More than 30 non-governmental organizations issued a letter today urging all Senators and Representative to oppose the rescission of $30 million from the Complex Crises Fund.
May 14, 2018
Dear Member of Congress:
We are deeply concerned about the inclusion of the Complex Crises Fund (CCF) in the White House rescissions package (Rescission proposal no. R18-25) dated May 8, 2018.
In support of wise investments to prevent and mitigate violent conflict, we urge you to oppose the rescission of any funding related to the Complex Crises Fund.
The Complex Crises Fund is a critical global account that enables the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department to respond to unforeseen crises, filling a critical gap when other monies are unavailable. Without this tool, the U.S. government will be limited in its ability to constructively prevent and mitigate crises at a time when global violence is on the rise. Further, in the context of increased risks to ethnic and religious minorities around the world, CCF has served as one of the only sources of funding available for use in coordination with the policy objectives of the White House Atrocities Prevention Board, helping to support peacebuilding interventions to support community resiliencies against outbreaks of violence.
Recognizing the complexities related to unforeseen crises and the need for flexibility in response efforts, CCF has intentionally been appropriated as no-year funding to allow for the most effective use of the resource. A rescission of CCF would undermine the intentions of appropriators for money in the account to carry over from year to year, and could create the perverse effect of forcing spending over less than constructive time horizons.
There has also been a significant challenge over the past several years in that money cannot be spent under continuing resolutions given the wide discrepancy in the House and Senate numbers. Therefore, carry over resources are further necessary to fill the gap between the end of one fiscal year and the passage of full funding for the next.
CCF has broad support from the NGO community – including the Prevention and Protection Working Group , and the Interfaith Working Group on Foreign Assistance – as well as from Congress. Senate report language from FY18 recognized “that the elimination of the CCF account, as proposed in the President’s budget request, has not been justified.” A rescission of this funding would effectively amount to eliminating an appropriated account retroactively.
Finally, in the most recent White House Budget request the need for “rapid response capabilities for assistance activities to prevent or respond to emerging or unforeseen complex crises” was recognized. Given this expressed need and the global realities specific to rising levels of violence, the Administration should be encouraged to wisely invest CCF resources to address emerging or unforeseen conflict, and Congress should oppose rescission efforts specific to this account.
Sincerely,
American Jewish Committee’s Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights
American Jewish World Service
American Psychological Association
Auschwitz Institute for Peace and Reconciliation
Better World Campaign
Carl Wilkens Fellowship
Center for Global Understanding and Peacemaking at Elizabethtown College
The Center for Victims of Torture
Charity & Security Network
Conference of Major Superiors of Men
Darfur and Beyond
Darfur Women Action Group
The Educators’ Institute for Human Rights
Friends Committee on National Legislation
Georgia Coalition to Prevent Genocide
Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect
Green String Network
Humanity United Action
iACT
Invisible Children
Iowa Center for Genocide Prevention
Jewish Council for Public Affairs
Karuna Center for Peacebuilding
Mercy Corps
Never Again Coalition
Operation Broken Silence
Oxfam America
Pax Christi International
Peace Direct
Saferworld
Search for Common Ground
STAND: The Student-Led Movement to End Mass Atrocities
Stop Genocide Now
Together We Remember
