The bill was approved by the House of Representatives and the Senate on Monday and forwarded to President George W. Bush for signature.
Croatia will receive 20 million dollars in aid in 2005 as part of the Support to Eastern European Democracies (SEED) programme, John Shank of the Foreign Operations Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee told Hina on Tuesday.
The purpose of the aid will be to strengthen democratic institutions and the rule of law in Croatia, including cooperation with the Hague war crimes tribunal.
The United States has also earmarked an additional 690,000 dollars for Croatia for training in exports and border control in order to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction.
Under an amendment proposed by Republican Congressman George Nethercutt, which was included in the 2005 budget bill, parties to the International Criminal Court which have not signed an agreement with the US on the non-extradition of US nationals to the Court will not be entitled to aid from the Economic Support Fund.
Croatia refuses to sign the agreement, but will not be affected by the provision of the law because it does not receive aid from the Economic Support Fund.
Shank explained that the amendment only applied to the Economic Support Fund and that it would in no way affect Croatia, which receives assistance from a different fund, the SEED.
As a result of its failure to sign the agreement on the immunity of US citizens from the ICC, Croatia will not receive US military assistance in 2005 from funds intended for financing foreign armed forces and military training.