Originally published on the CGS blog on February 15, 2011.
President Obama released his budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2012 yesterday, launching the annual budgetary process in which the White House and Congress struggle to come to terms on spending legislation acceptable to both branches of government. The outlook for international affairs funding in the President’s budget is not overly encouraging, particularly regarding funding for the United Nations and peacekeeping missions–but all things considered, it could be worse.
The President’s budget proposal provides $47 billion in discretionary spending for the Departments of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). This represents a 1 percent increase from Fiscal Year 2010 (the last time the government successfully enacted a budget, as the FY 2011 budget has not yet been completed). Unfortunately, funding for international organizations and peacekeeping would be reduced under the President’s budget proposal, to $3.539 billion from the $3.8 billion total allocated in FY 2010. $75 million is proposed for the Complex Crises Fund (CCF). The President’s budget also recommends creating a new Global Security Contingency Fund, a “funding mechanism to facilitate greater joint Department of Defense-State planning, funding, and execution of security sector and stabilization assistance programs worldwide.”
CGS is concerned that any cuts to the Contributions to International Organizations (CIO) account–which funds America’s dues to the United Nations and other multilateral organizations–and the Contributions to International Peacekeeping Activities (CIPA) account-which funds UN peacekeeping missions-will have a harmful effect on our relationships with the international community and will hurt peacekeeping efforts around the globe. However, we are pleased to see an increase, however slight, in overall international affairs funding levels from FY10.
The President’s budget is a document released every year in February by the Administration to kick off the annual appropriations process. It lays out the President’s vision for the federal budget he would like to see enacted in the upcoming fiscal year. However, the House of Representatives and the Senate must ultimately craft their own versions of appropriations bills for all the federal agencies, which are then reconciled and sent to the President for his signature.
Meanwhile, House Republicans have introduced their own budget plan to fund the government for the remainder of FY 2011, which ends in September. This plan would cut funding for the CIO account by $166 million from FY10 levels, and CIPA by $226 million. It would also terminate the Complex Crises Fund.
CGS urges both the White House and Congress to balance the need for fiscal restraint and cost-cutting with the importance of providing adequate funding for the International Affairs budget which affects our relationships with the world outside our borders. With so many complex problems today requiring multilateral solutions, it is imperative that the United States not lose sight of the need to remain a good global citizen. In the words of UN Ambassador Susan Rice, “Like it or not, we live in a new era of challenges that cross borders as freely as a storm-challenges that even the world’s most powerful country often cannot tackle alone. In the 21st century, indifference is not an option. It’s not just immoral. It’s dangerous.” We agree.
