, the Senate insisted on its amendment and requested a conference with the House, appointing as conferees: Senators Sparkman, Church, Clark, Biden, Case, Javits, and Percy. The House disagreed to the Senate amendment and agreed to a conference on June 28, 1978 appointing as conferees: Representatives Zablocki, Fascell, Diggs. Hamilton, Bingham, Harrington, Solarz, Broomfield, Findley, and Winn. The conferees met on August 8 and 14, and filed a conference report in the House on September 7, 1978. The table below illustrates the authorization figures for fiscal year 1979 as agreed to by the conference committee. Major provisions of the bill remained relatively the same. " 1 Senate amendment authorized "such amounts as may be necessary." 2 House bill also included $1,855,000,000 for the economic support fund for fiscal year 1979, but the fund was included in the conference on S. 3075, the International Security Assistance Act of 1978. 5-percent cut, to be applied to each sum except for agriculture, rural development and nutrition, and American schools and hospitals abroad. 45-percent cut, to be applied against the total funds authorized. 85-percent overall cut as required under the Senate amendment, except for the exemption for American schools and hospitals abroad provided in the House bill. On September 19, 1978, the House passed the conference report by a vote of 232 yeas to 159 nays, and on September 20, the Senate agreed to the conference report by voice vote. The International Development and Food Assistance Act of 1978 became Public Law 95-424 on October 6, 1978 upon approval by the President. Legislative history Apr. 11, 12, 13, 18, 1978-Draft legislation, incorporating recommendations of the ad hoc group on H.R. 10691, subcommittee recommendations, and provisions of H.R. 11080, considered in open markup session by full committee and amended prior to introduction. Apr. 19, 1978-Considered in open session by full committee and ordered favorably reported by voice vote. Apr. 20, 1978-Rule requested. Apr. 25, 1978-Reported. House Report 95-1087. May 2, 1978-Hearing on request for rule. Rule granted. H. Res. 1164. May 11, 12, 15, 1978-Considered in House and amended. May 15, 1978-Passed House by a vote of 225 yeas to 148 nays. May 17, 1978-Referred to Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. June 26, 1978-Passed Senate by a vote of 49 yeas to 30 nays, after being Aug. 8, 1978-Conferees met. Aug. 14, 1978-Conferees met and agreed to file conference report. Sept. 19, 1978-House agreed to conference report by a vote of 232 yeas to 159 nays. Sept. 20, 1978-Senate agreed to conference report by voice vote. Oct. 6, 1978-Approved. Public Law 95-424. 2. The International Security Assistance Act of 1978—H.R. 12514 (S. 3075) (by Mr. Zablocki, for himself, and Representatives Fascell, Hamilton, Wolff, Bingham, Solarz, Meyner, Bonker, Pease, Beilenson, Cavanaugh, Whalen, and Winn) On March 22, 1978, the executive branch request for international security assistance programs for fiscal year 1979 was submitted to the Congress as Executive Communication 3643. The chairman of the Committee on International Relations introduced the executive branch draft proposal by request on April 4, 1978, and the resulting bill, H.R. 11876, was referred to the Committee on International Relations. Prior to the executive communication, the committee had already begun hearings on the executive branch foreign assistance proposals for security assistance for fiscal year 1979. The full committee held 4 days of hearings, February 21, 22, 24, and March 2, receiving testimony from such individuals as the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Under Secretary of State for Security Assistance, Science and Technology, and the Chief of State, U.S. Army. In accordance with the rules of the committee various subcommittees conducted hearings and reviews of international security assistance programs pertinent to their jurisdictions, and submitted their recommendations to the full committee. As a result of recommendations made by the subcommittees and the ad hoc group which was established to consider the bill prepared by the late Senator Hubert H. Humphrey on foreign assistance reorganization (H.R. 10691 and S. 2420), a committee print was prepared which incorporated the provisions of H.R. 11876 and those recommendations. The committee print became the basic document for the markup meetings of the full committee which were held on April 26, 27, May 2 and 3. Upon conclusion of the markup meetings, a clean bill, H.R. 12514, was introduced on May 3, and ordered favorably reported by the committee by voice vote on the same day. The principal purpose of H.R. 12514 was to authorize the appropriation of $99.3 million for fiscal year 1979 for international security assistance and credit sales programs and a supplemental appropriation of $5 million for fiscal year 1978 for foreign sales financing for Lebanon. Other features of the bill included: (1) Authorization for the President to transfer up to $800 million of U.S. defense articles and services to the Republic of Korea in conjunction with the withdrawal of the 2d U.S. Infantry and support forces from Korea; (2) removal of the prohibition on military assistance and sales to Turkey by repealing section 602 (x) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961; (3) statement of the sense of the Congress that, in implementing conventional arms transfer policy, a balanced approach should be taken and particular attention should be paid to controlling the arms flow to nations of the developing world. H.R. 12514 was considered on the House floor on July 31, August 1 and 2, 1978. Among the amendments agreed to during House consideration was an amendment that lifted the embargo on arms shipments to Turkey upon the President's certification to Congress that it is in the national interest of the United States and NATO to do so, and upon the cerification that Turkey is acting in good faith to achieve a just settlement of the Cyprus problem, the early peaceable return of refugees to their homes, continued removal of Turkish troops from Cyprus, and the early resumption of intercommunal talks. Also agreed to was an amendment that prohibited the enforcement of sanctions against Rhodesia after December 31, 1978, unless the President determined that a government had not been installed, chosen by free elections in which all political groups have been allowed to participate freely. H.R. 12514 passed the House amended on August 2, 1978, by a vote of 255 yeas to 156 nays. Subsequently, this passage was vacated and S. 3075, a similar passed Senate bill, was passed in lieu after being amended to contain the language of the House bill as passed. On the same day, the House insisted on its amendment, and requested a conference with the Senate, appointing as conferees: Representatives Zablocki, Fascell, Rosenthal, Wolff, Hamilton, Bingham, Solarz, Pease, Studds, Broomfield, Derwinski, Findley, and Winn. On August 4, 1978, the Senate disagreed to the House amendments and agreed to a conference with the House, appointing as conferees: Senators Sparkman, Church, Clark, Biden, McGovern, Case, Javits, Percy, and Baker. Conferees met on August 10, 14, and on the 15th agreed to file a conference report. The table below illustrates the authorization figures for fiscal year 1979 as agreed to by the conference committee. 1 The FMS aggregate ceiling represents the total program which could be funded under FMS credit authorization. The aggregate ceiling is not an authorization of funds for appropriation. 2 Requested under the Security Supporting Assistance account. * Included in the general peacekeeping operations assistance authorization, but no line item authorization made. • Earmarked under the Peacekeeping Operations account. Only $50,000,000 (for Turkey) of the Economic Support Fund was authorized in the House amendment. An additional $1,855,000,000 was authorized in the International Development and Food Assistance Act of 1978 (H.R. 12222). Total including $1,855,000,000 authorized for an Economic Support Fund in H.R. 12222. On the Rhodesian embargo question, the committee on conference adopted a compromise version which stated that the United States should not enforce sanctions against Rhodesia after December 31, 1978, provided that the President determined (1) that the Government of Rhodesia had demonstrated its willingness to negotiate in good faith at an all-parties conference held under international auspices on all relevant issues; and (2) that a government had been installed chosen by free elections in which all political and population groups had been allowed to participate freely, with observation by impartial, internationally recognized observers. The conference report was agreed to by the Senate on September 11, 1978, by voice vote. The House agreed to the conference report by a vote of 225 yeas to 126 nays on September 12, 1978, and the International Security Assistance Act of 1978 became Public Law 95-384 on September 26, 1978. Legislative history Apr. 26, 27; May 2, 3, 1978-Draft legislation, incorporating H.R. 11876, subcommittee recommendations, and a recommendation of the ad hoc group on H.R. 10691, considered in open markup session by full committee and amended, prior to introduction. May 3, 1978-H.R. 12514 considered in open session by full committee and ordered favorably reported by voice vote. May 12, 1978--Reported. House Report 95–1141. May 15, 1978-S. 3075 reported in Senate by Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Senate Report 95-841. July 10, 1978-Rule requested on H.R. 12514. July 25, 1978-S. 3075 considered in Senate and amended. July 26, 1978-S. 3075 passed Senate, amended, by a vote of 73 yeas to July 26, 1978-H.R. 12514: Hearing on request for rule. Rule granted. Aug. 1, 1978-Considered in House and amended. Aug. 2, 1978-Passed House, amended, by a vote of 255 yeas to 156 nays. Aug. 4, 1978-S. 3075: Senate disagreed to the House amendments, agreed Aug. 10, 14, 1978-Conferees met. Aug. 15, 1978-Conferees met and agreed to file conference report. Sept. 12, 1978-House agreed to conference report by a vote of 225 yeas Sept. 26, 1978--Approved. Public Law 95-384. |