President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20500

 

Dear President Bush,

 

We are writing to express strong, bipartisan support for a robust increase in the FY05 International Affairs Budget as a means to enhance U.S. security, promote democracy, human rights and the rule of law, expand U.S. exports, and express the compassion of the American people for those that suffer from hunger, disease and extreme poverty.

 

Since September 11, 2001, we have worked together to fight global terrorism and protect U.S. national security. The International Affairs Budget is an integral part of that effort, supporting programs that contribute to the formation and strengthening of international coalitions, combat the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and help build international markets for U.S. goods and services through sensible export promotion and good governance programs.  This budget also helps us respond to global challenges such as the scourge of HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases, maternal and child health, hunger, illiteracy, and environmental degradation.

 

Chronicling the underfunding of our Foreign Operations budget over the past two decades, Richard Sokolsky and Joseph McMillan of the National Defense University, have written “The events of September 11 made it painfully clear that the political, social and economic problems of other countries have a direct impact on American national security… A robust and focused foreign assistance program is one of the weapons we must have to prevail.”

 

The State Department operations component of the International Affairs Budget is just as vital to our interests.  Secure embassies, capable telecommunications, and robust international exchange programs spread America’s message of freedom and democracy around the globe.  In a just-released report commissioned by Congress, and chaired by Ambassador Edward Djerejian, the costs of historic underfunding of State Department operations were clear: “The importance of public diplomacy in meeting the strategic challenge that America faces in the Arab and Muslim world requires a dramatic increase in funding. The current level is absurdly and dangerously inadequate, and no amount of reprogramming of existing resources can correct this.”

 

We are more convinced than ever that America must remain engaged in the world and utilize all of the tools and resources that strengthen U.S. national interests -- including the International Affairs Budget.   As you prepare the FY05 Federal Budget, we urge you to support substantially increased funding for international affairs programs.  As eight former U.S. National Security Advisors wrote to Dr. Condoleezza Rice last December, “The increase in our international affairs budget will serve as a vital complement to military and intelligence upgrades in this country’s long term battle against global terror.”

 

Sincerely,

 

Doug Bereuter (R-NE)
Howard L. Berman (D-CA)
Neil Abercrombie (D-HI)
Gary Ackerman (D-NY)
Thomas Allen (D-ME)
Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
Charles Bass (R-NH)
Shelley Berkley (D-NV)
Judy Biggert (R-IL)
Earl Blumenauer (D-OR)
Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY)
Mary Bono (R-CA)
Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
Dave Camp (R-MI)
Lois Capps (D-CA)
Benjamin Cardin (D-MD)
Eva Clayton (D-NC)
John Cooksey (R-LA)
Joseph Crowley (D-NY)
Jim Davis (D-FL)
William Delahunt (D-MA)
Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)
Norm Dicks (D-WA)
Cal Dooley (D-CA)
David Dreier (R-CA)
Eliot Engel (D-NY)
Philip English (R-PA)
Sam Farr (D-CA)
Bob Filner (D-CA)
Barney Frank (D-MA)
Martin Frost (D-TX)
Paul Gillmor (R-OH)
Benjamin Gilman (R-NY)
Porter Goss (R-FL)
Mark Green (R-WI)
James Greenwood (R-PA)
Alcee Hastings (D-FL)
Maurice Hinchey (D-NY)
Joseph Hoeffel (D-PA)
Mike Honda (D-CA)
Darlene Hooley (D-OR)
Steve Horn (R-CA)
Amory Houghton (R-NY)
Steny Hoyer (D-MD)
Henry Hyde (R-IL)
Johnny Isakson (R-GA)
Steve Israel (D-NY)
Jesse Jackson (D-IL)
Nancy Johnson (R-CT)
Marcy Kaptur (D-OH)
Patrick Kennedy (D-RI)
Carolyn Kilpatrick (D-MI)
Ron Kind (D-WI)
Mark Kirk (R-IL)
Joseph Knollenberg (R-MI)
Tom Lantos (D-CA)
Richard Larsen (D-WA)
Steve LaTourette (R-OH)
Jim Leach (R-IA)
Barbara Lee (D-CA)
Jerry Lewis (R-CA)
Zoe Lofgren (D-CA)
Nita Lowey (D-NY)
Carolyn Maloney (D-NY)
Ed Markey (D-MA)
Bob Matsui (D-CA)
Jim McDermott (D-WA)
James McGovern (D-MA)
Gregory Meeks (D-NY)
Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
Juanita Millender-McDonald(D-CA)
George Miller (D-CA)
James Moran (D-VA)
Connie Morella (R-MD)
Grace Napolitano (D-CA)
James Oberstar (D-MN)
John Olver (D-MA)
Tom Osborne (R-NE)
Doug Ose (R-CA)
Michael Oxley (R-OH)
Frank Pallone (D-NJ)
Donald Payne (D-NJ)
Earl Pomeroy (D-ND)
David Price (D-NC)
George Radanovich (R-CA)
Steven Rothman (D-NJ)
Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)
Adam Schiff (D-CA)
Christopher Shays (R-CT)
Brad Sherman (D-CA)
Robert Simmons (R-CT)
Christopher Smith (R-NJ)
Adam Smith (D-WA)
Vic Snyder (D-AR)
Ellen Tauscher (D-CA)
John Tierney (D-MA)
Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-OH)
Mark Udall (D-CO)
Diane Watson (D-CA)
Melvin Watt (D-NC)
Henry Waxman (D-CA)
Robert Wexler (D-FL)
Lynn Woolsey (D-CA)