The current federal hate crimes law authorizes federal aid in cases of hate crimes committed because of a person's race, color, religion, or national origin.

The Honduran Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it had authorized "humanitarian aid to the Nicaraguan population that is in Honduran territory."

The sanctions have been collapsing, with at least eight European countries authorizing flights and humanitarian aid to Baghdad.

Kerry, by contrast, voted to authorize humanitarian aid to the contras.

Senator Jeff Bingaman, Democrat of New Mexico, has introduced a bill that would permanently authorize aid for low-income people on Medicare.

Congress declined to authorize further aid to the Palestinian Authority because lawmakers believed Yasir Arafat was not doing enough to combat terrorism.

It's vastly preferable to a Senate bill that simply authorizes continued aid to Unita insurgents led by Jonas Savimbi.

The bill authorizes aid of $938 million over three years, or twice what President Bush requested.

There's nothing terribly unusual about not passing the bill to authorize foreign aid.

Now "Peace Prize" Obama has authorized covert aid.