International Focus Magazine Vol. 3, #3 | Page 47

Pictured : Liz Schrayer posed reductions in career personnel and the drawdown of America ’ s ability to conduct foreign policy . Learn more in the USGLC fact sheet .
DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE DOWN In their proposal , the Administration again tries to consolidate economic and development assistance into a new Economic Support and Development Fund ( ESDF ) managed by the State Department – pulling programs from USAID – and suggesting that this would streamline four separate accounts to increase efficiency and ensure development is focused on strategic priorities . In either case , this consolidated development fund is dramatically cut once again , this time by 43 %.
HUMANITARIAN PROGRAMS CUT On the humanitarian front , the Administration ’ s budget proposes to cut humanitarian assistance by 33 % compared to current levels . Even with this cut , the Administration states that “ the U . S . will remain the largest single donor of global humanitarian assistance ” while at the same time encouraging international partners to provide a greater share of this assistance . The Administration also proposes eliminating the Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance ( ERMA ) account while cutting the Migration and Refugee Assistance ( MRA ) account by 17 %.
GLOBAL HEALTH DROPS The budget proposes a 23 % cut to Global Health Programs compared to current levels and as PEPFAR marks its 15th anniversary , the request includes a 20 % proposed cut to these life-saving programs even after receiving a $ 400 million boost after the budget deal was announced . Moreover , most other global health programs are cut even more deeply than PEPFAR , and taken as a whole are cut by 30 %.
NEW WINNERS AND LOSERS While most of the proposed cuts mirror those in last year ’ s budget request , there are some important differences worth noting from the Administration ’ s request :
• 24 of the 37 countries saw funding restored that were slated to be zeroed out last year
• International family planning – which was eliminated last year – is funded at $ 302 million , the same level included in the Bush Administration ’ s final budget request
• The U . S . Institute of Peace ( USIP ) is funded at $ 20 million , after being eliminated in last year ’ s budget
• Educational and Cultural Exchange programs are cut by a staggering 75 % compared to 55 % last year
• The National Endowment for Democracy is slashed by 60 % compared to 39 % cut last year
• Contributions to the Global Fund , a critical tool in the fight against HIV / AIDS , is cut by 31 % compared to 17 % last year
WHAT ’ S NEXT ? While Congress is already raising alarms that this FY19 budget request doesn ’ t keep pace with today ’ s unprecedented global crises , Appropriators are working at this very moment to hammer out FY18 spending levels as a result of the budget deal . With a potential shortfall of $ 8.8 billion ( 15 %) for the International Affairs Budget – a decision that was made during the bipartisan budget deal – the USGLC is urging lawmakers to support no less than current level funding for FY18 .
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