Issues

Saving Tax Dollars

The U.S. foreign relations and foreign aid budgets must reflect the economic reality that our country currently faces. The Committee is working to lock-in spending cuts, identify new cuts, and implement needed reform to increase efficiently and eliminate wasteful programs.

The Full Committee and each Subcommittee is responsible for examining the budgets of the State Department, USAID, and U.S. foreign assistance programs within their respective jurisdictions, and identifying areas of potential savings.  In July, the Committee passed the Foreign Relations Authorization Act of 2011, which cuts billions of dollars off of the President's budget request for U.S. foreign operations. The Committee will soon consider an Authorization bill for Fiscal Year 2013. 

The Committee has also recommended billions in budget cuts in separate letters to the House Budget Committee, the House Appropriations Committee, and the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, also known as the Supercommittee.