RESPONSE TO HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE’S STATE, FOREIGN OPERATIONS FY2025 ALLOCATION
Published: May 16, 2024
InterAction issued the following statement regarding the House Appropriations Committee’s State, Foreign Operations FY2025 Allocation:
In the wake of the House taking leadership to deliver a desperately needed infusion of emergency supplemental funding, the State, Foreign Operations allocation reported out of the House Appropriations Committee is stunningly low and damaging to not only people in need worldwide but America’s strategic global interests.
We’ve seen time and again that when hunger, displacement, or a pandemic strikes anywhere in the world, it ultimately impacts the United States. That is why we had hoped Congress would take decisive action and adequately fund programs designed to respond to global crises. This would position the United States as a strong global leader, one that not only protects its own citizens but also stands up for vulnerable people around the world.
“We understand that the House Appropriations Committee had to work with the cards they were dealt, and it was a poor hand to begin with. We hope leadership on all sides recognize that slashing life-saving programs goes against American interests and will be seized upon by China and Russia,” said Tom Hart, President and CEO of InterAction.
While InterAction is grateful to Congress for recent supplemental funding, we continue to urge Congress to shift away from reactive emergency funding and instead anticipate inevitable needs by adequately funding U.S. foreign assistance.
Helping our allies build resilience and enabling communities around the world to stand on their own right now will ensure that America doesn’t need to invest more money in humanitarian crises later. By taking proactive measures, we can save resources and foster stability, ultimately benefiting both the global community and America.
InterAction asks the House to reconsider this allocation. And we ask the Senate to lead with an allocation that acknowledges and anticipates the urgency of American foreign assistance.