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February 27, 2009

International Groups Pleased With Proposed Budget

Groups that advocate for greater spending on international aid say they are pleased with President Obama’s budget proposal, which would increase by 9.5 percent, to $51.7-billion, the amount the U.S. government spends on foreign assistance.

“It is reassuring to see that the president understands how our investments abroad actually protect our families, jobs, and national security,” said Samuel A. Worthington, president of InterAction, an umbrella organization of international charities, in a statement. “Failing to adequately support our international development and humanitarian programs that work with the world’s poorest people to reduce global poverty and promote economic growth undermines our own national interest.”

Writing on the Center for Global Development’s blog, Sheila Herrling called the increase a “remarkable outcome given the state of the economy and the difficult economic climate.”

That said, Ms. Herrling, Mr. Worthington, and others pointed out that the proposed spending on international aid still represented just 1.4 percent of the total budget.

The budget’s supporting documents offered additional reasons for hope, according to Ms. Herrling. The budget puts the U.S. government on a path to double foreign assistance; gives the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development more money to hire new employees; and increases non-military assistance to Afghanistan and Pakistan, among other goals.

— Caroline Preston

Friday February 27, 2009 | Permalink

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