Senate Appropriations Committee Passes Fiscal Year 2008
State And Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill
(Full Committee Mark)
WASHINGTON (June 28) -- The Senate Appropriations Committee Thursday
approved the Fiscal Year 2008 State and Foreign Operations
Appropriations bill, which makes key investments in fighting global
terror, strengthening diplomacy, and combating the global HIV/AIDS
pandemic. The legislation provides $34.24 billion in discretionary
funding, which is nearly $3 Billion above FY 2007 enacted level and $700
million below the president’s request.
“There
is much to remedy in advancing our nation’s interests and ideals abroad,
after years of serious foreign policy mismanagement and neglect,” said
Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), chairman of the Subcommittee on State,
Foreign Operations and Related Programs. “We have worked hard to shape
this bill to help match America’s interests in the world, which include
our security interests, our economic interests, and humanitarian relief
that offers our helping hands to children, mothers and others who
struggle just to live to the next day.”
“America’s standing in the world has suffered significant damage in
recent years. This bill makes investments that strengthen not only
America’s image, but also our security and diplomatic power. Our
nation’s commitment to child survival and maternal health, fighting
HIV/AIDS, and promoting economic growth in the third world demonstrate
the compassion of the American people. I want to thank Chairman Leahy
and the members of the subcommittee for their outstanding work on this
bill,” said Senator Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., Chairman of the Senate
Appropriations Committee.
FY
2008 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations SUMMARY
Total Discretionary
Funding
2007
Enacted: $31.3 billion
President's Request: $34.94 billion
Committee Mark: $34.24
billion
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
The
Committee provides $10.68 billion for Department of State operations, a
decrease of $40 million below the President’s request and $1.044 billion
(9.78%) above the FY 07 enacted level.
Significant Investments
Contributions for
International Peacekeeping Activities. The Committee
provides $1.35 billion, an increase of $216 million above the FY 07
enacted level and $245 million above the President’s request. These
investments support peacekeeping operations across the globe, including,
the Sudan, Liberia, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Eritrea,
Haiti, Timor-Leste, the Middle East, and Kosovo.
Diplomatic and Consular
Programs (D&CP). The Committee provides $4.79 billion
for D&CP, which funds State Department personnel, an increase of $481.2
million above the FY 07 enacted level and $147 million below the
President’s request.
Educational and
Cultural Exchange Programs (ECE). The Committee
provides $509.48 million for ECE, $23.08 million above the President’s
request and an increase of $63.8 million above the FY 07 enacted level
for programs
New Office Buildings.
The Committee provides $649 million for planning, design and
construction of new embassies.
FOREIGN OPERATIONS
Export Assistance
Export-Import Bank.
The Committee provides
$146 million for Export-Import Bank, including $68 million for
Export-Import Bank subsidy appropriations, the amount requested by the
President, and $41.6 million above the FY 07 enacted level. The
Committee provides $78 million for Export-Import Bank administrative
expenses, an amount equal to the President’s request and $5.5 million
above the FY 07 enacted level.
Bilateral Economic
Assistance
The
Committee provides a total of $17.3 billion for bilateral economic
assistance, $516 million below the President’s request.
Global Health Programs,
$6.57
billion
-
HIV/AIDS.
The Committee
provides a total of $5.09 billion to combat HIV/AIDS, an amount $940
million above the President’s request and $2.221 billion above the
FY 07 enacted level for HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care
programs around the world.
-
Global Fund to
Fight AIDS.
The Committee provides $590 million
for the Global Fund, $590 million above the President’s
request. If funds provided in the Labor-HHS bill are counted
the US contribution is $165 million above the FY 07 enacted
level for AIDS, TB and Malaria prevention, treatment and care
programs.
-
Child Survival and
Maternal Health. The Committee provides a total of
$476.5 million for Child Survival and Maternal Health, an increase
of $58.5 million above the President’s request.
-
Family Planning.
The Committee provides a total of $461 million from all accounts for
family planning and reproductive health programs, which is $137
million above the President’s request and approximately $20
million above the FY 07 enacted level.
Development Assistance
(DA).
The Committee provides $1.455 billion for DA, $413.75 million above the
President’s request and $53 million below the FY 07 enacted level. The
subcommittee increased funding to maintain programs at a similar level
to FY 07, which the President proposed to reduce. These programs
include: microenterprise development, agriculture, basic education, the
environment and energy.
International Disaster
Assistance (IDA). The Committee provides $322 million
for International Disaster Assistance, $25 million above the President’s
request and $39 million below the FY 07 enacted level to provide
life-saving assistance during disasters and to avert famines.
USAID.
The Committee provides $645.7 million for USAID operating expenses,
$36.7 million above the President’s request and $22 million above the FY
07 enacted level to address the serious staff shortage at USAID.
Assistance to Eastern
Europe (SEED). The Committee provides $294.56 million
for SEED, $5.2 million above the President’s request and $20.668 million
above the FY 07 enacted level for support for young democracies,
including Kosovo and Macedonia.
Assistance for the
Former Soviet Union (FSU). The Committee provides
$401 million for former Soviet countries an increase of $50.3 million
above the President’s request and $50 million below the FY 07 enacted
level for civil society assistance in Russia and Central Asia.
Millennium Challenge
Corporation (MCC).
The Committee provides $1.2 billion for the
MCC, which is $1.8 billion below the President’s request and $352.3
million below the FY 07 enacted level. The program is below the
President’s request because there are currently $2.1 billion in
unobligated funds. The amount in the bill is adequate to fund the four
proposed new compacts in FY 08.
Democracy Fund (DF).
The Committee provides $177 million for the Democracy Fund, an increase
of $82.9 million above the FY 07 enacted level.
This account combines funds requested by the
President under different accounts into the Democracy Fund and includes
$80 million for the National Endowment for Democracy and $97 million
requested under economic support programs which will be used to
strengthen democracy.
Andean Programs (AP).
These funds were previously under the heading, “Andean Counterdrug
Initiative (ACI)”. The Committee provides $415 million for Andean
Programs, a decrease of $27.76 million from the President’s request and
a decrease of $306.45 million below the FY 07 enacted level.
Many
programs previously funded in this account are now funded under the
Economic Support funding to Latin America.
Egypt.
The committee provides $1.715 billion is assistance for Egypt, equal
to the President’s request.
Multilateral Assistance
The
Committee provides $1.66 billion for multilateral economic assistance,
$127.5 million below the President’s request and $92.77 million below
the FY 07 enacted level. The Committee provides $1 billion for a U.S.
contribution to the International Development Association, which is
almost the full request and $59 million above the FY 07 level.
OTHER PROVISIONS
Clean Energy
Technology. The Committee provides $195 million for
clean energy, energy efficiency and renewable energy technology
programs, which is $20 million above the FY 07 level.
This program promotes the
use of US energy efficiency and clean energy technology in developing
countries.
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