The CR for us means that global health, education, and agriculture programs will continue to be funded at the same level as the current fiscal year. We had been working with the Appropriations Committees in the House and Senate to increase funding for them for next year.

Congress will extend funding at current levels until December 3. They are scheduled to come back into session November 15 to debate and consider unfinished business such as these spending bills. When they return, ONE will continue to push our key priorities with Congress to make sure that our priorities receive the funding they deserve.

The ability of the U.S. Congress to set spending priorities for the federal government is among its most critical responsibilities. As Chair of the Appropriations State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee, I have worked to support international development and treatment for diseases like AIDS, TB, and malaria and to reduce poverty and hunger. Helping those who are suffering is not only our moral responsibility, it helps to strengthen stability and engender goodwill around the world, which improve our national security.

The U.S. government agencies that lead our international assistance efforts must be efficient and effective. This week, I am holding two oversight hearings focused on the budget request that President Bush recently sent to Congress for the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee will analyze these budget requests and assess these agencies’ successes and the challenges that they continue to face.

I thank you for your interest in international humanitarian and development assistance and hope you will continue to follow my subcommittee’s efforts to alleviate suffering around the world.

Sincerely,

Congresswoman Nita Lowey