FY10 International Affairs Budget Passes Just Before FY11 Process Begins

By Jordan Smith at 7 January, 2010, 5:08 pm

Before leaving for their holiday break, Congress approved and the President signed a $447 billion omnibus appropriations measure that completes the FY 2010 International Affairs Budget, providing a total of $50.9 billion. The largest portion of the International Affairs Budget — the State, Foreign Operations appropriations bill — totals $48.6 billion. Passage of the omnibus appropriations bill comes as the Administration finalizes its FY 2011 Budget request, which will be submitted to Congress on February 1, in what is widely expected to be a very difficult budget environment. We will be anxiously watching the release of the budget request to see if the President remains committed to further elevating development and diplomacy.

There are two ways to compare the FY 09 and FY 10 International Affairs funding levels, creating some confusion. The FY10 figures represent a 4.1% cut from total funding for FY09. However, Congress added approximately $1.9 billion in “forward funding” to the FY09 Emergency Supplemental appropriations bill last year that was actually requested for FY10. Adjusting the final FY10 totals for this “forward funding” and deducting it from the FY09 base results in the FY10 International Affairs Budget equaling a 3.3% increase from last year.

Although President Obama planned to include all International Affairs Budget funding in the regular appropriations process and avoid the past practice of filling gaps in international affairs spending through emergency supplementals, the $50.9 billion level may not be the final total for FY10. With the decision to increase U.S. military forces in Afghanistan, the Administration is expected to soon submit a supplemental proposal that may reach nearly $40 billion, including roughly $5 billion for economic assistance and other civilian operational needs in Afghanistan. The timing of this request still remains uncertain.

USGLC Analysis of the FY10 International Affairs Budget

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