Budget Paper

Department of State and Other International Programs The United States needs to renew its leadership role in the world. The 2010 budget for the Department of State and Other International Programs aims to increase foreign aid to help education children in some of the poorest nations, increase global food supply and security, and stabilize post-conflict areas. The budget also includes an increase in funding for global health programs and non-military assistance to Afghanistan and Pakistan. No exact numbers are given in the budget as to where the money will go. There is a very large discretionary budget.

Plan highlights Foreign Policy Goals • • •

Increase funding for global health programs that combat HIV/AIDs, malaria and TB – no specific amount given Funding the first year of a multi-year counterterrorism and law enforcement program – no specific amount given Promotion of safe civilian uses of nuclear energy – no specific amount given

International Support •

Expansion of diplomatic and development ties by increasing the number of state and USAID Foreign services officers – no specific amount given

FY10 INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS BUDGET REQUEST SNAPSHOT International Affairs 150 Account FY 2010 Request* FY 2009 Bridge Enacted* FY 2009 Omnibus Estimate* FY 2009 Spring Supplemental Estimate* FY 2009 Total Enacted and Estimate Increase FY 2009-2010 Enacted & Est.

$ 51.7 billion $ 3.7 billion $ 36.7 billion $ 6.8 billion $ 47.2 billion $ 4.5 billion (9.5% increase)

*Note: FY 2010 request does not include international food assistance. In order to make an accurate comparison between the two years, FY 2009 figures exclude $2 billion in enacted and estimated international food assistance. Totals for FY10 and FY09 will increase when the complete budget is submitted in April to include international food assistance.

FY09 International Affairs Budget Snapshot International Affairs 150 Account FY09 Request FY09 Joint Budget Resolution FY09 Omnibus Bill FY08 Enacted FY08 Base FY07 Base Decrease FY09 Request - Omnibus Bill Increase FY08 Enacted - Omnibus Bill Increase FY08 Base - Omnibus Bill

$ 39.8 billion (CBO #) $ 38.3 billion $ 38.2 billion $ 36.7 billion $ 34.31 billion $ 32.57 billion $ 1.6 billion (4.0% decrease) $ 1.5 billion (4.1% increase) $ 3.9 billion (11.4% increase)

Foreign Operations Account FY09 Request FY08 Enacted FY08 Base FY07 Base Increase from FY08 Enacted - FY09

$ 26.14 billion $ 24.00 billion $ 22.87 billion $ 21.95 billion $ 2.14 billion (8.9% increase)

State Operations and Related Accounts FY09 Request FY08 Enacted FY08 Base FY07 Base Increase from FY08 Enacted - FY09

$ 12.03 billion $ 11.24 billion $ 9.99 billion $ 9.54 billion $ 790 million (7.0% increase)

International Agriculture Programs FY09 Request FY08 Enacted FY08 Base FY07 Base Increase from FY08 Enacted - FY09

$ 1.33 billion $ 1.31 billion $ 1.31 billion $ 1.31 billion $ 20 million (1.5% increase)

History of the United States International Affairs Budget Beginning at the height of the Cold War and through the mid 1990’s, America’s international spending dropped steadily, reaching a low of $21 billion in 1995. In the post-Cold War era, cutting the International Affairs Budget was logical to many in both Congress and the Executive Branch who wanted to cash in on the peace dividend. While the Defense budget was reduced, the already smaller International Affairs Budget suffered even more in percentage terms. From 1992 to 1998, the International Affairs Budget was slashed every year representing a 38 % decrease in our foreign affairs programs (as a percentage of the United States GDP). When the tragedy of September 11, 2001 occurred, many of our foreign policy capabilities were in disrepair. At this time, the share of the U.S. budget devoted to international affairs was barely above the post-World War II low and only about half of the size that it was in the mid-1980s in real terms. Embassy security upgrades were behind schedule, the U.S. lacked adequate numbers of diplomats with key language skills, and many important overseas posts were filled by junior Foreign Service Officers. At that time, America did not possess sufficient capacity for civilian postconflict stabilization and reconstruction, and our public diplomacy efforts atrophied. Since then, our diplomatic capabilities have improved. However, there is still much work to be done. In the second term of the Clinton Administration and through the Bush Administration, Congress and the White House have reversed the downward spiral in America’s foreign policy capabilities that occurred in the 1990s. Yet, in spite of this progress, the U.S. still devotes almost 15 % less in real terms to international affairs than it did in the mid-1980s and ranks a lowly 22nd among industrialized nations in terms of foreign assistance (as a percentage of GDP).

Peace Corp

The Peace Corps is a U.S. government program designed to provide foreign aid to developing nations in the form of expertise, education and training. Peace Corps workers are volunteers who not only bring aspects of American culture to the places they work in, they also bring some of that nation's culture back to the United States. The Peace Corps has been in operation for almost 50 years, with more than 7,000 volunteers serving at any given moment. The Peace Corps has a three-part mission statement [Source: The Peace Corps]. • Help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women. • Help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served. • Help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans. • The Corps is a form of foreign aid, but instead of supplying money to developing nations, the Corps supplies the knowledge and expertise of its citizens. The idea stems from the old proverb, "Give a man a fish, feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime." While building a school or supplying food is certainly crucial for many nations, training their teachers or helping them learn advanced agricultural techniques could have a positive impact that lasts decades. The Peace Corps is an independent agency within the executive branch of the United States government. The President of the United States appoints the Peace Corps director and deputy director, and the appointments must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Initially established by President John F. Kennedy by Executive Order on March 1, 1961, the Peace Corps was formally authorized by the Congress on September 22, 1961, with passage of the Peace Corps Act. The Peace Corps enjoys bipartisan support in Congress. One senator and six representatives served as Volunteers themselves. Among the seven returned Volunteers in Congress are both Democrats and Republicans. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is charged with general oversight of the activities and programs of the Peace Corps, and the House Committee on International Relations serves a similar function. The Peace Corps' annual budget is determined each year by the congressional budget and appropriations process, and is part of the foreign operations budget.

http://www.state.gov/f/releases/iab/fy2009cbj/

http://webnet4.oecd.org/dcdgraphs/ http://www.oecd.org/document/35/0,3343,en_2649_34487_42458595_1_1_1_1,00.html http://www.devex.com/articles/us-foreign-operations-budget-quietly-cut-then-quietly-restored http://justf.org/node/93 (President must submit spending justification for foreign aid) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Agency_for_International_Development http://www.onlineforextrading.com/blog/federal-budget-broken-down/ (great overview of 2010 federal budget)