State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (114th Congress)
[[{"fid":"69","view_mode":"full","fields":{"format":"full","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Rep. Nita Lowey","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"Rep. Nita Lowey"},"type":"media","field_deltas":{"1":{"format":"full","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Rep. Nita Lowey","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"Rep. Nita Lowey"}},"link_text":null,"attributes":{"alt":"Rep. Nita Lowey","title":"Rep. Nita Lowey","height":"100","width":"73","style":"float: left;","class":"media-element file-full","data-delta":"1"}}]]Nita Lowey (NY), Ranking Member
Barbara Lee (CA)
Dutch Ruppersberger (MD)
Grace Meng (NY)
David Price (NC)
Jurisdiction
Diplomacy and Development
Millennium Challenge Corporation
Peace Corps
Department of State
United States Agency for International Development
Export and Trade
Export-Import Bank
Overseas Private Investment Corporation
Trade and Development Agency
Department of the Treasury
International Affairs Technical Assistance
International Financial Institutions
Related Agencies and Programs
African Development Foundation
The Asia Foundation
Broadcasting Board of Governors
Center for Middle Eastern-Western Dialogue Trust Fund
East-West Center
Eisenhower Exchange Fellowship Program
Inter-American Foundation
Israeli Arab Scholarship Program
National Endowment for Democracy
United States Institute of Peace
Commissions
Border Environment Cooperation Commission
Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad
Commission on International Religious Freedom
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
Congressional-Executive Commission on the People's Republic of China
International Boundary Commission
International Boundary and Water Commission, United States and Mexico
International Fisheries Commissions
International Joint Commission
United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission
Assistant Secretary Brownfield, Deputy Assistant Secretary Palmieri, and Acting Assistant Administrator Hogan, I join Chairwoman Granger in welcoming you today.
The news is often dominated by the devastating war in Syria and the resulting refugee crisis engulfing the Middle East and much of Europe. At the same time, but with less attention, we face another deplorable humanitarian tragedy in our own hemisphere.
Horrific levels of violence, abject poverty, and weak government institutions plague the countries of Central America. Half of the populations live in poverty, and 30-40 percent is underemployed. Last year, El Salvador surpassed Honduras with the world’s highest homicide rate - a 70% increase over 2014 levels - and has the highest concentration of gang members per capita in the region.
Thank you, Chairman Rogers and Chairwoman Granger.
As I said last week, the Republican budget resolution has led to clear winners and losers in the subcommittee allocations. The State and Foreign Operations bill is $6.1 billion, or 11.3%, less than the President's request and uses OCO to partially make up for shortfalls imposed by the inadequate allocation.
Our security comes from more than military might. Development and diplomatic initiatives around the world are our best defense against political instability, economic disparity, and widespread poverty.
The State Department and USAID protect our national interests and are continually called upon to respond to spontaneous, unanticipated, or simultaneous crises, including Ebola in West Africa, the refugee crisis in Central America, the earthquake in Nepal, and the devastating conflicts in the Middle East and Africa, all in the last year.
The 2016 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations bill drastically shortchanges critical components of our national security – diplomacy and development – cutting more than 11% from the President's budget request. Additionally, it includes new and politically motivated ideological riders designed to feed Republicans' sham Benghazi investigation and undermine President Obama's normalization of relations with Cuba.
2015 base enacted: $40.01 billion
2015 OCO enacted: $9.26 billion
2016 base request: $46.90 billion
2016 OCO request: $7.05 billion
2016 Committee mark base: $40.50 billion
2016 Committee mark OCO: $7.33 billion
*Figures do not include FY2015 Ebola supplemental
The 2016 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations bill provides:
Thank you, Chairwoman Granger. It is a pleasure to work with you. Thank you, also, to our full committee chairman, Mr. Rogers.
I also want to express my appreciation to the Majority staff: Anne Marie Chotvacs, Craig Higgins, Alice Hogans, Susan Adams – a new mother-, Clelia Alvarado, David Bortnick, Miki Smith and Johnnie Kaberle; as well as my hardworking staff: Steve Marchese, Erin Kolodjeski and Marin Stein. We have a great team.
Secretary Lew, I join Chairwoman Granger in welcoming you here today.
As a former Director of the Office of Management and Budget, you are keenly aware of the factors that go into the preparation of an annual budget proposal. It really is a statement of values.
The administration's Fiscal Year 2016 proposal calls for investments in research, education, training, and infrastructure. Instead of relying on the outdated and unrealistic budget caps under sequestration, the President calls for them to be replaced with more targeted spending cuts, program integrity measures, and the closure of some outdated tax loopholes. The budget, rightly, calls for an end to the mindless austerity of sequestration.