On March 26th, by a party-line vote of 13 to 10, the Senate Budget Committee completed action on its version of the FY10 Budget Resolution. The Committee approved Chairman Conrad’s mark of only $49.8 billion for the International Affairs Budget, a $4 billion or 7.4 percent cut from the Administration’s $53.8 billion request. Completion of the Senate Budget Resolution comes one day after the House Budget Committee approved only $48.5 billion, a $5.3 billion cut to the Administration’s request. The USGLC issued a statement expressing our profound disappointment in the proposed cuts to the President’s International Affairs Budget request.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) and Ranking Member Richard Lugar (R-IN) will circulate a “Dear Colleague” urging Senators to co-sponsor their proposed amendment to restore funding to the International Affairs Budget at the Administration’s $53.8 billion request level. It is critically important for USGLC members to contact their Senators to urge their support for the Kerry-Lugar amendment and any other additive amendments and oppose any cutting amendments. Both the House and Senate are expected to complete consideration of their respective versions of the FY10 Budget Resolution during the week of March 30th.