The House Appropriations Committee approved the fiscal year 2017 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations bill led by U.S. Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX) on Tuesday.
The bill outlines $52 billion in funding for both discretionary and Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding, which would be $595 million below the current fiscal year’s funding level and $691 million below the president’s budget request.
“In an increasingly dangerous and rapidly changing world, this national security bill prioritizes programs to ensure the security of the United States and our allies,” Granger said. “ISIL and other terrorist organizations are a constant threat to Americans and our way of life. At the same time, we see Iran providing support to terrorists, China attempting to expand its territory, Russia continuing to take an aggressive posture toward its neighbors, and North Korea behaving in a dangerously unpredictable way. That is why we must use all the tools we have available to assert American leadership — through a strong national defense, as well as by supporting effective diplomatic and development programs.”
The bill would reject deep cuts for life-saving humanitarian relief overseas, Granger said, and it would provide strong support for bipartisan health policies.
“This bill prioritizes funding for embassy security, democracy assistance, our strategic partners such as Israel, Jordan, and Ukraine, and life-saving health and humanitarian programs,” Granger said. “Further, the bill spends less than last year by terminating or scaling back lower-priority programs and redirects those funds to higher priorities that promote our national security.”
The bill also outlines $200 million for global health security to address threats like Ebola and Zika virus, which are spreading in other countries and could reach the United States.
“In order to address all of these priorities within our allocation, the bill reduces funds for the United Nations, international organizations and financial institutions,” Granger said. “The bill strengthens oversight, transparency and accountability to ensure that taxpayer dollars are protected. We fully fund the agencies’ inspectors general, and we address deficiencies in agency processes and financial accounting systems.”
Granger added that the bill would improve foreign military financing and sales programs because overseas partners cannot be asked to assume an increased role in the fight against ISIS without having requests for U.S. equipment honored.
“This does significant harm to our relationships around the world; drives our partners to purchase weapons from other countries; and risks U.S. jobs,” Granger said. “This bill takes the first step to change the way we provide aid to our partners.”