House clears $20.3 billion in foreign aid

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday backed a steep cut in funds President Bush sought for his signature program to reward countries that make economic and democratic reforms as it passed a $20.3 billion foreign aid bill.

The bill that cleared the House 393-32 also was $2.5 billion below Bush's overall plan for foreign aid next year, with the cuts coming in his Millennium Challenge Account for poor countries that agree to meet the program's economic and political standards, and in additional aid he wanted for Iraq.

Lawmakers boosted funds to fight the AIDS pandemic to $2.7 billion, up $131 million from Bush's request and up $502 million from current levels.

In amendments to the bill, lawmakers backed a measure barring the U.S. Export-Import Bank from approving loans to build nuclear power plants in China.

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more:http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20050629/pl_nm/congress_foreign_dc_3

He only makes the grand proposals for the applause lines and then quietly kills (or let's someone else kill) foreign aid behind the scenes.

Same way he governs with all issues.