$54.4 Billion in FY2019 Funding for the State Department (S. 3108)

What is S. 3108?

(Updated January 16, 2019)

This bill would provide $54.4 billion in fiscal year 2019 funding for the State Department, an amount equal to the prior year, to carry out diplomacy, promote democracy, provide assistance to allies, and global health programs to help the world’s most vulnerable populations. A breakdown of its various provisions can be found below.

State Department Operations: This section of the bill would provide funding for State Department operations and those of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), along with other agencies and activities, including:

• $11.8 billion for the Administration of Foreign Affairs to maintain State Department staffing levels at FY2016 levels.

• $1.46 billion for USAID operating expenses, including maintaining staffing and operational levels consistent with prior fiscal years.

• Assistance for the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and Gaza would be restricted, while $50 million would be included to foster partnerships between Palestinian and international businesses.

Multilateral assistance would total $1.83 billion to meet U.S. commitments to international financial institutions and assessed contributions for U.N.  organizations and peacekeeping activities. No funding would be provided to the U.N. Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, the U.N. Population Fund, or for the Green Climate Fund. It’d also promote U.N. peacekeeping reforms by restricting funds for units involved in sexual exploitation and abuse.

Reforms & Savings: This section of the bill provides FY2019 for State Department and USAID inspectors general, including the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. It’d prohibit funds from being used to deny an Inspector General funded by the bill from access to any records, documents, or other materials, or to impede the access of such IG to such records, documents, or materials.

Additionally, this section would:

• Continue stringent requirements for records management by the State Department and USAID.

• Enhance the effectiveness of humanitarian aid through the collection of data to improve the understanding of the needs and perceptions of beneficiaries.

• Continue limitations on conference expenses.

• Prohibit funds from being to establish or maintain a computer network at a federal agency funded under this bill unless the network has filters to block sexually explicit websites.

Global Health: This section would provide a total of $8.8 billion in FY2019 funding for global health programs, of which $3.1 billion is for USAID health programs and $5.7 billion for the State Department. That’d include:

• $6 billion for global HIV/AIDS assistance — an increase of $50 million — of which $5.72 billion is for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, $1.35 billion for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, and $330 million for USAID HIV/AIDS programs.

• $829.5 million for maternal and child health programs, including $290 million for the GAVI Alliance.

• $755 million to combat malaria.

• $275 million for tuberculosis programs.

• $135 million for nutrition assistance.

• $106 million to combat neglected tropical diseases.

• $100 million for global health security programs to protect the U.S. homeland from contagious infectious disease outbreaks abroad.

• $59 million for polio eradication efforts.

International Security Assistance: This section of the bill would provide $8.8 billion in FY2019 funding for counterterrorism and nonproliferation programs, foreign military training and education programs, peacekeeping operations, plus military equipment for U.S. partners. It’d include:

• $5.9 billion for financing foreign military equipment.

• $1.4 billion for International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement programs.

• $860.7 million for Nonproliferation, Anti-terrorism, Demining and Related programs, of which $314.4 million is for anti-terrorism programs.

• $477.4 million for peacekeeping operations, including $31 million for a U.S. contribution to the Multinational Force and Observer mission in the Sinai (between Israel and Egypt).

• $110.7 million for International Military Education and Training Programs.

Foreign Policy Initiatives: This section would provide funding for a variety of policy initiatives, including:

• $5.7 billion for security measures at U.S. embassies and consulates abroad.

• $4.4 billion for international disaster assistance, an increase of $100 million.

• $3.4 billion for Migration and Refugee Assistance.

• $3.3 billion in military aid for Israel and assistance for refugees resettling in Israel, while restrictions on the U.N. Human Rights Council continue.

• $1.5 billion for economic and military assistance for Jordan, and an additional $50 million in Relief and Recovery Funds.

• $2.4 billion for democracy programs, up $91.5 million from the prior year, which includes $170 million for the National Endowment for Democracy.

• $515.5 million for assistance for Central American countries to implement the U.S. Strategy for Engagement in Central America.

• $300 million for the Countering Russian Influence Fund, an increase of $50 million from the prior year.

• $250 million for the Relief and Recovery Fund for assistance for areas liberated from Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and other extremist groups.

• $165.4 million in assistance for Tunisia, plus an additional $50 million in Relief and Recovery funds.

• $160 million to implement the Indo-Pacific Strategy.

• $25 million for programs to promote international religious freedom.

• $20 million to promote democracy and rule of law in Venezuela.

• Prohibitions on funding for abortion would be continued, including the Tiahrt, Helms, and Kemp-Kasten Amendments.

Argument in favor

This bipartisan bill provides the funding the State Department needs to carry out its critical diplomatic mission, along with providing aid to foreign governments and international organizations that will help those who need it most around the world.

Argument opposed

This bill doesn’t do enough to provide foreign aid and strengthen the State Department’s capacity to carry out American diplomacy. Alternatively, this bill gives away too much taxpayer money to foreign countries and international organizations.

Impact

The State Department and related agencies.

Cost of S. 3108

A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.

Additional Info

In-Depth: Senate State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said of this funding package:

“First and foremost, this is a national security bill. This bill makes America safer by supporting critical diplomatic efforts around the world, providing security assistance for our allies, directing stabilization assistance for areas in chaos due to conflict, and supporting life-saving health and humanitarian assistance to people in dire need. The challenges we face are increasingly dynamic and complex, with hostile regimes seeking to undermine our standing on the world’s stage at every turn.  Now is not the time for retreat. This bill signals to the world that America is not backing away from its role as the leader of the free world.”

This legislation passed the Senate Appropriations Committee on a 31-0 vote.

Media:

• Senate Appropriations Committee Press Release