Africa

Sudan: In December the Senate passed S 2781, to authorize aid for victims of government-sponsored attacks in the Darfur region, and to press the U.N. and U.S. allies to impose sanctions on Khartoum. The bill would authorize $300 million in aid; $200 million would be available right away for aid in Darfur and eastern Chad. The remainder would be available after conclusion of a peace agreement between Khartoum and the southern rebels (in process for months). Sudan's government and southern rebels signed a pledge at the U.N. on Nov. 19 to end Africa's longest civil war by Dec. 31. The bill also urges President Bush to impose sanctions on Sudanese officials involved in the Darfur genocide and to freeze the assets of businesses controlled by the government or the National Congress Party.  

The Foreign Operations Appropriations bill passed November 20 (HR 4818). It provided $404 million for relief efforts in Darfur. (2nd & 4th Quarterly) 

HIV/AIDS and MCA: The House version of the Foreign Operations bill  designated $2.2 billion towards fighting HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria in the developing world, and $1.25 billion toward the Millenium Challenge Account (half of what the Administration requested). The Senate version allocated $2.4 billion towards HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria and $1.1 billion for the MCA. House and Senate conferees of the Foreign Ops bill settled on $2.3 billion for global AIDS programs, in addition to $600 million from the Labor-HHS section of the omnibus appropriations bill. The MCA was allocated a total of $1.5 billion. (4th Global Security Quarterly) 

Water: In June, Rep. Schakowsky (D-IL) introduced H Con Res 468, a resolution on "Water for People and Nature." It recognized that government policies should ensure that all individuals have equitable access to water and that no one be cut off from water for survival due to economic constraints. It also upheld the principle that governments should engage all members of society in overseeing decisions about the conservation, distribution, use, and management of water in their communities. It stated that more sustainable agricultural practices are needed to protect water resources, and it affirmed that Congress commits itself to meet the Millennium Development Goals, especially as they pertain to universal access to water and sanitation. It was referred to the House Ways and Means Committee, but never came up for a vote. (1st Quarterly) 

Civil Rights

Privatization of Prisons: No action this Congress. (Jan/Feb Report ) 

Federal Marriage Amendment: SJ 26 was read twice and referred to Senate Committee on the Judiciary on 11/25/2003. On 5/21/2003 the House version, HJ Resolution 56, was referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. On 6/25/2003 it was referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution. On 5/13/2004 subcommittee hearings were held. It may be re-introduced in the 109th Congress. In July 2004, General Assembly voted to have no advocacy on the FMA. (March/April Report) 

Operation GateKeeper: Introduced to address security at the Mexican border, but punitive in its suggestions. In the December 2004 passage of a major bill on intelligence agencies, approval was given to hire at least 2,000 more border guards and 800 immigration agents per year for five years. (March/April Report) 

Supported by the religious community was S 1545, a bill to amend the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, to permit states to determine state residency for higher education purposes and to authorize cancellation of removal and adjustment of status of certain alien students who are long-term U.S. residents. (Referred to as the Dream Act.) Latest Action: On 2/9/2004 Senator Hatch (R-UT) from the Committee on the Judiciary filed a written report. No plenary action. (1st Quarterly) 

Immigration Reform Act: S 2010 —a bill to strengthen national security and U.S. borders, reunify families, provide willing workers, and establish earned adjustment under immigration laws. Latest Action: 1/21/2004 — Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Judiciary Committee. (As a result of the Intelligence Bill, visa applicants must now have in-person interviews.) (1st Quarterly)  

AgJobs Bill: S 1645 — A bill to provide for the adjustment of status of certain foreign agricultural workers, to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to reform the H-2A worker program under that Act, to provide a stable, legal agricultural workforce, to extend basic legal protections and better working conditions to more workers. Latest Action: 9/23/2003 — Referred to Senate committee. Read twice and referred to the Judiciary Committee. No plenary action. Subsequently, the Intelligence Bill called for stricter scrutiny of driver's license approval.  This could affect the workforce of legal and undocumented immigrants.   S 2845 was passed and called for increased penalties for immigrant smugglers. (2nd Quarterly) 

Civil Rights and The Patriot Act: S 1709 — A bill to amend the USA PATRIOT ACT to place reasonable limits on the use of surveillance and the issuance of search warrants. Latest Action: 10/2/2003 — Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.  

S 1552 — A bill to amend title 18, United States Code, and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 to strengthen protections of civil liberties in the exercise of the foreign intelligence surveillance authorities under Federal law. Latest Action: 7/31/2003 — Referred to committee. Read twice and referred to the Judiciary Committee. S 2845 (the Intelligence Bill) was passed instead and calls for the creation of an independent oversight board on civil liberties.  (May/June Report)  

Related Bills: HR 3352 — To amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 and title 18, U.S. Code, to strengthen protections of civil liberties in the exercise of the foreign intelligence surveillance authorities. Latest Action: 12/10/2003 — Referred to House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security. 

527 Advocacy Groups: Given the amount of money that went to both major parties during the last two years of the campaigns for the White House, Senate and the House, it is expected that the 109th Congress face amendments introduced to strengthen the McCain/Feingold Campaign Reform Act in order to bring more honesty to election financing.  In the 108th, Sen McCain/Feingold did introduce S 2828 — a bill to amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to define political committee and clarify when organizations described in section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1968 must register as political committees. (Sept/Oct Report) 

A New Hate Crimes Act: S 966 — a bill to provide federal assistance to states and local jurisdictions to prosecute hate crimes based on gender, sexual orientation, disability. Latest Action: 5/1/2003 — read twice and referred to the Judiciary Committee. No Senate action was taken and no House counterpart was introduced. (3rd Quarterly)

Ecology and Environment

EPA Budget Cuts:  In the VA-HUD, NASA, and EPA portion of the FY 2005 appropriations bill, funding for EPA was cut by 3 percent from FY 2004, to less than $8.1 billion. (All FY 2005 omnibus figures will endure an extra 0.8 percent cut.) (1st Quarterly)    

Protecting the Air: Earth Day Sunday 2004 focused on the sacred gift of air. Congregations were asked to advocate for cleaner air — by calling for reducing power plant pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Legislation on power plant pollution, including the President's Clear Skies (HR 999/S 485), Sen. Jeffords' Clean Power Act (S 366), and Sen. Carper's Clean Air Planning Act (S 843), did not become law. The Climate Stewardship Act, S 139, sponsored by Sens. McCain (R-AZ) and Lieberman (D-CT), to accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. by establishing a market-driven system of tradeable allowances,  did not come up for a vote in 2004. In 2003, it failed to pass the Senate by a vote of 43-55. (May/June Report) 

Mercury Pollution Rules: The EPA proposed rules on mercury pollution, and received more than 680,000 comments on them. It is expected to issue its power plant mercury rule by March 15, 2005. The comment period closed on June 29, 2004. (2nd Quarterly) 

Roadless Rule: In June the Department of Agriculture announced its intention to replace the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. Instead of the nation's designated roadless areas in U.S. national forests remaining free of new logging roads, the proposed regulatory changes would eliminate all federal bans against the new roads, replacing the regulations "with a procedural rule that would set out an administrative process for State Governors to petition the Secretary of Agriculture to establish or adjust management direction for roadless areas within their State."  The deadline for comments to the Administration on these changes was November 15, 2004.  Approximately 1.7 million comments were received. At press time, the Administration had not finalized the rule. (3rd Quarterly) 

Global Security

Indonesia: In November, with the passage of the omnibus appropriations bill, Congress agreed to renew bans on International Military Education and Training (IMET) and foreign military financing (FMF) for Indonesia. Congress agreed to continue to bar grants of military equipment through the FMF program and on licenses for export of lethal equipment until certain conditions are met. They also extended the ban on IMET until the State Department determines that the Indonesian armed forces and government are cooperating with the FBI's investigation into the murder of U.S. citizens in West Papua. (Sept/Oct 2004 Report) 

Nuclear Weapons: Congress eliminated funds for new nuclear weapons. Rep. Markey (MA) called the cuts "the biggest victory that arms control advocates in Congress have had since 1992." All funds were cut for the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator, or nuclear "bunker buster," ($27.6 million) and for the Advanced Concepts Initiative, which could include research into low-yield "mini-nukes" ($9 million). Funds to renovate the Nevada Test Site for a nuclear test were cut from $30 million to $22.5 million. Funds for the modern plutonium pit facility were cut from $30 million to $7 million, and the bill prohibits this money being used to select a site for the facility. (2nd Quarterly) 

Landmines: Mr. Bush's policy on landmines, announced February 27, 2004, reversed many of the positive steps the U.S. has made over the last decade to eradicate antipersonnel mines. The use of self-destructing mines is permitted indefinitely without any geographic restrictions. The use of long-lived antipersonnel mines is now permissible in Korea until 2010. No changes in this new policy have been made in the last 10 months. (2nd Quarterly) 

Iraq and Afghanistan: In July, the House adopted the conference report of the defense appropriations bill, which authorized $25 billion in supplemental spending for Iraq and Afghanistan. The Bush Administration had said no money would be requested until after November 2, but the increasing violence and concerns from Republicans on the Armed Service Committee about funding pressures on the armed forces led to the request. According to the National Priorities Project, the costs to the U.S. of the Iraq war are: 1,035 soldiers killed, 7,245 soldiers wounded, and $152.6 billion for what Congress has allocated so far. A new report estimates that the war in Iraq has cost the lives of approximately 100,000 Iraqi civilians. (1st Quarterly) 

Health Care

Uninsured Rates Go Up: In 2003, the Census Bureau reported that another 1.4 million people entered the ranks of the uninsured; bringing the total to 45 million. Because of increased participation in SCHIP and in Medicaid, the proportion of children with no insurance stayed at 11.4 percent. Without these public programs, levels of uninsured children would have gone up, as employer-based health care coverage declined in 2003. (Sept/Oct Report) 

Strategies on the Uninsured: The Administration proposed refundable tax credits to help low-income residents buy health insurance; a provision to allow small businesses to join together to form association health plans to negotiate lower premiums; a tax deduction for premiums for high-deductible health coverage (to encourage use of health savings accounts); and medical malpractice liability limits. Congress has not acted on Mr. Bush's proposal offering refundable tax credits for low-income residents. The House passed an association health plans bill (HR 660), but the Senate has yet to bring up its version, S 545.   

No action on Sen. Kennedy's (D-MA) Health Care Modernization, Cost Reduction, and Improvement Act (S 2421) or Conyers' (D-MI) Health Care Access Resolution (H Con Res 99 and S Con Res 41). (Jan/Feb Report) 

Medicaid and SCHIP: Congress ended its session without having reallocated to the State Children's Health Insurance Program $1.1 billion that went unspent last year. Because of this, enrollment in SCHIP, which provides health insurance for low-income children, may drop by 200,000 children, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. To help states fund their Medicaid programs, Congress passed temporary fiscal relief in 2003, which expired on June 30, 2004 and was not extended. (1st Quarterly) 

The Immigrant Children's Health Improvement Act, S 845, sponsored by Sen. Graham (D-FL), would have allowed states to use federal funding to cover legal immigrant pregnant women and children under Medicaid and SCHIP. It did not come up for a vote in 2004. (2nd Quarterly) 

Racial Health Disparities: The Black Caucus, the Hispanic Caucus, and the Asian Pacific American Caucus partnered to introduce the Healthcare Equality and Accountability Act (HR 3459/S 1833) to eliminate disparities. No action has been taken on the bills, which sought to expand access to health insurance for legal immigrants and children, dismantle linguistic and cultural barriers, expand research into diseases like diabetes and asthma that disproportionately impact minorities, and encourage more students of color to become doctors, nurses, and dentists. (3rd Quarterly) 

HIV/AIDS: In the Labor-HHS part of the appropriations package for FY 2005, domestic HIV programs were level-funded, except for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP), which received an increase. Abstinence education went up $30 million — to $105 million. In the VA-HUD part of the omnibus, funding for Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS was cut from $295.2 million to $282 million. (4th Quarterly) 

Hunger and Human Needs

Poverty Increases:  In August, the Census Bureau reported, in 2003, that 35.9 million people in the U.S. were living in poverty, an increase of 4.3 million since 2000. The poverty rate among children was nearly 18 percent — for a total of 12.9 million children. Around 15 million (43 per- cent) of those living in poverty were living in deep poverty — with cash incomes below half of the poverty line. (Sept/Oct Report) 

TANF: Authorization for TANF, the primary federal program aiding low-income families, expired in 2002. Since that time, Members of Congress have failed to agree on how to carry it into the future. TANF has operated under a series of short-term continuing resolutions of current law since 2002. The current short-term resolution expires in March 2005. (1st-4th Quarterlies) 

Child Care Funding: In March 2004, the Senate adopted a child care amendment offered by Sens. Snowe (R-ME) and Dodd (D-CT) by a vote of 78-20 to pending TANF reauthorization legislation (HR 4). It would have provided $6 billion of extra funds to the mandatory part of the Child Care and Development Block Grant. However, the overall reauthorization bill stalled due to contentious and partisan debate, and it was pulled off the floor. (1st Quarterly) 

Child Nutrition: In June 2004, both chambers unanimously passed the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act (S 2507/HR 3873), which the President later signed. It reauthorizes many major nutrition programs through FY 2009, including Women, Infants and Children, school breakfast and lunch programs, and child and adult care and summer food programs. (3rd Quarterly)  

Head Start: In July 2003, the House approved HR 2210, to make the first major changes in Head Start since its inception. By a one-vote margin, the House authorized an eight-state pilot program to allow redirection of Head Start funds into state early-education programs. The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee unanimously passed Head Start reauthorization legislation, S 1940, in November 2003. That bipartisan bill was not voted on by the Senate in 2004. (1st Quarterly) 

Low-Income Housing Funding: In the spending bill approved in December, funding for Housing and Urban Development was cut by $618 million, reducing it by 1.6 percent, to $37.3 billion.  (All FY 2005 omnibus figures will endure an additional 0.8% across-the-board cut.) As the Washington Post noted, "funding was reduced for nearly all HUD programs, including the public housing capital and operating funds, down-payment assistance, homeless assistance grants, rural housing, and housing for people with AIDS." Section 8, which provides rental assistance for 1.9 million poor families, received a modest increase — to $14.9 billion (from $14.4 billion last year).  Included is language that will require HUD to provide housing authorities with a fixed annual budget based on the average number of vouchers in use in summer 2004. Housing advocates say this system will lead to new funding shortages. (1st, 3rd & 4th Quarterlies) 

Minimum Wage: The federal minimum wage for covered, non-exempt employees remains $5.15 per hour. The last time it went up was 1997 (from $4.75 to $5.15).  Legislation to increase the minimum wage to $7.00 per hour over two years has been introduced, but leaders have not allowed the legislation to be brought to a vote. (March/April Report; 2nd & 3rd Quarterlies) 

National Housing Trust Fund:  HR 1102 — To create a National Housing Trust Fund, that would build and preserve 1.5 million units of rental housing for the lowest income families over 10 years, did not pass Congress. HR 1102 has 214 co-sponsors, but was not brought to a vote. Reps. Lee (D-CA), Capuano (D-MA), and Sanders (I-VT) filed a discharge petition (H Res 748) to move HR 1102 out of committee and onto the House floor for debate and vote.  A discharge petition requires 218 signatures for further action, and at press time, H Res 748 had 180 signatures.  (March/April 2004 Report) 

Latin America

Colombia: In October, a House-Senate conference committee issued its 2005 defense authorization bill. The final bill grants the Mr. Bush's full request for a troop and contractor increase, as approved by the Senate. The cap is to be raised from 400 to 800 military personnel and from 400 to 600 civilian contractors.  (When "Plan Colombia" was approved in 2000, it included a legal safeguard limiting the number of U.S. military personnel and U.S. citizen contractors who could be present in Colombia at any given time.) (3rd & 4th Quarterlies) 

Cuba: In Sept., Rep. Davis (D-FL) introduced an amendment to the Transportation-Treasury Appropriations bill to end funding for enforcement of harsh new travel restrictions on Cuban Americans going to visit family in Cuba. It passed 225-174. The new restrictions limit Cuban-American visits to family in Cuba to once every three years for only 14 days per visit, and limit visits to immediate family members, and make no exceptions for family emergencies or a death in the family.  

On September 22, two more amendments passed by voice votes.   One amendment, offered by Rep. Waters (D-CA), ended restrictions on financing for agricultural and medical sales to Cuba, which would eliminate the need for sales to Cuba to be cash only. This would be good for both Cuba and American farmers. An amendment ending restrictions on educational exchanges to Cuba, offered by Rep. Lee (D-CA) also passed. Rep. Rangel (D-NY) offered an amendment to end funding for the entire embargo, which lost 188-225. Sen. Dorgan (D-ND) offered an amendment to the Senate version of the Transportation-Treasury Appropriations bill to end the travel ban generally (the same amendment that passed the full Senate and House last year). It was also adopted. None of these amendments made it through the conference committee to the final conference report, but the votes were small victories nonetheless. (3rd GS Quarterly and 2nd & 4th LA Quarterlies) 

CAFTA: The Central American Free Trade Agreement, seen by some as one step toward creating the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas, was signed in May. It covers Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Congress must pass implementing legislation to put the agreement into effect.   Concern in Congress over weak protections for Central American workers, as well as concerns voiced by U.S. textile, sugar and citrus producers, has created strong opposition. The Bush Administration has decided to hold off on introducing the implementing legislation to Congress until spring of 2005. (LA 1st Quarterly, July/August Report) 

Middle East

Separation Wall: Both the House and Senate introduced legislation in support of Israel's "wall" or "separation barrier." The legislation expressed strong disagreement with the International Court of Justice's ruling that the barrier violates international human rights law.  The House version, introduced by Mike Pence (R-IN) with 62 cosponsors passed 361-45 with 13 present.  The Senate version introduced by Gordon Smith (R-OR) with 45 cosponsors has been referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations where a hold has been placed on the bill. (1st Quarterly) 

Palestine: On December 8, the President approved $20 million in direct aid to the Palestinian Authority. This positive step seems to be an indication of a broader strategy of increased involvement in Israeli/Palestinian peace efforts as a result of Arafat's death. (2nd Quarterly) 

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid sponsored S Res 477 which was unanimously agreed to on Friday, November 19. The resolution, reaffirms its commitment to the two state solution as the key to peace and the Road Map and makes significant reference to the international community. The resolution is understood to have been sent from the White House. (3rd Quarterly) 

Women and Families

End Inequality in Public Education Funding: HR 236 — To provide for adequate and equitable educational opportunities for students in state public school systems. Latest Action: 2/21/2003 — Referred to House Subcommittee on Education Reform. There was no Senate bill and no plenary action. (1st Quarterly) 

Putting Prevention First: HR 4192 — To expand access to preventive health care services and education programs that help reduce unintended pregnancy, reduce infection with sexually transmitted diseases, and cut the number of abortions. Latest Action: 5/7/2004 — Referred to House Subcommittee on Employer-Employee Relations. S 2336: Latest Action: 4/22/2004 -Read twice and referred to Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (2nd Quarterly) 

Assault Weapons Ban: S 2498 — The extension of the ban made little progress, and the ban expired on September 13th. (July/August Report)