Originally published on the CGS blog on February 23, 2011.
With time running out before a temporary federal funding measure expires on March 4th, the House of Representatives last week passed H.R. 1, which would provide funding for federal agencies for the rest of the fiscal year, through September 2011-but it cuts deep into the international affairs and peacekeeping budget.
Don Kraus, CEO of GlobalSolutions.org, laid out the consequences of the House budget to IPS News: “The House FY 2011 funding bill would have a devastating impact on U.S. foreign affairs funding, and if adopted could be a serious setback to U.S support for the Millennial Development Goals (MGDs). The legislation would cut funding for critical poverty fighting food aid programs by up to 50 percent, decimate support for refugees in Africa, Burma, Iraq and other places, and shrink funding for fighting AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis. This legislation represents a serious retreat for U.S. poverty reduction efforts.”
The House version of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 budget would provide $44.9 billion in funding for the State Department and related international affairs agencies. This is a cut of $11.7 billion-or 21 percent-from the President’s budget request, and an 8 percent cut from FY 2010 levels. Funding for the United Nations would take a hit; the House bill provides $1.516 billion for the Contributions to International Organizations (CIO) account, which pays U.S. dues to the U.N. and other international organizations, and $1.898 billion for the Contributions to International Peacekeeping (CIPA) account which funds peacekeeping missions. Peacekeeping funding is cut by a total of $283 million in the bill.
On the amendment front, there is good news and bad news. Out of hundreds of amendments the House voted on while considering the bill, several pertained to international affairs and specifically, funding for the U.N. The good news is that several harmful amendments were defeated: Rep. Heller’s (R-NV) amendment to cut $211 million from multilateral accounts failed by a vote of 190-241, with a significant number of Republicans as well as Democrats opposing it. Also, Rep. Broun’s (R-GA) amendment to bar funding for U.N. dues went down to defeat, 177-243. However, several other harmful amendments did pass as part of the bill. Rep. Stearns (R-FL) offered an amendment to bar funding for U.N. renovation, which passed by 231 to 191. Rep. Weiner’s (D-NY) amendment to cut funding for the United States Institute of Peace was approved by a vote of 268-163. Finally, Rep. Luetkemeyer’s (R-MO) amendment to prohibit funding for the U.N.’s International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was approved 244-179.
The Senate now must consider its own version of FY 2011 budget legislation when it returns from recess next week. If the House and Senate cannot come to an agreement on their separate versions of the budget by March 4th, the possibility for a government shutdown, a la 1995, is very real.
CGS has been active in encouraging Representatives to vote against H.R. 1, due to its poor international affairs funding, and against harmful amendments including the Heller and Broun’s. We will continue our advocacy with the Senate, and will keep you informed of the budget process as it unfolds.
