Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr. <[email protected]> 5:12 AM (7 hours ago) to me Dear Mr. Almeida:

Dear Mr. Almeida:

Thank you for taking the time to contact me about the Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 international affairs budget request. I appreciate hearing from you about this issue.

The international affairs budget is a modest but critical investment in development and diplomacy, two of the three pillars of U.S. national security. On February 12, 2018, President Trump released his international affairs budget request for FY 2019 of $39.3 billion. This amount includes base funding for long-term programs that form the core of U.S. development and diplomacy programs overseas. This budget request also includes $12 billion in Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding, which supports funding for emergencies and temporary programs such as programs to combat the terrorist group ISIS or respond to humanitarian disasters.

The President’s proposal represents a 30 percent cut in the international affairs budget as compared with FY 2017. National security leaders like Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis have called for full support of the State Department and the international affairs budget. In 2013, then-General Mattis said before Congress, “If you don’t fund the State Department fully, then I need to buy more ammunition ultimately.” The international affairs budget represents less than 1 percent of the total federal budget and is critical to our national security and economic interests. Relatively modest investments in programs that increase food security and life expectancy, provide disaster relief, assist refugees displaced by conflict and improve governance in closed societies can have a significant, positive impact on American economic opportunities and diplomatic relationships.

This budget also supports U.S. embassies overseas, which provide consular and emergency services for Americans traveling overseas and work with local governments to promote U.S. policies and interests. The international affairs budget also promotes cooperation with close U.S. allies, like Israel, which face significant security threats and other challenges.

This is why I was the lead sponsor of S. 1252, the Global Food Security Act, enacted into law on July 20, 2016, which authorized more than $3 billion in investments in agricultural sector development and emergency food assistance for developing countries. While this bill was a direct investment in agriculture and food assistance, it bolstered U.S. national security. This is because the U.S. intelligence community links global food insecurity to instability in countries critical to U.S. national security.

The programs conducted under the international affairs budget have a direct impact on businesses and job growth in Pennsylvania by helping to build markets for U.S. products abroad. According to the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, Pennsylvania exported $39.4 billion in goods to foreign markets in 2015. In 2015, more than 45,000 international students enrolled in Pennsylvania colleges and universities, contributing $1.6 billion to Pennsylvania’s economy and gaining a valuable understanding of American culture. The international affairs budget furthers Pennsylvanian and American economic interests by encouraging this type of international engagement.

Our Nation currently faces significant economic challenges and the international affairs budget will not be immune from scrutiny. I support fully funding the international affairs budget; however, it is critical that U.S. foreign aid dollars be used efficiently. As we consider future international affairs funding, I will work to ensure that our investments abroad are spent wisely and promote core U.S. national security interests.

Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. Please be assured that I will monitor these developments, and that I will have your concerns in mind as the Senate considers the FY 2019 budget request. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future about this or any other matter of importance to you.

For more information on this or other issues, I encourage you to visit my website, https://casey.senate.gov. I hope you will find this online office a comprehensive resource to stay up-to-date on my work in Washington, request assistance from my office or share with me your thoughts on the issues that matter most to you and to Pennsylvania.

Sincerely,

Bob Casey

United States Senator