Committee Releases FY24 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Bill
WASHINGTON - Today, the House Appropriations Committee released the Fiscal Year 2024 bill for the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Subcommittee. The bill will be considered tomorrow, June 23rd at 10:30 a.m. The markup will be live-streamed and can be found on the Committee's website.
The State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs bill provides $52.5 billion for programs under the jurisdiction of the Subcommittee, which is $16.4 billion (24%) below the President's Budget Request, $7.2 billion (12%) below FY23 enacted level, and $1.7 billion below the FY19 enacted level. The bill claws back $11.14 billion of the Democrats' wasteful spending over the last two years, resulting in net new spending of only $41.4 billion.
The bill prioritizes agencies and programs that strengthen our national security, counter the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), provide support to our allies, and promote American values at home and abroad, while cutting spending for low-priority activities and programs.
Fiscal Year 2024 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Bill
- Supports our national security by:
- Providing unwavering support for Israel by including $3.3 billion in Foreign Military Financing Program;
- Fully supporting other key allies in the Middle East, such as Egypt and Jordan;
- Providing $4.4 billion for United States national security interests in the Indo-Pacific and to counter the PRC's malign influence, which is $1 billion above the President's Budget Request;
- Including $500 million in Foreign Military Financing Program for Taiwan to strengthen deterrence across the Taiwan Strait and up to $2 billion in loans and loan guarantees for such purpose;
- Fully funding the Countering PRC Influence Fund at $400 million;
- Prohibiting funds for the PRC and the CCP, prohibiting funds for countries to repay Chinese debt, and prohibiting funds for international financial institutions from loans to PRC;
- Prioritizing funding and policies to combat the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs into the United States; and
- Promoting freedom in the Western Hemisphere, including $30 million for democracy programs for Cuba as the two-year anniversary approaches of the historic uprising by the people of Cuba to demand freedom.
- Protects life, supports American values, and enhances economic competitiveness by:
- Maintaining all long-standing, pro-life protections;
- Applying the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance Policy (expanded Mexico City Policy) on all health funds in the Act;
- Prohibiting funds to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA);
- Supporting religious freedom programs abroad and religious freedom protections for faith-based organizations delivering foreign aid;
- Prohibiting funds for the Arms Trade Treaty;
- Banning "disinformation" and "misinformation" programs that violate the free speech rights of American citizens;
- Prohibiting funds for unnecessary regulations and controversial Executive Orders that disadvantage American businesses;
- Prioritizing diplomatic engagement to favorably resolve commercial disputes abroad and to promote American business interests overseas; and
- Refocusing attention on critical diplomatic functions, such as addressing the backlog of passport applications and ensuring the safety and security of our embassies.
- Reins in wasteful bureaucracy and enhances oversight and accountability by:
- Strengthening Congressional oversight of funds provided in the bill and restricting the Administration's ability to ignore congressional directives to fund an extreme, partisan agenda;
- Funding the Agencies' Inspectors General at or above the FY23 enacted levels;
- Increasing accountability at the United Nations (UN) and other multilateral organizations, including by requiring written agreements for Inspectors General oversight access;
- Curtailing reprogramming and contingency authorities; and
- Eliminating counterproductive climate programs that harm energy security and economic development in underdeveloped countries, which leaves them even more dependent on United States aid and more vulnerable to the malign activities of the PRC and Russia.
A summary of the bill is available here.
Bill text is available here.
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