International Affairs FY 2009 Budget

The President’s FY 2009 International Affairs Budget for the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and other foreign affairs agencies totals approximately $39.5 billion:

• Foreign Operations and Related Agencies–$ 26.1 billion
• Department of State–$ 11.2 billion
• Other International Affairs–$ 2.2 billion

The President’s budget proposal:

• Expands and strengthens U.S. capacity for global engagement by enhancing our ability to pursue diplomatic and development solutions to critical national security issues.
• Provides the resources necessary to firmly establish our ability to prevent and respond to conflict, creating a new Civilian Stabilization Initiative (CSI) which builds a civilian counterpart to the U.S. military that is ready and able to stabilize countries in the transition from war to peace.
• Promotes human capacity development with a focus on deadly diseases such as HIV/AIDS and malaria, maternal and child health, availability and access to clean water, and basic education.
• Advances our commitment to reducing poverty, promoting democracy, and fostering economic growth.
• Confronts security and counterterrorism challenges in key states and volatile regions. 
• Provides resources to engage, inform, and influence foreign publics and broaden the dialogue between American citizens and institutions and their counterparts abroad. 
• Promotes U.S. leadership in the community of nations that works to maintain global stability, uphold the rule of law, facilitate commerce, spur economic growth, maintain a healthy environment, address humanitarian needs, and halt the spread of weapons of mass destruction.
• Provides the resources for much-need training in languages and training in conjunction with the military and other national security agencies.

Highlights of the Budget

Foreign Operations and Related Agencies[1]:

• $938 million to strengthen USAID’s operational capacity.
• $2.3 billion to help Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and West Bank/Gaza achieve necessary economic, democratic, security and political stabilization and to advance their overall development. 
• $2.1 billion for State Department and USAID programs in Africa to address non-HIV/AIDS health, economic growth and democratic governance needs and to help promote stability in Sudan, Liberia, Zimbabwe and Somalia in support of the President's 2005 commitment to double aid to Africa by 2010.
• $4.8 billion for the Global HIV/AIDS Initiative, which directly supports the first year of the President’s new five-year, $30 billion plan to treat 2.5 million people, prevent 12 million new infections, and care for 12 million afflicted people.
• $550 million to support the Mérida Initiative to combat the threats of drug trafficking, transnational crime, and terrorism in Mexico and Central America.
• $1.7 billion to promote democracy around the world, including support for the President’s Freedom Agenda. The President has more than doubled funding for democracy, governance, and human rights programs since taking office.
• $385 million to support the President’s Malaria Initiative to reduce malaria-related deaths by 50 percent in 15 target African countries by 2010.
• $94 million for the President’s International Education Initiative to provide an additional 4 million students with access to quality basic education through 2012. The FY 2009 budget includes funding for basic education that will lead to well over a four-fold increase in funding since the President took office.
• $64 million for the State Department and USAID to support the President's Climate Change Initiative to promote the adoption of clean energy technology, help countries adapt to climate change, and encourage sustainable forest management. The President’s Budget also includes $400 million for a new international clean technology fund in 2009 as part of an overall three-year contribution of $2 billion. 
• $4.8 billion for foreign military financing to the Middle East, Latin America, Europe and Eurasia, including $2.6 billion for Israel.
• $2.4 billion to improve responsiveness to humanitarian crises, including food emergencies and disasters, and the needs of refugees. 
• $2.2 billion for the Millennium Challenge Corporation to improve agricultural productivity, modernize infrastructure, expand private land ownership, improve health systems, and improve access to credit for small business and farmers. 

State Operations and Related Programs:

• $3.806 billion for the global operating platform for the U.S. Government, including new positions.
• $249 million for the Civilian Stabilization Initiative.
• $1.8 billion for security-related construction and major physical security and rehabilitation requirements of U.S. embassies and consulates. 
• $2 billion to improve protection of U.S. borders through the Border Security Program. 
• $1.2 billion to increase security for diplomatic personnel and facilities in the face of terrorism. 
• $414 million from all funding sources to exploit information technology. 
• $395 million for public diplomacy to engage foreign audiences and win support for U.S. foreign policy goals. 
• $522 million for educational and cultural exchanges to build strategic relationships through the exchange of people and ideas. 
• $1.5 billion for U.S. obligations to 45 international organizations, including the United Nations. 
• $1.5 billion to pay the U.S. share of assessments for UN peacekeeping missions.
• Includes in a number of the individual accounts resources for a total of 1,524 new positions.