The House Appropriations Committee today released their FY12 State & Foreign Operations Appropriations bill, which will be considered in subcommittee tomorrow. The bill includes a total of $39.6 billion in regular discretionary funding, which is $8.6 billion or 18 percent below FY11 levels and $11.23 billion below the President’s FY12 request. Included in these reductions are cuts back to the FY08 levels or below for certain operations and assistance accounts.
Bill Summary:
International Security Assistance – The bill provides $8 billion in discretionary funding for international security assistance, a decrease of $61 million from last year’s level and $167 million from the President’s request. This includes funds for international narcotics control, nonproliferation and anti-terrorism programs, peacekeeping operations, foreign military financing, and international military education and training.
Bilateral Assistance – The legislation contains a total of $17.7 billion for bilateral economic assistance, a decrease of $3.5 billion below last year and $4.8 billion below the President’s request. This includes funding for global health programs, international disaster assistance, refugee assistance, the Peace Corps, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, and various economic and democracy promotion programs.
Multilateral Assistance – The legislation provides $1.6 billion for multilateral assistance, a reduction of $729 million below last year and $2.1 billion below the President’s request. This includes significant cuts to many international organizations and programs, including the World Bank, the Global Environment Facility, and several other international financial institutions. In addition, the bill eliminates funding for the Clean Technology Fund and the Strategic Climate Fund.
Export and Investment Programs – The bill provides $266 million for export assistance programs, a reduction of $84 million from the President’s request. The Trade and Development Agency – which promotes US trade interests abroad – is level funded at $50 million, the same as last year.
State Department Operations and Related Agencies – The bill contains a total of $11.9 billion in discretionary funding for operational costs of the State Department and related agencies – a decrease of $3.9 billion below last year’s level and a $3.1 billion below the President’s request. This includes funding for programs such as diplomatic and consular affairs, embassy security and operations, assessed contributions to international organizations, and international broadcasting. The bill also eliminates temporary pay raises for overseas officers.
United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Operations – The bill contains $1.04 billion for USAID – a reduction of $488 million from last year’s level and $705 million below the President’s request. The bill halts new hiring at USAID and stops expansion of facilities overseas associated with that hiring.
Policy Riders:
Global Gag Rule (“Mexico City Policy”) – A policy that prohibits all federal funding from going to any organization that uses their own funds to perform abortions, promote legalization, or provide counseling including these services.
UN Human Rights Council – Prevents the US from influencing the council by defunding our participation.
UN Peacekeeping Activities – Caps US contributions to UN Peacekeeping Activities at 25 percent. This abrogates our treaty agreement with the UN.
Defunds UNFPA – Blocks US contributions to the UN Population Fund.
Climate Change – Cuts funding to accounts and programs across the bill that address global climate change.
International Monetary Fund (IMF) – Rescinds funds appropriated to the IMF to shore up its role as the first responder to global financial crises.