Non-Profit, Faith-Based, and Advocacy Organizations Concerned with Republicans’ State, Foreign Operations Funding Bill
Bill Abandons American Leadership, Threatens National Security, and Guts Public Health
WASHINGTON — House Republicans’ 2025 State, Foreign Operations funding bill is a reversal of the United States’ historic position on the world stage and threatens our national security. Numerous non-profit, faith-based, and advocacy organizations have expressed grave concerns with the House Republicans’ plan to slash State, Foreign Operations funding by 12 percent, the lowest level in over a decade.
A selection of those concerns is included below and linked here.
The House is expected to consider the bill this week.
Sixty-two organizations, led by Global Health Council, stated the following (excerpt):
Non-profit, Faith-Based, and Advocacy Organizations Led by Global Health Council
“The 10-11% cuts proposed by the House Appropriations Committee to the overarching State and Foreign Operations and Related Programs (SFOPS) budget from its FY24 enacted level falls woefully short of the funding necessary to address global converging crises and would signal a cessation of U.S. leadership and influence on the world stage."
The Natural Resources Defense Council stated the following (excerpts):
Federal Affairs Director of the Natural Resources Defense Council Kyle T. Jones
“Unfortunately, this anemic attempt at an FY25 SFOPs measure fails utterly on [the prosperity and security] front—particularly when it comes to confronting the dangers posed by a rapidly warming planet.
“First, its short-sighted 12 percent reduction in topline funding from FY24 ensures that few of the bill’s important initiatives (in any area of foreign policy) will receive sufficient investment.
“Second, its plethora of riders barring funding for important environmental programs read like a climate disaster manifesto…”
“Third, and finally, the bill calls for an improvident study on the impact of funds appropriated over the past five fiscal years on global temperatures… A reductive glimpse at a five-year term on a single balance sheet will offer precisely nothing of value when it comes to the tackling of one of the great crises of our day.
“In short, the House SFOPs bill—in its present form—represents a wholesale abdication of American leadership in many regards, but especially when it comes to our stewardship of the environment. It should be set aside in favor of a more serious, realistic, and bipartisan effort at actionable legislation.”
The Better World Campaign released the following statement (excerpts):
President of the Better World Campaign Peter Yeo
“Reacting to the legislation, BWC President Peter Yeo remarked, ‘By failing to pay our UN dues, this legislation undermines American influence at the UN and globally. This comes at a time when Republicans and Democrats agree that geopolitical competition with China and Russia is one of the defining issues of our day.’
Yeo added, ‘Why would we choose to decimate our international influence?’
“‘Proponents of this bill are reducing the U.S. footprint across the international system during a period of increasing instability, when U.S. values need to be represented more fully. These actions make us weaker, not stronger,’ Yeo said.”
Global Health Council released the following statement (excerpts):
Global Health Council
“The Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 State, Foreign Relations and Related Programs (SFOPS) funding bill approved by the House Appropriations Committee this week falls woefully short of the resources needed to address current global crises. In addition, the bill’s prohibition of funding to the World Health Organization, the United Nations Population Fund, and other UN agencies signals a retreat of U.S. leadership and influence on the world stage.
“At a time when the world is facing concurrent destabilizing events, and with the continued threat of emerging infectious diseases, now is not the time to diminish funding for global health programs. As the work to complete FY25 appropriations continues, Congressional policymakers must prevent the disastrous proposed cuts and policies included in the House bill. Any funding for FY25 must be additive to the enacted FY24 levels. We cannot afford to decrease global health funding any further without putting the health and well-being of people all over the world in jeopardy.”
The ONE Campaign released the following statement:
President and CEO of The ONE Campaign Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli
“With a more than 11% cut from the 2024 enacted bill, the House’s FY25 SFOPS appropriations bill doesn’t include the resources needed to meet the moment of global crisis facing the world. We appreciate the Committee’s dedication to protecting important funds for global health priorities like PEPFAR, but we are deeply concerned by significant cuts to other critical areas of US development assistance, particularly programs that strengthen economies and improve resilient communities. These dramatic cuts would not only fail to help countries seeking to recover from emergencies but could also risk pushing them towards other donors that do not share our values or priorities.
“We need to look forward, not inward, to best confront our global challenges. We urge Congress to correct course.”
Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network (MFAN) released the following statement (excerpts):
Co-Chairs of MFAN Lester Munson, Larry Nowels, and Rita Sharma
“While MFAN does not advocate for specific funding levels or sectoral approaches within the State-Foreign Operations bill, these deep cuts are highly concerning. U.S. foreign assistance plays a vital role in advancing a host of America’s policy objectives at home and abroad, as part of our wider set of our country’s foreign policy and national security toolkit. It helps grow our economy by creating new trading partners, keep our country safe by confronting global threats before they reach our shores, and achieve the long-term prosperity of the U.S. and our key allies and partners. The prosperity and security of the U.S. and our key allies and partners requires smart, strategic, and innovative investments in economic and humanitarian aid programs, but budget cuts of this magnitude will severely set back those investments.”
“The steep budget cuts to USAID OE will result in reductions in staffing at USAID not seen in many years – at a time when the global demands on the agency are acute and growing – and hamper efforts to bolster the efficiency and effectiveness of development and humanitarian relief programs.”
More information on the 2025 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs funding bill is here.
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