The Bush administration's anti-drug assistance plan for Mexico may get funded by Congress this year, but at a lower rate than the administration proposed for the so-called Merida Initiative.

The New York Times reported May 23 that Senate lawmakers approved $350 million in anti-drug aid to Mexico, short of the $500 million called for by Bush, and also would send $100 million to Central American nations to fight drug trafficking (Bush had proposed $50 million for these countries).

The House has passed similar legislation; however, both measures withhold about a quarter of the funding pending a State Department ruling that Mexico and its military are complying with certain human-rights benchmarks. The House bill calls for $400 million for Mexico.

The human-rights language in the bill has incensed some Mexicans, who see it as U.S. interference in the country's internal affairs. But U.S. Sen. Patrick J.  Leahy (D-Vt.) said, "Since when is it bad policy, or an infringement of anything, to insist that American taxpayer dollars not be given to corrupt, abusive police or military forces in a country whose justice system has serious flaws and rarely punishes official misconduct? This is a partnership, not a giveaway."