FY '24 Spending: State & Foreign Operations

State & Foreign Operations Appropriations Act of 2024 -- Republican's Summary

The State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act provides a total discretionary allocation of $55.846 billion.

Consistent with the topline agreement, the Act provides non-defense topline resources totaling $58.346 billion, which is $3.412 billion (6%) below the Fiscal Year 2023 enacted level and $10.581 billion (15.4%) below the President’s Budget Request.

The Act prioritizes agencies and programs that protect our national security, safeguard our global economic interests, support our allies and partners, and promote democracy and freedom abroad.

TOP LINE MESSAGING

Stands with our great ally Israel by:

• Fully funding the U.S.-Israel Memorandum of Understanding at $3.3 billion.
• Prohibiting funds for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency and the United Nations Commission of Inquiry against Israel.
• Forcing the UN and other international organizations funded in the bill to assess and report on their efforts to combat anti-Israel bias and antisemitism and to vet personnel for connections to terrorist groups.
• Prohibiting the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps from being removed from the Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) list.
• Withholding funds to the UN Human Rights Council to:
• • Hold the Council accountable for its blatant anti-Israel actions; and
  • Reform the Council’s election process to prevent the world’s worst human rights abusers, like Iran, from becoming members.
• Implementing new conditions on any assistance to Gaza, including mechanisms for coordination with Israel, prevention of diversion to Hamas or other terrorist entities, and a requirement for third-party monitoring.
• Prohibiting funds to move the U.S. embassy from Jerusalem.
• Strengthening vetting related to the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement, including new requirements on political neutrality, and imposing new transparency requirements on the Office of Palestinian Affairs.

Bolsters our national security and counters foreign adversaries by:

• Prohibiting funds to the government of the People’s Republic of China or to repay debt owed to China by other nations.
• Prioritizing funding for United States national security interests in the Indo-Pacific and strengthening the defense needs of Taiwan, including $300 million in Foreign Military Financing and $400 million for the Countering PRC Influence Fund.
• Strengthening the prohibition on sending taxpayer dollars to the Taliban, whether directly or indirectly. o Strengthening critical security partnerships in the Middle East region, specifically with Jordan and Egypt.
• Prohibiting implementation of a nuclear agreement with Iran.
• Addressing the fentanyl crisis, directing no less than $125 million for such efforts.
• Prohibiting funds for programs that encourage, organize, facilitate, or promote migrant caravans to the United States-Mexico border.
• Supporting freedom and democracy in Cuba by providing $25 million for the Office of Cuba Broadcasting and $25 million for democracy programs.
• Cutting climate accounts spearheaded by the Administration and requiring that programs seek an “all-of-the-above” approach to energy production.
• Including a new provision to favorably resolve commercial disputes abroad and promote U.S. business interests overseas.

Demanding accountability at the United Nations by:

• Ensuring the State Department’s Inspector General has access to agreements with the UN and other international organizations funded in the bill.
• Requiring the Secretary to consider a country’s voting practices at the UN in relation to U.S. interests to determine bilateral assistance.
• Requiring a report on reforms at the World Health Organization, including to regain observer status for Taiwan.

Supports American values and principles by:

• Maintaining all longstanding, pro-life protections: Helms, Kemp-Kasten, Tiahrt, and Siljander.
• Increasing funding for religious freedom programs abroad and faith-based organizations delivering foreign aid.
• Adding new reporting on prime and sub-partners to provide greater oversight of taxpayer funding.
• Refocusing programs on women and girls instead of “gender” programs.
• Protecting free speech by limiting how funds can be used under the pretext of “countering disinformation.”
• Allowing only the American flag and other official flags to be flown over U.S diplomatic facilities.

Refocuses Washington spending and cuts wasteful bureaucracy by:

• Prioritizing limited resources for critical diplomatic functions, such as addressing the backlog of passport applications and ensuring the safety and security of our embassies.
• Requiring the public posting of reports to increase accountability to the American taxpayer and to promptly inform Congress of aid diversion.
• Requiring the State Department and its agencies to report their telework policies.

DEMOCRAT POISON PILLS REJECTED

Rejects harmful Democrat policies that would have:

• Directed wasteful spending to diversity, equity, and inclusion programming and controversial offices.
• Funneled hundreds of millions more in taxpayer funding to UNRWA and the UN Commission of Inquiry against Israel.

(Source: House Appropriations Committee)

State & Foreign Operations Appropriations Act of 2024 -- Democrat's Summary

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 oneyear 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.

(Source Senate Appropriations Committee)