Senate would shift money meant for Iraq to Sudan

Senate would shift money meant for Iraq to Sudan

JOURNAL WIRE REPORT

WASHINGTON, 24 September - The Senate approved up to $680 million in aid for the Darfur region of Sudan yesterday, including money that it would shift from an unspent fund for rebuilding Iraq.

The sum would be Congress' latest infusion of assistance to a region racked by a conflict that has killed 50,000 people and left 1.2 million homeless.

U.S. aid for Sudan has largely drawn bipartisan support. Underscoring that, the assistance included $150 million that would be transferred from a largely unspent $18.4billion fund for rebuilding Iraq, a U.S. priority that has languished because of violence and red tape.