US Legislative Priorities: The Budget and Appropriates Process

In his 2010 budget, President Obama has requested $53.8 billion for International Affairs programs, the part of the budget that contains all poverty-fighting programs. This would be a $4 billion increase over what will be approved for FY’09.  In order to meet President Obama’s pledge to double U.S. foreign assistance in order to meet the MDGs by 2015, ONE is advocating a $4 billion increase in spending for development in 2010.

Unfortunately, the Senate Budget Committee eliminated all $4 billion that the president requested in increases for International Affairs. The House went further and cut the account by $1.3b below 2009 funding. On March 31 and April 1, 2009, ONE members, and our partners, made thousands of calls to their Senators, asking them to vote in favor of the Kerry-Lugar Amendment to restore the President’s $ 4billion increase. And we won! This puts the account in much better shape going into the budget reconciliation conference between the House and Senate.
Later in the spring, the budget will be completed and a final level for the International Affairs budget will be given. From that point, the appropriators begin their work to divide this amount among the various programs, including HIV/AIDS, education, and agriculture, as well as State Department functions.
 
Take Action:

-Until May, ask your representative/senator to support the president's budget request of a $4.0 billion increase for International Affairs in the Budget Resolution.

-Beginning in June, ask your representative/senator to express, in their communications with the Appropriations Committee, support for the development assistance accounts in the Foreign Operations bill for fiscal year 2010.