The Senate Appropriations Committee approved its version of the Foreign Operations spending legislation last week, providing an increase of $2 billion over current levels for programs ranging from development assistance to aid for the Middle East and HIV/AIDS funding. The Senate legislation would cut the proposed level of spending for the President’s Millennium Challenge Corporation, but the bill would fund the program at a higher level than last year. The bill would provide $19.5 billion overall for foreign assistance programs, $1 million below the House level of $19.4 billion, and $1.9 billion below the President’s request.