Committee Releases FY25 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill

June 3, 2024
Press Release

Washington, D.C. – Today, the House Appropriations Committee released the Fiscal Year 2025 bill for the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Subcommittee. The bill will be considered in subcommittee tomorrow, June 4th at 10:00 a.m. The markup will be live-streamed and can be found on the Committee’s website.

State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee Chairman Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) said, “In the State and Foreign Operations appropriations bill Fiscal Year 2024, Republicans achieved some great wins for the American people and national security. Overall funding in the bill was cut by 6% while upholding key U.S. priorities such as supporting strategic allies like Israel and Taiwan, and countering adversaries such as Communist China, the terrorist states of Iran and Cuba, and terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah. The enacted legislation also defunded antisemitic, anti-American entities within the United Nations, such as UNRWA, which has, for many years, been a de facto subsidiary of Hamas. In other words, the State and Foreign Operations Fiscal Year 2024 bill does more for U.S. national security and our allies while spending less taxpayer money.

"Under Chairman Tom Cole's leadership, the State and Foreign Operations bill for Fiscal Year 2025 builds on the policy wins of the Fiscal Year 2024 enacted bill, including cutting 11% from Fiscal Year 2024 enacted levels. This proposed legislation continues advancing global freedom, manifests strong solidarity with our allies, and stands firm against the malign forces undermining U.S. national security. The Fiscal Year 2025 bill continues reestablishing American leadership where it has been severely lacking the last four years.”

Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) said, “America is a world leader, and that posture must never change. This bill prioritizes our national security and reduces wasteful spending. It also asserts that we will not retreat from the cause of freedom by confronting the growing creep of authoritarian threats. From Putin’s efforts to illegally alter international borders and Iran’s dangerous attacks against Israel to China’s eyes on Taiwan and cartels infiltrating our border with fentanyl, this bill sends a clear message that the United States will do what’s necessary to protect our interests. Through vital security and economic investments, we ensure Americans are safer at home and abroad. Chairman Díaz-Balart’s esteemed work upholds the doctrine of peace through strength and promotes security for our nation, allies, and partners.”

Fiscal Year 2025 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Bill

The State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Bill provides a total discretionary allocation of $51.713 billion, which is $7.6 billion (11%) below the Fiscal Year 2024 enacted level and $12.26 billion (19%) below the President’s Budget Request. 

The bill 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.

Key Takeaways 

  • Supports our great ally Israel by:
    • Including $3.3 billion in Foreign Military Financing for Israel to defend itself against terrorist attacks. 
    • Prohibiting funding for the International Criminal Court, International Court of Justice, United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA), and the United Nations Commission of Inquiry against Israel. 
  • Counters the People’s Republic of China (PRC) by: 
    • Providing $2.1 billion for United States national security interests in the Indo-Pacific and to counter malign influence.
    • Including $500 million in Foreign Military Financing 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 Chinese Communist Party, prohibiting funds for countries to repay debt owed to China, and prohibiting funds for international financial institutions from loans to the PRC.
  • Strengthens our national security by: 
    • Prioritizing funding and policies to combat the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs into the United States.
    • Prohibiting funds that encourage or facilitate irresponsible migration towards the U.S.-Mexico border.
    • Prohibiting the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps from being removed from the Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) list. 
    • Prohibiting funds to implement a nuclear agreement with Iran unless ratified by the Senate.
    • Prohibiting funds to be used to implement the Arms Trade Treaty.
    • Supporting freedom in the Western Hemisphere, including $35 million for democracy programs for Cuba.
  • Responsibly refocuses taxpayer resources by: 
    • Eliminating funding for the United Nations’ (UN) regular budget, resulting in savings of $761.6 million.
    • Eliminating eight accounts in the bill, including the Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund, International Organizations and Programs, Contribution to the Clean Technology Fund, and Contributions to the Inter-American Development Bank.
    • Reducing 14 accounts in the bill below the FY19 enacted level, including Contributions to International Organizations, Contributions to International Peacekeeping Activities, Economic Support Fund, Migration and Refugee Assistance, and Peacekeeping Operations.
    • Reducing 14 accounts in the bill to the FY19 enacted level, including the United States Agency for Global Media, Peace Corps, and International Development Association.
    • Terminating more than 18 unnecessary programs, including the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), UN Women, UN Montreal Protocol, UN Environment Fund, and World Economic Forum.
    • Prohibiting funding for Special Envoys, Special Representatives, Special Coordinators, and Special Advisors unless such positions are expressly authorized or have affirmatively received the advice and consent of the Senate. 
      • Eliminating 33 Special Envoys and Special Representatives at the Department of State, including the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, Special Envoy for Racial Equity and Justice, Special Envoy to Advance the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Persons, Special Envoy for International Labor Affairs, and Special Representative for Palestinian Affairs. 
    • Prohibiting the Treasury Department from carrying out the Biden Administration’s climate agenda at the World Bank and other multilateral development banks, which harms developing countries and opens the door to predatory financing from the PRC.
    • Prohibiting the Administration’s current practice of co-opting programming, such as that to empower women; advance democracy and freedom; or counter trafficking in persons, to advance its radical global climate change agenda. 
    • Prohibiting funds for the Green Climate Fund, Clean Technology Fund, and Loss and Damages Fund.
    • Prohibiting funds to the Wuhan Institute of Virology, the EcoHealth Alliance, any gain-of-function research, and labs in adversarial nations like China, Iran, Russia, North Korea, or Cuba.
  • Supports American values and principles by:
    • Maintaining all long-standing, pro-life protections.
    • Implementing the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance Policy, also known as the expanded Mexico City Policy, on all health funds in the bill.
    • Prohibiting funds for controversial organizations and programs, such as the United Nations Population Fund, World Health Organization, and Gender Equity and Equality Action Fund. 
    • Supporting religious freedom programs abroad and religious freedom protections for faith-based organizations delivering foreign aid.
    • Allowing only the American flag and other official flags to be flown over U.S embassies.
    • 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.
    • Refocusing attention on critical diplomatic functions, addressing the backlog of passport applications and ensuring the safety and security of our embassies.
    • Prohibiting funds to implement COVID-19 mask and vaccine mandates.

A summary of the bill is available here.

Bill text is available here.

 

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