Senate
Appropriations Committee Approves Fiscal Year 2009
State And Foreign
Operations Appropriations Bill
Full Committee Mark
WASHINGTON (Thursday, July 17) -- The Senate Appropriations
Committee today approved Fiscal Year 2009 State and Foreign
Operations Appropriations legislation that
strengthens American diplomacy, advances
international security, invests in clean energy, and promotes
international economic development and global health. The
legislation provides $36.62 billion in discretionary funding,
which is $3.82 billion above the FY 2008 enacted level. In
addition, $3.42 billion was provided as FY 2009 bridge funding
in the recently enacted emergency supplemental legislation.
“America’s standing in the world has suffered terrible damage as
a result of the current Administration’s failed diplomacy. This
legislation sets out the right priorities as our nation prepares
to turn the page to the next chapter in American foreign
policy. I applaud Chairman Leahy and the members of the
subcommittee for crafting strong legislation that projects
America’s best values,” said U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd,
Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Senator Patrick
Leahy, Chairman of the State and Foreign Operations
Subcommittee, stated “This bill represents a major step toward
replenishing the budget for diplomacy and foreign assistance
that has suffered serious shortfalls in recent years, largely
due to the strains caused by the growth in budget expenses for
Iraq and Afghanistan. Including funds appropriated for FY09 in
the FY08 supplemental bill, we provide the full amount requested
for State Department operations, and an additional $50 million
for USAID operations. We provide large increases for global
health, disaster relief, peacekeeping, and international
security programs. We have reduced funding for the Millennium
Challenge Corporation, but this should not be misinterpreted as
a lack of support for the MCC. We want it to succeed, and we
intend to fund future compacts. But with a pipeline of $7.5
billion and just $235 million disbursed, it makes sense first to
process the billions that have already been appropriated. We
want to see more results before we sign new compacts.”
FY 2009 State
and Foreign Operations Appropriations SUMMARY
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
The Committee provides $12 billion for Department of State
operations, an amount $194,000 below the President’s request and
$730 million above the FY08 enacted level (6.5%).
These increases are attributed to a major investment in
personnel, particularly in countries of growing importance in
South Asia and Asia. The bill supports the request of 500
additional positions, much of which will help posts left
depleted (some by 25%) due to positions shifting to Iraq during
the last 5 years. In addition, the bill recommends $115 million
for a new initiative to train and deploy personnel in
post-conflict stabilization.
MAJOR INITIATIVES
-
Civilian Stabilization Initiative. The Committee
provides $115 million for a new initiative to train and
deploy personnel in post-conflict stabilization, $133
million less than the President’s request. The Department
lacks the capability to quickly respond with technical
experts, especially in engineering or local governance.
-
Passport privacy. The bill includes language
withholding funds until the Department of State implements
all of the recent recommendations of the Inspector General
to improve internal controls over access to passport files.
This is in response to findings this spring of State
Department staff and contractors having unauthorized access
to personal privacy information.
Diplomatic and Consular
Programs (D&CP). The Committee provides $4.15
billion for D&CP, which funds State Department personnel, an
increase of $373 million (10%) above the FY08 enacted level and
$49 million below the President’s request. This funds a major
investment in personnel to increase language training and expand
the number of personnel in regions of growing importance.
Worldwide Security
Protection. The Committee recommends $1.13 billion
for Worldwide Security Protection for non-capital security
upgrades, an increase of $375 million above the FY08 enacted
level. This account funds all the Diplomatic Security agents at
every post world-wide, armored vehicles, and training.
Educational and Cultural
Exchange Programs (ECE). The Committee provides
$545.25 million for ECE, $44 million above the President’s
request and an increase of $23 million above the FY08 enacted
level (8%).
Embassy Security,
Construction, and Maintenance. The Committee
provides $1.7 billion for embassy facilities, a $340 million
increase above the enacted level and $24.5 million below the
President’s request. Of this amount, $800 million is for
embassy maintenance, $41 million less than the request and $45
million above the FY08 enacted level (6%).
New Office Buildings. The Committee provides $830
million for planning, design and construction of new embassies
and office buildings worldwide, $118 million above the request
and $159 million above the FY 08 enacted level. The need to
replace insecure and old embassies is growing as security has
worsened in many areas.
Contributions for
International Peacekeeping Activities. The Committee
provides $1.65 billion for CIPA, an increase of $427 million
above the FY08 enacted level and $153 million above the
President’s request (10%). The President’s request under-funds
the U.S. assessed contribution to United Nations Peacekeeping in
FY09 by assuming a reduction in every mission. This downsizing
is unrealistic and the bill funds what are expected to be actual
costs in critical peacekeeping missions, especially Sudan,
Darfur and the Congo.
Contributions to
International Organizations & Conferences. The
Committee provides $1.53 billion for Contributions to
International Organizations & Conferences (CIO), the same as the
President’s request and $185 million above the FY08 enacted
level. The account funds the U.S. assessed dues to 47
international organizations, including NATO, IAEA, the UN, and
others for which the U.S. is treaty-obligated.
Broadcasting Board of
Governors. The Committee provides $693 million for
the Broadcasting Board of Governors, an increase of $23 million
above the FY08 enacted level and $6 million below the request.
The bill provides funding for broadcasting in languages which
the Administration proposed to eliminate in FY09, such as
Russian, Kazak, Uzbek, Tibetan and the to the Balkans, where
freedom of speech remains restricted and broadcasting is still
necessary. The Committee does not provide funds for the
expansion of Alhurra programming in Arabic.
ADMINISTRATION OF FOREIGN
ASSISTANCE
Operating Expenses – USAID.
The Committee provides $817 million for USAID
operating expenses, $50 million above the President’s request
and $187 million above the FY 08 enacted level. This is the
first attempt in recent years to begin to address the serious
staff shortage at USAID.
BILATERAL ECONOMIC
ASSISTANCE
The Committee provides a total of $16.8 billion for bilateral
economic assistance.
Global Health Programs (GHP).
The Committee provides $6.74 billion for Global
Health Programs, an increase of $383 million above the request
and $248 million above FY08 enacted (6%).
-
Child Survival and Maternal Health. The Committee
provides a total of $500 million for Child Survival and
Maternal Health, an increase of $130 million above the
President’s request and $54 million above the FY08 enacted
level. The Committee provides $32 million within this
account for programs to eradicate polio.
-
Family Planning. The Committee provides a total
of $520 million from all accounts for family planning and
reproductive health programs including $45 million for UNFPA.
This is $15 million above the FY08 enacted level and $219
million above the President’s request.
-
HIV/AIDS. The Committee provides a total of
$5.129 billion to combat HIV/AIDS, an amount equal to the
President’s request and $117 million (2.5%) above the FY08
enacted level. Of this amount, $550 million is for the
Global Fund, $350 million above the President’s request and
equal to the FY08 enacted level. The Subcommittee on Labor,
Health and Human Services provided the President’s request
of $300 million for the Global Fund, bringing the total U.S.
FY08 contribution to $850 million
Development Assistance (DA).
The Committee provides $1.850 billion for DA, $211 million above
the President’s request and $226 million above the FY08 enacted
level.
International Disaster
Assistance (IDA). The Committee provides $450
million for International Disaster Assistance, $152 million
above the President’s request and $20 million above the FY08
enacted level including supplemental funding.
Economic Support Funds (ESF).
The Committee provides $3.098 billion for ESF, $55 million below
the President’s request and $123 million above the FY08 enacted
level including supplemental funding.
Europe, Eurasia and Central
Asia (AEECA). The Committee recommends $661.7
million for this new combined account, an increase of $40
million above the President’s request and $28 million below the
FY08 enacted level. This account combines programs previously
funded under the accounts Assistance to Eastern Europe (SEED)
and Assistance for the Former Soviet Union (FSU).
Millennium Challenge
Corporation (MCC). The Committee provides $254
million for the MCC, which is $1.9 billion below the President’s
request and $1.3 billion below the FY08 enacted level.
Democracy Fund (DF).
The Committee provides $117.5 million for the Democracy Fund, a
decrease of $45 million below the FY08 enacted level. There was
no request in the President’s budget, but many of these programs
were requested under ESF.
Andean Counterdrug Programs (ACP).
The Committee provides $315 million for Andean
Programs, a decrease of $92 million from the President’s request
and a decrease of $10 million below the FY08 enacted level.
Most of the reduction reflects a shift in the budget request of
alternative development funds from ACP to ESF, and judicial
reform funds to INCLE.
Migration and Refugee
Assistance. The Committee provides $1.1 billion for
Migration and Refugee Assistance, $336 million above the
President’s request and $277 million above the FY08 enacted
level. The
increases reflect a concern that international refugee programs
are seriously under-funded, especially with the flood of
refugees out of Iraq.
INTERNATIONAL SECURITY
ASSISTANCE
The Committee provides $4.827 billion for military assistance
and peacekeeping operations, $322 million below the President’s
request and $64 million below the FY08 enacted level. The bill
assumes $170 million provided in the FY08 supplemental as FY09
bridge funds for military assistance to Israel, making the total
amount for Israel equal to the President’s request, $2.55
billion (7% increase over the FY08 enacted level, as negotiated
by the Administration.)
MULTILATERAL ASSISTANCE
The Committee provides $2.13 billion for multilateral economic
assistance, $217 million below the President’s request and $537
million (33%) above the FY08 enacted level.
EXPORT ASSISTANCE
The Committee provides $41 million for Export-Import Bank
subsidy appropriations, the amount requested by the President,
and $26 million below the FY08 enacted level. The Committee
provides $81.5 million for Export-Import Bank administrative
expenses, an amount equal to the President’s request and $4
million above the FY 08 enacted level.
NEW INITIATIVES
Global Food Security.
The Committee includes a new heading in the bill, funded with
$150 million, to address global food security including through
agriculture development programs. Funds are also available for
local purchase of food to address the immediate food crisis.
Clean Energy Technology.
The President requested $400 million for a Clean Energy
Technology Fund at the World Bank. The Committee provides $200
million for such a fund, if the Secretary of the Treasury
certifies that it will only finance zero-carbon emissions
technologies. If not, the funds are to be used for bilateral
energy programs.
Least Developed Countries
Fund. The Committee provides $20 million for a
U.S. contribution to this fund, operated by the Global
Environmental Facility. The Administration had not contributed,
although most European countries have.
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