As the budget and appropriations process begins to move into high gear on Capitol Hill, more than 110 Members of the House – spanning the ideological spectrum of the Democratic Caucus – have signed various letters calling on Speaker Pelosi and Budget Committee Chairman Spratt (D-SC) to support the President’s $58.5 billion International Affairs Budget request for FY 2011.

Letters from members of the Progressive Caucus and Blue Dog and New Democrat Coalitions, the Congressional Black Caucus, and senior Members of the Budget and House Foreign Affairs Committees have urged House leaders to support the President’s FY11 International Affairs Budget request.

On the Senate side, a bipartisan letter in support of the President’s International Affairs Budget request will be sent to Budget leadership later today. The letter, led by Sens. Kerry (D-MA), Lugar (R-IN), Feinstein (D-CA), Voinovich (R-OH), Durbin (D-IL), Bond (R-MO), Menendez (D-NJ) and Collins (R-ME), currently has 28 Senate signatures. Thanks to all of you who responded on short notice to our action alert!

2. MCC CEO Yohannes Testifies Before House Appropriators

Appearing Wednesday before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) CEO Daniel Yohannes testified in support of the President’s request for $1.28 billion for the MCC, a 16% increase above FY10 funding. Since its inception in 2004, the MCC has launched 20 compacts and 21 threshold agreements, committing nearly $7.5 billion to reduce poverty.

Please check out our blog post for more information on the hearing.

3. House Appropriators Examine State Department’s Security Assistance Funding

In its second FY11 budget hearing on Wednesday, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations focused on the Administration’s request for security assistance.  Testifying before the Subcommittee from the State Department were David Johnson, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of International and Law Enforcement Affairs (testimony); Andrew J. Shapiro, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs (testimony); and Daniel Benjamin, Coordinator for Counterterrorism (testimony).

Please check out our blog post for more information on the hearing.