BILL SUMMARY: State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Fiscal Year 2024 Appropriations Bill
Bill advances America’s national security interests by investing in U.S. global leadership and competitiveness, strengthening our alliances, and maintaining U.S. preeminence in development and humanitarian assistance to build a safer and more prosperous world
Rejects draconian cuts and scores of extreme riders that would have undermined U.S. leadership abroad
***Bill text, explanatory statement, & more available HERE***
Washington, D.C. – The Fiscal Year 2024 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act provides $58.346 billion in total funding for the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and other essential related programs.
“The FY24 SFOPS bill invests in American engagement, competitiveness, and global leadership at a pivotal time while our role on the world stage is being questioned. It provides critical resources to advance bipartisan priorities like meeting our international commitments—including to our partners and allies—delivering humanitarian assistance to those in need and supporting global health, and ensuring the U.S. leads alongside our partners to expand economic growth and global security. We have proven that even in these polarized times, we can work together to make necessary investments to strengthen our national security and protect the interests of the American people,” said Senator Chris Coons (D-DE), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs. “While this bill is a step forward, it remains imperative that the House pass the national security supplemental that the Senate approved last month to deliver badly needed additional humanitarian assistance and support for Ukraine and other allies.”
“This bill ensures we maintain our international leadership at a precarious and consequential moment for the globe,” said Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “Recognizing that investing in diplomacy, in our alliances, and in building a safer, more prosperous world is an investment in our national security and competitiveness, this bill rejects dramatic cuts that would have abdicated U.S. leadership and abandoned key commitments we have made to our partners and allies. It supports the diplomatic and development workforce that powers our engagement overseas, and it sustains our investments in key regions like the Indo-Pacific. It helps ensure we support our Afghan partners with more visas for those who assisted the United States during the war. At a moment of incredible need, this bill provides humanitarian assistance to help civilians caught in conflict. It also makes important investments to advance global health—and keep all of us safe—and to stop the flow of fentanyl into the United States. We need to get this bill signed into law—and the House needs to finally take up the Senate’s national security supplemental.”
Key Points & Highlights
The bill advances U.S. national security interests by making critical investments in the U.S. diplomatic and development workforce, meeting U.S. commitments to international organizations and our allies and partners, continuing U.S. global leadership in international development and humanitarian response, and enhancing cooperation with the private sector to strengthen U.S. competitiveness globally.
Department of State and USAID Operations: The bill includes $11.8 billion for the Department of State and USAID to carry out their vital mission across the globe and to continue to invest in the modernization of our diplomatic and development workforce.
International Development: The bill delivers $10.3 billion in critical funding for sustainable and inclusive development, democratic governance, environmental protection, and economic growth programs, including through investments in development finance, export financing, and trade promotion. It also includes a loan to the International Monetary Fund that will provide critical economic relief for the world’s poorest countries, advancing economic stability and growth and mitigating the risk of economic coercion by countries with a record of predatory lending.
International Organizations: The bill provides $3.4 billion to meet our commitments and fully fund our dues to the United Nations (UN) and other international organizations. It ensures the United States maintains its global leadership role and combats the malign influence of adversaries and competitors at international organizations with increased funding to recruit and place Americans in entry-level UN jobs, increased funding to support the recruitment of U.S. candidates for UN agency leadership elections, and new resources to detail U.S. government subject matter experts to key UN agencies.
Indo-Pacific Region: The bill maintains $1.8 billion to continue implementation of the Indo-Pacific Strategy and strengthen U.S. leadership and presence in the region to help create a free, open, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific. In addition, the bill includes $300 million in Foreign Military Financing for Taiwan and fully funds the President’s budget request of $400 million for the Countering PRC Influence Fund.
Economic Resilience Initiative: In addition to allocating $100 million made available in the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, the bill establishes a new $265 million multi-agency Economic Resilience Initiative (ERI) to enhance U.S. and partner country economic security and growth. The initiative leverages tools across the U.S. government to expand investments in high-quality and sustainable infrastructure, including to: diversify and secure supply chains, modernize transportation corridors, expand and strengthen information and communications networks, and strengthen energy security.
Global Health: The bill includes $10.03 billion to support critical global health initiatives, including: to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and neglected tropical diseases; to advance global health security; and to increase key efforts, such as funding a new global health workforce initiative and increasing the U.S. contribution to GAVI to help vaccinate children and save lives in the world’s poorest nations. The bill also protects longstanding funding for family planning and reproductive health services to help prevent maternal mortality globally and allow people to plan families on their own terms.
Humanitarian Assistance: The bill provides $8.7 billion for humanitarian assistance programs—$336.4 million above base fiscal year 2023 funding—to help meet unprecedented forced displacement, food insecurity, and other emergency needs across the globe.
Stopping the Flow of Fentanyl: The bill includes $125 million to support efforts to stop global flows of fentanyl and other synthetic drugs, as well as their precursor materials, through diplomatic engagement, law enforcement cooperation and capacity building, and governance capacity support, including through implementation of the FENTANYL Results Act.
Human Rights and Democratic Governance: The bill continues dozens of provisions that address global fragility and reflect our values by strengthening good governance and protecting human rights, including funding for the International Criminal Court as it pursues charges against senior Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, for committing war crimes in Ukraine.
Extending Critical Programs: The bill extends certain programs, including a one-year extension—through March 25, 2025—for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which has saved over 25 million lives worldwide. It also authorizes an additional 12,000 Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) for Afghan allies who assisted the U.S. government during the war in Afghanistan.
###
Next Article Previous Article