Both houses of Congress are in session this week as negotiations over a long-term spending agreement intensify. Vice President Biden’s bipartisan budget working group meets three times this week, with an additional meeting possibly on Friday. Negotiators would like to reach a deal by the end of next week in order to have enough time [...]

This past Tuesday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton concluded a five-day tour across Africa that took her through Zambia, Tanzania and Ethiopia. Clinton’s remarks largely centered on trade policy, public health, and food security, yet the importance of a secure Africa for U.S. foreign and economic policy also underscored her remarks. As the first U.S. [...]

On Wednesday, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) strongly emphasized the importance of continuing to invest in the smart power tools of development and diplomacy in a speech at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.  Sen. Graham, the Ranking Member of the Senate State-Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee and a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, made [...]

On Wednesday, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) strongly emphasized the importance of continuing to invest in the smart power tools of development and diplomacy in a speech at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.  Sen. Graham recently returned from eight days in Afghanistan and specifically addressed the situation there, as well as broader developments in the [...]

Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) not only foster economic growth abroad, but also strengthen the American economy at home. That was the message delivered earlier this week when U.S. Department of Treasury Under Secretary for International Affairs Lael Brainard testified before the House Financial Services Committee’s Subcommittee on International Monetary Policy and Trade. In her testimony [...]

Yesterday, the House debated amendments for the Fiscal Year 2012 Agriculture spending bill, and voted down what could have been devastating cuts for international food aid. A bipartisan majority rejected additional cuts to the Food for Peace program, which the underlying bill would already reduce by 30 percent to $1.04 billion. Four separate GOP amendments [...]

Yesterday Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) delivered his maiden speech on the Senate floor, mentioning the need for American engagement in the world:  “I know that now some say that times are so tough here at home that we can no longer afford to worry about what happens abroad – that maybe America needs to mind [...]

This past Monday, a group of international private and public donors pledged $4.3 billion for child immunizations in the world’s neediest countries. The group of prime ministers, high-level officials, philanthropists, UN Agency heads, and business leaders convened in London for the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization’s (GAVI) first pledging conference. The fundraising efforts were [...]

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wrapped up a five-day, three country visit to Africa earlier than expected, due to a volcanic eruption in Eritrea. During her tour, Secretary Clinton focused on trade and American investments in Africa, and became the first secretary of state to address a session of the African Union. While abroad, she [...]