FY12 Budget Materials
Facts & Figures
Congressional Letters
- Senator Graham and Top Military, Business Leaders Discuss U.S. Global Leadership (November 21, 2011)
- Former Secretaries of State Call on Congress to Support International Affairs Budget (November 14, 2011)
- OMB Director Jack Lew’s letter to House and Senate Appropriations Leaders (October 19, 2011)
- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s letter on State Department and USAID Funding (October 4, 2011)
- USGLC Letter to the Super Committee (October 3, 2011)
- US Chamber of Commerce letter to Senate Appropriations Committee (September 21, 2011)
- Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta letter to Congress (September 21, 2011)
- U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Johnny Isakson (R-GA) Letter to Appropriations Subcommittee (August 24, 2011)
- US Conference of Catholic Bishops and Catholic Relief Services Letter to Senate Appropriations Committee (August 24, 2011)
- Over 50 Top Business Leaders Tell Congress Global Engagement Key to Job Creation, Economic Growth (June 29, 2011)
- U.S. Chamber of Commerce Letter to the House Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (July 25, 2011)
- USGLC’s Letter to Congress on House Budget Resolution (April 13, 2011)
- USGLC Military Leaders Letter to Congress (March 31, 2011)
- U.S. Chamber of Commerce Letter to Congress supporting a strong and effective International Affairs Budget (March 29, 2011)
- American Israel Public Affairs Committee Letter to Congress (March 2011)
USGLC Statements
- America’s Economic Leadership, National Security Supported in Senate (September 22, 2011)
- Senate Action Promotes America’s National Security, Economic Prosperity (September 9, 2011)
- Military Leaders Letter to Super Committee and Appropriations Leaders (September 7, 2011)
- Over 50 Top Business Leaders Tell Congress Global Engagement Key to Job Creation, Economic Growth (June 29, 2011)
- Latest House Spending Action Raises Concerns for International Affairs Budget (May 17, 2011)
- Budget Agreement Impacts International Affairs Budget (April 12, 2011)
- USGLC Press Release on House Budget Resolution (April 5, 2011)
- USGLC Chairman of the Board Dan Glickman and Senior Director Mark Green’s testimony before the House Appropriations State-Foreign Operations Subcommittee (April 14, 2011)
FY 2012 Timeline
- February 14, 2011 — President Obama releases his FY12 budget request, including $53.1 billion for the “core” International Affairs Budget and $8.7 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO). The President’s request continues the bipartisan legacy of classifying the International Affairs Budget as part of national security spending. USGLC released a press release applauding the budget request as well as its signature comprehensive analysis.
- April 6, 2011 — House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) releases his FY12 budget resolution, which cut the core International Affairs Budget request to $32.3 billion while fully funding the $8.7 billion OCO account (for a total of $41.0 billion), resulting in an overall 27% reduction from 2010 levels. In addition, Chairman Ryan broke with bipartisan tradition by not classifying the International Affairs Budget as part of national security spending. USGLC expressed “great concern” at the scale of the cut.
- April 13, 2011 — The House Budget Committee passes the budget resolution by a 22-16 vote.
- April 13, 2011 — President Obama makes a major policy speech on budgets and spending, proposing to reduce future deficits in part by limiting discretionary spending.
- April 15, 2011 — The full House of Representatives passes the House budget resolution by a 235-193 vote, while four alternative budget proposals were defeated.
- May 11, 2011 — House Appropriations Committee announces its 302(b) allocations, which provide $47.2 billion for the State-Foreign Operations account, including $7.6 billion in Overseas Contingency Operations funding. This is a 19% cut from the President’s FY12 request and $11.2 billion (-22%) below FY10 levels for core, non-war related programs.
- May 24, 2011 – The House Appropriations Committee adopted 302(b) allocations for FY12, including $47.2 billion for the State-Foreign Operations account, which funds most of the International Affairs Budget. The House appropriation allocation will result in deep cuts for non-war related programs, representing nearly a 20% reduction from FY 2010 levels and 22% from the President’s request.
- May 25, 2011 – Senate rejects a number of FY12 budget proposals, including the House-passed FY12 budget resolution.
- July 20, 2011 – House Foreign Affairs Committee passes H.R. 2583, FY12 Foreign Relations Authorization Act, by a 23-20 vote.
- July 27, 2011 – House Appropriations Subcommittee for State-Foreign Operations marks up its FY12 spending bill, providing $47.2 billion for the International Affairs Budget.
- July 27, 2011 – Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) releases the FY12-13 State Department Authorization Act.
- August 2, 2011 – President Obama signs into the law the debt ceiling budget agreement (respectively passed by both the House and Senate), which has implications for the International Affairs Budget.
- September 13, 2011 – The Senate Appropriations Committee adopts its 302(b) allocations for FY12, including $53.34 billion for the State-Foreign Operations account. At $5 billion higher than the House allocation, the $44.64 billion for non-war related programs is effectively flat compared to current spending but 9.4% below FY10 levels.
- September 21, 2011 – The Senate Appropriations Committee marks up its State-Foreign Operations Appropriations bill, providing $53.34 billion for the International Affairs Budget. The bill was voted out of committee by a 28-2 vote.
- September 13, 2011 – The Senate Appropriations Committee adopts its 302(b) allocations for FY12, including $53.34 billion for the State-Foreign Operations account. At $5 billion higher than the House allocation, the $44.64 billion for non-war related programs is effectively flat compared to current spending but 9.4% below FY10 levels.
- November 17, 2011 – Congress passes “minibus” appropriations package of three appropriations bills, including the FY12 Agriculture Appropriations bill. The bill provides $1.65 billion for international food aid programs, a slight decrease from FY11 levels but a significant improvement over the 28% cut in the House bill. A Continuing Resolution (CR) extending through December 16 is attached to the minibus.
- December 17, 2011 – Congress clears for the President the “megabus” FY12 appropriations package that included the State-Foreign Operations appropriations bill and the eight other remaining spending measures, finalizing action on FY12 appropriations. Congress approved $54.9 billion for the FY12 International Affairs Budget, $43.7 billion in base “core” spending and $11.2 billion for the Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) account.
Votes, Amendments & Legislation
- House FY11 Appropriations Bill (H.R. 1) – House passed 235-189, February 19, 2011
- FY12 Budget Resolution (H. Con. Res. 34) – House passed 235-193, April 15, 2011
- FY12 House Budget Resolution (H. Con. Res 34) – Senate rejected 40-57, May 25, 2011
- FY12 Agriculture Appropriations Bill (H.R. 2112) – House passed 217-203, June 16, 2011
- FY12 State Department-Foreign Relations Authorization Act (H.R. 2583) – House Foreign Affairs Committee approval 23-20, July 21, 2011
- FY12 House State-Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill – Subcommittee approval by voice vote, July 27, 2011
- Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) Amendment to Offset Disaster Assistance with Cuts to Foreign Assistance – Senate rejected 20-78, September 15, 2011
- FY12 Senate State-Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill – Committee approval 28-2, September 21, 2011
Hearings & Statements