On Thursday, July 9, the House passed by a vote of 318 to 106 the FY10 State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations bill, the largest component of the International Affairs Budget. Four cutting amendments were defeated leaving intact the full $48.8 billion provided in the bill.
In her opening statement, Chairwoman Lowey stated, "Let there be no doubt, this bill, which funds the U.S. diplomatic and development priorities, is a cornerstone of U.S. national security." In her remarks, she noted that the bill reflected the bipartisan priorities of the House, strengthened our national security and was $1.2 billion below present spending and $3.2 billion below the Administration's request.
Rep. Kirk, who served as Republican manager of bill on behalf of Ranking Member Granger, reinforced Chairwoman Lowey's comments. "This bill safeguards our national security and promotes our national interest. Good development and diplomacy dramatically reduce troop deployments overseas," he stated.
