The Appropriations season in Washington is now in full swing with this week’s release of the House and Senate funding allocations for fiscal year 2013. Of particular note is the disappointing funding level for the House Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs, in which the majority of ONE’s priority programs reside. The House allocation comes in at 9.4 percent below current FY12 levels, 12 percent less than President Obama’s FY13 request and nearly $5 billion below the Senate’s allocation. This represents a dramatic 26 percent cut to foreign assistance funding from just three years ago.
SEE ALSO: ONE’s Statement on FY13 Appropriations
While we should be mindful of the difficult fiscal choices facing Congress in these challenging economic times, we must raise our voices and tell our lawmakers that targeting foreign assistance programs for potentially deep cuts is unacceptable. The proposed cuts would achieve only symbolic savings, yet would unnecessarily devastate those programs which promote global health, food security and income-generating development programs.
TAKE ACTION: Sign our petition to protect the foreign aid budget
As Congress moves through this Appropriations season, we must engage our representatives and urge their support for these programs. In calls, letters and emails to their offices, please ask them to contact their colleagues on the House State/Foreign Operations Subcommittee and demand that these programs be spared the proposed cuts. If we raise our 3 million voices and move as ONE, we can save the proven programs that fight HIV/AIDS, hunger and preventable disease.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please go to www.one.org or contact Ted Brennan at Ted.Brennan@one.org.
