On the recordSeptember 28, 2023
Woman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Chair, I am proud to speak on the fiscal year 2024 Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs appropriations bill for floor consideration today. Anybody who has read the bill knows that it is pretty straightforward. If you are a friend, an ally of the United States, this bill supports you, but if you are an adversary or you are cozying up to the adversaries of the United States, then, frankly, you are just not going to like this bill. I am extremely proud of this legislation, which was carefully and thoughtfully developed over many, many months. In my judgment, it reflects the values and the interests of most Americans. We carefully reviewed all the organizations and programs that receive U.S. taxpayer dollars in this bill. And among the key factors--let me be very blunt-- it is whether investments advance our national security interests, whether they can show demonstrated results and our need to reduce the national debt and to reduce spending in a responsible way. So the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs bill totals $51.5 billion. It cuts $8.2 billion; that is a 14 percent reduction, below the 2023 enacted level, and $17 billion or 25 percent below the President's request. In fact, it is $2.7 billion below the fiscal year 2019 enacted level, and it is even $288 million below the fiscal year 2015 enacted level.…
