On July 27, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs approved, by voice vote, its FY2012 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs spending bill (as-yet-unnumbered).
According to the subcommittee summary, the legislation would provide $39.6 billion in discretionary spending in FY2012. This amount is $8.6 billion below FY2011 and $7.4 billion below President Obama’s FY2012 request.
The State Department would receive $11.9 billion in FY2012, a decrease of $3.9 billion below FY2011 and $3.1 billion below the president’s request. This total includes funding for diplomatic and consular programs, contributions to international organizations, such as the United Nations, and funding for the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) would receive $1.04 billion. This amount is $488 million below FY2011 and $705 million below the president’s request.
The measure would provide $8 billion for international security assistance, which funds international peacekeeping operations, among other programs. This amount is $61 million below FY2011 and $167 million below the administration’s request.
Bilateral assistance, which funds global health and child survival, migration and refugee assistance, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation among other programs, would receive $17.7 billion, which is $3.5 billion below FY2011 and $4.8 billion below the president’s request.
The bill would prohibit funding for nongovernmental organizations that promote or perform abortions (also known as the Mexico City policy). The legislation also would prohibit funding for the U.N. Population Fund (UNFPA), cap funding for reproductive health activities at FY2008 funding levels, and maintain the following policies:
Additional details about programs important to women and their families will be made available once the committee issues its report.
