WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 24, 2009) - CARE commends the House Appropriations Committee, particularly Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) and ranking member Kay Granger (R-TX) of the State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee, for their critically important work in approving the fiscal year 2010 appropriations bill. The bill includes much-needed funding for development assistance. CARE is pleased to note that the Fiscal Year 2010 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Act focuses on CARE priorities, including rebuilding diplomatic and development capacity.
Of particular note, the bill includes $1 billion for food security and agricultural development. As President Obama remarked in his budget request, a permanent solution to food global insecurity requires restoration of rapid and sustained economic growth that directly engages the world's poorest populations through developing country agriculture. With global hunger affecting nearly one billion people, and the global economic crisis exasperating the problem, this funding is critical.
Overall the mark for state and foreign operations programs is $48.4 billion – $1.2 billion below the fiscal year 2009 budget, including supplementals, and $3.2 billion below President Obama's fiscal year 2010 request. However, for development assistance the House bill contains $2.5 billion – $700 million more than the fiscal year 2009 budget. The bill also includes significant additional funding for basic education – more than $300 million above fiscal year 2009 as well as funding to mitigate and address the impacts of climate change.
The funding levels for health – specifically maternal, infant and child health and family planning – reflected in the mark, demonstrate the committee's commitment to reducing maternal and child deaths, improving access to voluntary family planning, and meeting Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5. Each year, more than a half million women die due to pregnancy-related complications, a number that has remained nearly constant over the past decade.
"The bill reflects the bipartisan priorities of this committee and of Congress," Lowey said in a statement.
