House Bill Would Fuel, Not Prevent, War

By Bridget Moix on 07/22/2011 @ 03:57 PM

Tags: Government Affairs, Peaceful Prevention

This week, the House Foreign Affairs Committee marked up the FY 2012 Foreign Relations Authorization Act, H.R. 2583. This bill guides U.S. foreign policy and authorizes funding levels for State Department diplomacy, USAID development programs, and U.S. contributions to international organizations like the United Nations.

HR 2583 was approved by the committee by a party-line vote of 23 to 20. The debate and votes on the bill illustrated just how partisan US.. foreign policy has become in the House of Representatives. More disappointing, this bill took a radical shift from last year’s Foreign Relations Authorization Act, which FCNL celebrated as the “Prevent War” bill. Instead of helping prevent wars, this bill, if enacted, would fuel global conflict.

FCNL strongly opposes H.R. 2583. Among its many provisions, the bill:

-Cuts funding for State Department diplomacy

-Drastically cuts funding for the Civilian Response Corps, putting the entire program at risk of closing down

-Drastically cuts development assistance to many fragile countries

-Cuts funding for climate change adaptation programs

-Cuts U.S. dues to the U.N. by 25%, putting the US back into debt with the global community

-Drastically cuts U.N. peacekeeping funding, undermining the ability of the international community to protect civilians and prevent deadly conflict

-Cuts all funding for the Organization of American States

-Reverses U.S. policy on seeking a negotiated settlement to the Israel-Palestine conflict, in direct contravention of long-standing U.N. resolutions and international law

-Increases military aid to Israel while cutting economic aid to the Palestinian Authority

-Authorizes the U.S. to interdict exports and imports to Iran at its own discretion

-Reduces congressional oversight of weapons transfers

-Gives the Pentagon a greater role in directing U.S. military aid.

A House floor vote on H.R. 2583 may come in September. Although the Senate is not likely to pass any companion legislation this year, approval by the House of H.R. 2583 would set a dangerous precedent in U.S. foreign policy.

Write your representatives today and urge them to vote against H.R. 2583. Let them know you believe U.S. foreign policy should help peacefully prevent deadly conflict, not undermine global peace and stability.