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State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2015 Budget and Appropriations [December 8, 2014]
"On March 4, 2014, the Obama Administration submitted to Congress its budget request for FY2015. The original request for State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs totaled $48.62 billion, including $5.91 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding. The Administration amended this request on June 27, 2014, by increasing OCO funds and updating export assistance estimates, thus raising the overall total to $50.08 billion. The Administration further amended the request in November 2014, for emergency funding to address the Ebola crisis in Africa and for civilian activities to counter the threat posed by the Islamic State (IS). The amended FY2015 request totals $53.47 billion, or 8.8% more than the FY2014-enacted level. Of the total FY2015 request, as amended, about 14.6% is designate as OCO (compared to 13.3% in FY2014) and about 5% is designated as emergency funding. About $17.18 billion is for State Department Operations and related agencies, an 8.3% increase from the FY2014 funding estimate of $15.86 billion. For Foreign Operations, the Administration requested $36.32 billion, a 7.7% increase from the FY2014 estimate of $33.72 billion. […]This report tracks the FY2015 State Department, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs appropriations process. It will be updated to reflect congressional action."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Epstein, Susan B.; Tiersky, Alex L.; Lawson, Marian Leonardo
2014-12-08
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State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2015 Budget and Appropriations [May 27, 2014]
"The annual State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs appropriations bill (also referred to here as 'foreign affairs appropriations' or 'foreign affairs funding') is the primary legislative vehicle through which Congress reviews the U.S. international affairs budget and influences executive branch foreign policy making. (Foreign relations authorization and foreign assistance authorization legislation, required by law prior to State Department and foreign aid expenditures, are also available to Congress to influence foreign policy, but Congress has not passed either since FY2003 and FY1985, respectively. Instead, Congress has waived the requirement within the appropriations laws.) On March 4, 2014, the Obama Administration submitted to Congress its budget request for FY2015. The request for State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs totals $48.62 billion, which is 1.3% below the FY2014 estimated funding level of $49.29 billion. Within the request, $5.91 billion is designated as Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding, which is 9.3% below the FY2014 estimated OCO funding of $6.52 billion. Of the total request, $16.81 billion is for State Department Operations and related agencies, a 6.0% increase from the FY2014 funding estimate of $15.86 billion. Much of the requested increase is for U.S. Contributions to International Organizations (CIO) and Contributions to International Peacekeeping (CIPA) accounts. For Foreign Operations, the Administration is requesting $31.81 billion, a 6.1% decrease from the FY2014 estimate of $33.87 billion."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Epstein, Susan B.; Tiersky, Alex L.; Lawson, Marian Leonardo
2014-05-27
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State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2013 Budget and Appropriations [July 23, 2012]
"The 112th Congress is considering FY2013 international affairs funding within the context of the Budget Control Act (P.L. 112-25) that established discretionary spending limits for FY2012- FY2021 and contains automatic budget reductions (sequestration) on discretionary spending to begin on January 2, 2013. International affairs expenditures typically amount to about 1.5% of the total federal budget. While some foreign policy and defense experts view that share as a small price to pay for a robust foreign affairs budget that they believe is essential to meeting national security and foreign policy objectives, others see international affairs spending, particularly foreign aid, as an attractive target for significant spending cuts in order to reduce deficit spending. Many expect a delay in passing the FY2013 foreign affairs budget and most of the other appropriations bills until after the November 2012 elections (two months into the new fiscal year), which may have more to do with election year politics, however, than lawmakers' differing views on foreign affairs spending. […] This report analyzes the FY2013 request and congressional action related to FY2013 State-Foreign Operations legislation. Updates will occur to reflect congressional actions."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Epstein, Susan B.; Lawson, Marian Leonardo; Tiersky, Alex L.
2012-07-23
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State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2013 Budget and Appropriations [April 2, 2013]
"International affairs expenditures typically amount to about 1.5% of the total federal budget. While some foreign policy and defense experts view that share as a small price to pay for a robust foreign affairs budget that they believe is essential to meeting national security and foreign policy objectives, others see international affairs spending, particularly foreign aid, as an attractive target for significant spending cuts in order to reduce deficit spending. On February 13, 2012, the Obama Administration submitted its FY2013 budget proposal. The FY2013 request totaled $54.87 billion for the State-Foreign Operations appropriations, including a core budget proposal of $46.63 billion plus $8.24 billion for extraordinary and temporary war-related Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) in frontline states. The total request represented an increase of 2.6% over the estimated FY2012 funding level for the foreign affairs accounts, including $18.8 billion (a 4.5% increase) for State Department and Related Agencies and $36.1 billion (a 0.1% increase) for Foreign Operations. Within the regular budget process, the Administration requested authority in addition to appropriations ($770 million) for a new account--the Middle East and North Africa Incentive Fund (MENA IF)--to provide flexible and transparent support for Arab Spring countries in transition toward democracy. The foreign affairs request included $8.2 billion for the frontline states of Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. For other key accounts, the Administration sought $7.9 billion for the Global Health Programs (GHP) account, $770 million for global climate change activities, and $643 million for family planning and reproductive health activities, including $39 million for the controversial U.N. Population Fund (UNFPA)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Epstein, Susan B.; Lawson, Marian Leonardo; Tiersky, Alex L.
2013-04-02
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State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2014 Budget and Appropriations [October 23, 2013]
"On April 10, 2013, the Obama Administration submitted to Congress its budget request for FY2014. The request for State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs totals $51.84 billion, which is about 0.8% below the FY2013 post-sequester estimated funding level of $52.24 billion. Within this total, $3.81 billion is designated as Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding, which is 68% below FY2013 estimated OCO funding of $11.91 billion. Of the total request, $16.88 billion is for State Department Operations and related agencies, a 4.5% decline from the FY2013 funding estimate. About $35.1 billion is for Foreign Operations, a 1.6% increase from the FY2013 estimate. This report provides a brief overview of the FY2014 State Department, Foreign Operations and Related Programs funding request, as well as top-line analysis of House and Senate State-Foreign Operations appropriations proposals and enacted continuing resolutions. It does not provide information or analysis on specific provisions in the House and Senate legislation. A table in the Appendix provides side-by-side account-level funding data for FY2012, FY2013, the FY2014 request, and the pending FY2014 House and Senate proposals. The FY2013 funding data used as a point of comparison throughout this report represent post-sequestration estimates provided by the Department of State and reflect across-the-board rescissions. These data are not yet available for all accounts, or for country allocations. The funding table in the Appendix will be updated as more information becomes available."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Epstein, Susan B.; Tiersky, Alex L.; Lawson, Marian Leonardo
2013-10-23
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State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2014 Budget and Appropriations [January 3, 2014]
"On April 10, 2013, the Obama Administration submitted to Congress its budget request for FY2014. The request for State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs totals $51.84 billion, which is about 0.8% below the FY2013 post-sequester estimated funding level of $52.24 billion. Within this total, $3.81 billion is designated as Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding, which is 68% below FY2013 estimated OCO funding of $11.91 billion. Of the total request, $16.88 billion is for State Department Operations and related agencies, a 4.5% decline from the FY2013 funding estimate. About $35.1 billion is for Foreign Operations, a 1.6% increase from the FY2013 estimate. This report provides a brief overview of the FY2014 State Department, Foreign Operations and Related Programs funding request, as well as top-line analysis of House and Senate State-Foreign Operations appropriations proposals and enacted continuing resolutions. It does not provide information or analysis on specific provisions in the House and Senate legislation. A table in the Appendix provides side-by-side account-level funding data for FY2012, FY2013, the FY2014 request, and the pending FY2014 House and Senate proposals. The FY2013 funding data used as a point of comparison throughout this report represent post-sequestration estimates provided by the Department of State and reflect across-the-board rescissions. These data are not yet available for all accounts, or for country allocations. The funding table in the Appendix will be updated as more information becomes available."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Epstein, Susan B.; Tiersky, Alex L.; Lawson, Marian Leonardo
2014-01-03
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State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2014 Budget and Appropriations [January 16, 2014]
"On April 10, 2013, the Obama Administration submitted to Congress its budget request for FY2014. The request for State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs totals $51.84 billion, which is about 0.8% below the FY2013 post-sequester estimated funding level of $52.24 billion. Within this total, $3.81 billion is designated as Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding, which is 68% below FY2013 estimated OCO funding of $11.91 billion. Of the total request, $16.88 billion is for State Department Operations and related agencies, a 4.5% decline from the FY2013 funding estimate. About $35.1 billion is for Foreign Operations, a 1.6% increase from the FY2013 estimate. After enacting appropriations for FY2014 with continuing resolutions in late 2013-early 2014, Congress was completing action on a consolidated appropriations bill (H.R. 3547) in mid-January 2014. […] This report provides a brief overview of the FY2014 State Department, Foreign Operations and Related Programs funding request, as well as top-line analysis of House and Senate State-Foreign Operations appropriations proposals and enacted continuing resolutions. It does not provide information or analysis on specific provisions in the House and Senate legislation. A full update of the report will be completed after final action on FY2014 appropriations. A table in the 'Appendix' provides side-by-side account-level funding data for FY2013, the FY2014 request, and pending FY2014 proposals, including the Consolidated Appropriations Act (H.R. 3547). The FY2013 funding data used as a point of comparison throughout this report represent post-sequestration estimates provided by the Department of State and reflect across-the-board rescissions. These data are not yet available for all accounts, or for country allocations. The funding table in the Appendix will be updated as more information becomes available."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Epstein, Susan B.; Tiersky, Alex L.; Lawson, Marian Leonardo
2014-01-16
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State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2014 Budget and Appropriations [August 22, 2013]
"On April 10, 2013, the Obama Administration submitted to Congress its budget request for FY2014. The request for State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs totals $51.84 billion, which is about 0.8% below the FY2013 post-sequester estimated funding level of $52.24 billion. Within this total, $3.81 billion is designated as Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding, which is 68% below FY2013 estimated OCO funding of $11.91 billion. Of the total request, $16.88 billion is for State Department Operations and related agencies, a 4.5% decline from the FY2013 funding estimate. About $35.1 billion is for Foreign Operations, a 1.6% increase from the FY2013 estimate. This report provides a brief overview of the FY2014 State Department, Foreign Operations and Related Programs funding request, as well as top-line analysis of pending House and Senate State-Foreign Operations appropriations proposals. It does not provide information or analysis on specific provisions in the House and Senate legislation. A table in the Appendix provides side-by-side account-level funding data for FY2012, FY2013, the FY2014 request, and the pending FY2014 House and Senate proposals. The FY2013 funding data used as a point of comparison throughout this report represent post-sequestration estimates provided by the Department of State and reflect across-the-board rescissions. These data are not yet available for all accounts, or for country allocations. The funding table in the Appendix will be updated as more information becomes available."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Epstein, Susan B.; Tiersky, Alex L.; Lawson, Marian Leonardo
2013-08-22
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State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2016 Budget and Appropriations [October 1, 2015]
"On February 2, 2015, the Obama Administration submitted to Congress its budget request for FY2016. The request for State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (SFOPS) totals $54.08 billion, or a 4% increase from FY2015-estimated levels. Within that amount: [1] $47.04 billion is requested for enduring or core funding and $7.05 billion is designated as Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding, excluding add-ons and rescissions; [2] $17.55 billion of the total request is for State Department Operations and related agencies (10.6% increase over FY2015 estimates); [3] $36.53 billion is for Foreign Operations (1.2% above the FY2015 estimates); [4] excluding the FY2015 Ebola supplemental funding, the State Department Operations FY2016 request is a 10.9% increase over FY2015 estimates, and the Foreign Operations FY2016 request is a 7% increase over FY2015 funding estimates. House and Senate committees held several hearings on various aspects of the international affairs budget in February and March. Both chambers passed FY2016 budget resolutions in late March. The House (on April 30, 2015) and the Senate (on May 5, 2015) reconciled budget resolution funding levels in conference (H.Rept. 114-96); however, OCO suballocations were not established. This report provides an overview of the FY2016 SFOPS request, a discussion of key issues and historic context, and account-by-account funding comparisons with FY2014 actuals, available FY2015 estimates, and FY2016 legislation. The report will be updated throughout the appropriations process."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Epstein, Susan B.; Lawson, Marian Leonardo; Tiersky, Alex L.
2015-10-01
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State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2016 Budget and Appropriations [October 13, 2015]
"This report provides an overview of the FY2016 [Fiscal Year 2016] SFOPS [State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs] request, a discussion of key issues and historic context, and account-by-account funding comparisons with FY2014 actuals, available FY2015 estimates, and FY2016 legislation. The report will be updated throughout the appropriations process."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Epstein, Susan B.; Lawson, Marian Leonardo; Tiersky, Alex L.
2015-10-13
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State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2015 Budget and Appropriations [August 15, 2014]
"The annual State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs appropriations bill (also referred to here as 'foreign affairs appropriations' or 'foreign affairs funding') is the primary legislative vehicle through which Congress reviews the U.S. international affairs budget and influences executive branch foreign policy making. (Foreign relations authorization and foreign assistance authorization legislation, required by law prior to State Department and foreign aid expenditures, are also available to Congress to influence foreign policy, but Congress has not passed either since FY2003 and FY1985, respectively. Instead, Congress has waived the requirement within the appropriations laws.) On March 4, 2014, the Obama Administration submitted to Congress its budget request for FY2015. The request for State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs totals $48.62 billion, which is 1.3% below the FY2014 estimated funding level of $49.29 billion. Within the request, $5.91 billion is designated as Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding, which is 9.3% below the FY2014 estimated OCO funding of $6.52 billion. Of the total request, $16.81 billion is for State Department Operations and related agencies, a 6.0% increase from the FY2014 funding estimate of $15.86 billion. Much of the requested increase is for U.S. Contributions to International Organizations (CIO) and Contributions to International Peacekeeping (CIPA) accounts. For Foreign Operations, the Administration is requesting $31.81 billion, a 6.1% decrease from the FY2014 estimate of $33.87 billion."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Epstein, Susan B.; Tiersky, Alex L.; Lawson, Marian Leonardo
2014-08-15
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State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2015 Budget and Appropriations [January 16, 2015]
"On December 16, 2014, Congress presented the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 (H.R. 83), to the President, who signed it into law (P.L. 113-235) that same day. In Division J of that act, Congress appropriated $51.98 billion for the Department of State and Foreign Operations, including $9.26 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) and $2.53 billion to address the Ebola crisis. The annual State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs appropriations bill (also referred to here as 'foreign affairs appropriations' or 'foreign affairs funding') is the primary legislative vehicle through which Congress reviews the U.S. international affairs budget and influences executive branch foreign policymaking. (Foreign relations authorization and foreign assistance authorization legislation, required by law prior to State Department and foreign aid expenditures, are also available to Congress to influence foreign policy, but Congress has not passed either since FY2003 and FY1985, respectively. Instead, Congress has waived the requirement within the appropriations laws.) On March 4, 2014, the Obama Administration submitted to Congress its budget request for FY2015. The original request for State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs totaled $48.62 billion, including $5.91 billion for OCO funding. The Administration amended this request on June 27, 2014 by increasing OCO funds and updating export assistance estimates, thus raising the overall total to $50.08 billion. The Administration further amended the request in November 2014 for emergency funding to address the Ebola crisis in Africa and for civilian activities to counter the threat posed by the Islamic State (IS). The amended FY2015 request totaled $53.50 billion, 8.8% more than the FY2014-enacted level."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Epstein, Susan B.; Tiersky, Alex L.; Lawson, Marian Leonardo
2015-01-16
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State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2016 Budget and Appropriations [May 13, 2015]
"On February 2, 2015, the Obama Administration submitted to Congress its budget request for FY2016. The request for State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (SFOPS) totals $53.37 billion, or a 2.7% increase from FY2015-estimated levels. Within that amount: [1] $46.32 billion is requested for enduring or core funding and $7.05 billion is designated as Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding; [2] $17.54 billion of the total request is for State Department Operations and related agencies (10.6% increase over FY2015 estimates); [3] $35.82 billion is for Foreign Operations (-0.8% from the FY2015 estimates, largely because of the Ebola emergency supplemental appropriated for FY2015); [4] Excluding the FY2015 Ebola supplemental funding, the State Department Operations FY2016 request is a 10.9% increase over FY2015 estimates, and the Foreign Operations FY2016 request is a 6.5% increase over FY2015 funding estimates. House and Senate committees held several hearings on various aspects of the international affairs budget in February and March. Both chambers passed FY2016 budget resolutions in late March. The House (on April 30, 2015) and the Senate (on May 5, 2015) reconciled budget resolution funding levels in conference (H.Rept. 114-96); however, OCO sub-allocations have not been established. This report provides an overview of the FY2016 SFOPS request, a discussion of key issues and historic context, and account-by-account funding comparisons with FY2014 actuals and FY2015 estimates. It will be updated throughout the appropriations process."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Epstein, Susan B.; Lawson, Marian Leonardo; Tiersky, Alex L.
2015-05-13
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State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2016 Budget and Appropriations [April 9, 2015]
"On February 2, 2015, the Obama Administration submitted to Congress its budget request for FY2016. The request for State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (SFOPS) totals $53.37 billion, or a 2.7% increase from FY2015-estimated levels. Within that amount: [1] $46.32 billion is requested for enduring or core funding and $7.05 billion is designated as Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding; [2] $17.54 billion of the total request is for State Department Operations and related agencies (10.6% increase over FY2015 estimates); [3] $35.82 billion is for Foreign Operations (-0.8% from the FY2015 estimates, largely because of the Ebola emergency supplemental appropriated for FY2015); [4] Excluding the FY2015 Ebola supplemental funding, the State Department Operations FY2016 request is a 10.9% increase over FY2015 estimates, and the Foreign Operations FY2016 request is a 6.5% increase over FY2015 funding estimates. House and Senate committees held several hearings on various aspects of the international affairs budget in February and March. Both chambers also passed FY2016 budget resolutions in late March, though the two bills have not yet been reconciled in conference and appropriations subcommittee allocations have not been established. This report provides an overview of the FY2016 SFOPS request, a discussion of key issues and historic context, and account-by-account funding comparisons with FY2014 actuals and FY2015 estimates. It will be updated throughout the appropriations process."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Epstein, Susan B.; Lawson, Marian Leonardo; Tiersky, Alex L.
2015-04-09
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State, Foreign Operations Appropriations: A Guide to Component Accounts [April 15, 2013]
"The State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs appropriations legislation provides annual funding for almost all of the international affairs programs generally considered as part of the 150 International Affairs Budget Function (the major exception being food assistance). The legislation has also served as a vehicle for Congress to place conditions on the expenditure of those funds, and express its views regarding certain foreign policy issues. This report briefly discusses the legislation generally and then provides a short description of the various funding accounts as they appear in Division I, 'Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2012,' of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012 (P.L. [Public Law] 112-74), which is the basis on which FY2013 appropriations are provided under the Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 (P.L. 113-6)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Tarnoff, Curt; Tiersky, Alex L.
2013-02-15
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State, Foreign Operations Appropriations: A Guide to Component Accounts [February 5, 2014]
"The State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs appropriations legislation provides annual funding for almost all of the international affairs programs generally considered as part of the 150 International Affairs Budget Function (the major exception being food assistance). The legislation has also served as a vehicle for Congress to place conditions on the expenditure of those funds, and express its views regarding certain foreign policy issues. This report briefly discusses the legislation generally and then provides a short description of the various funding accounts as they appear in Division K, 'Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2014,' of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 (P.L. [Public Law] 113-76)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Tarnoff, Curt; Tiersky, Alex L.
2014-02-05
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State, Foreign Operations Appropriations: A Guide to Component Accounts [December 24, 2013]
"The State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs appropriations legislation provides annual funding for almost all of the international affairs programs generally considered as part of the 150 International Affairs Budget Function (the major exception being food assistance). The legislation has also served as a vehicle for Congress to place conditions on the expenditure of those funds, and express its views regarding certain foreign policy issues. This report briefly discusses the legislation generally and then provides a short description of the various funding accounts as they appear in Division I, 'Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2012,' of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012 (P.L. [Public Law] 112-74), which is the basis on which the FY2013 appropriations under the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 (Title VII of Division F of P.L. 113-6) are provided, and, in turn, the basis on which the FY2014 appropriations are provided under the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2014 (P.L. 113-46)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Tiersky, Alex L.; Tarnoff, Curt
2013-12-24
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State, Foreign Operations Appropriations: A Guide to Component Accounts [January 13, 2015]
"The State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs appropriations legislation provides annual funding for almost all of the international affairs programs generally considered as part of the 150 International Affairs Budget Function (the major exception being food assistance). The legislation has also served as a vehicle for Congress to place conditions on the expenditure of those funds, and express its views regarding certain foreign policy issues. This report briefly discusses the legislation generally and then provides a short description of the various funding accounts as they appear in Division J, 'Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2015,' of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 (P.L. 113-235)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Tarnoff, Curt; Tiersky, Alex L.
2015-01-13
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State, Foreign Operations Appropriations: A Guide to Component Accounts [August 1, 2013]
"The State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs appropriations legislation provides annual funding for almost all of the international affairs programs generally considered as part of the 150 International Affairs Budget Function (the major exception being food assistance). The legislation has also served as a vehicle for Congress to place conditions on the expenditure of those funds, and express its views regarding certain foreign policy issues. This report briefly discusses the legislation generally and then provides a short description of the various funding accounts as they appear in Division I, 'Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2012,' of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012 (P.L. 112-74), which is the basis on which FY2013 appropriations are provided under the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 (P.L. 113-6). For FY2013 presequestration funding levels (and post-sequester levels when they become known), see Appendix C in CRS [Congressional Research Service] Report R42621, 'State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2013 Budget and Appropriations.'"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Tiersky, Alex L.; Tarnoff, Curt
2013-08-01
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State, Foreign Operations Appropriations: A Guide to Component Accounts [January 5, 2016]
"The State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs appropriations legislation provides annual funding for almost all of the international affairs programs generally considered as part of the 150 International Affairs Budget Function (the major exception being food assistance). The legislation has also served as a vehicle for Congress to place conditions on the expenditure of those funds, and express its views regarding certain foreign policy issues. This report briefly discusses the legislation generally and then provides a short description of the various funding accounts as they appear in Division K, 'Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2016,' of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (P.L. 114-113)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Tarnoff, Curt; Tiersky, Alex L.
2016-01-05
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FY2014 State and Foreign Operations Budget Request [April 18, 2013]
"On April 10, 2013, the Obama Administration submitted to Congress its budget request for FY2014. The request for State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs totals $51.97 billion (2.7% below the FY2012 actual funding level of $53.43 billion, including the Foreign Service Retirement and Disability Fund and before rescissions), of which $3.81 billion is for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding (66% below FY2012 actual OCO funding of $11.2 billion). Of the total request, $16.87 billion is for State Department Operations and related agencies (a 6.3% decline from FY2012 funding) and $35.1 billion is for Foreign Operations (a 0.9% decline from the FY2012 level). Comparisons in this report will be with FY2012 actual funding levels, since the final FY2013 funding levels are not yet available and the Administration has yet to provide definitive guidance on how savings, if any, in the FY2013 Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act (P.L. 113-6) are to be credited in relation to the sequestration ordered on March 1, 2013. In addition, the FY2013 estimates do not include the additional across-the-board percentage rescission calculated by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), as required by Section 3004 in Division G of P.L. 113-6, in order to meet the FY2013 spending limits of the Budget Control Act of 2011, as amended. This report provides a brief overview of the FY2014 State Department, Foreign Operations and Related Programs funding request."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Epstein, Susan B.; Lawson, Marian Leonardo; Tiersky, Alex L.
2013-04-18
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Iraq Crisis and U.S. Policy [July 21, 2014]
"The offensive in northern and central Iraq, led by the Sunni Islamist insurgent and terrorist group the Islamic State (IS) has raised significant concerns for the United States. These concerns include a possible breakup of Iraq's political and territorial order and the establishment of a potential base for terrorist attacks in the region or even against the U.S. homeland. The crisis has raised several questions for U.S. policy because it represents the apparent unraveling of a seemingly stable and secure Iraq that was in place when U.S. combat troops departed Iraq at the end of 2011. Some months after the U.S. departure, the uprising in Syria among some elements of the Sunni Arab community there facilitated the reemergence of IS in areas of Syria and in its original base in Iraq. After late 2011, the Sunni community grew increasingly restive as Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki marginalized senior Sunni leaders, and the skills and capabilities of the Iraq Security Forces deteriorated. Many Sunnis in Iraq oppose IS's tactics and attempts to impose Islamic law, but support it as a vanguard against what they characterize as an oppressive Shiite-dominated national government."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Katzman, Kenneth; Humud, Carla E.; Blanchard, Christopher M. . . .
2014-07-21
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Iraq Crisis and U.S. Policy [June 20, 2014]
"The offensive in northern and central Iraq, led by the Sunni Islamist insurgent and terrorist group the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, aka ISIS), has raised significant concerns for the United States. These concerns include a possible breakup of Iraq's political and territorial order and the establishment of a potential base for terrorist attacks in the region or even against the U.S. homeland. The crisis has raised several questions for U.S. policy because it represents the apparent unraveling of a seemingly stable and secure Iraq that was in place when U.S. combat troops departed Iraq at the end of 2011. Some months after the U.S. departure, the uprising in Syria among some elements of the Sunni Arab community there facilitated the reemergence of ISIL in areas of Syria and in its original base in Iraq. After late 2011, the Sunni community grew increasingly restive as Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki marginalized senior Sunni leaders, and the skills and capabilities of the Iraq Security Forces deteriorated. Many Sunnis in Iraq oppose ISIL's tactics and attempts to impose Islamic law, but support it as a vanguard against what they characterize as an oppressive Shiite-dominated national government."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Katzman, Kenneth; Humud, Carla E.; Blanchard, Christopher M. . . .
2014-06-20
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Iraq Crisis and U.S. Policy [July 3, 2014]
"The offensive in northern and central Iraq, led by the Sunni Islamist insurgent and terrorist group the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, aka ISIS), has raised significant concerns for the United States. These concerns include a possible breakup of Iraq's political and territorial order and the establishment of a potential base for terrorist attacks in the region or even against the U.S. homeland. The crisis has raised several questions for U.S. policy because it represents the apparent unraveling of a seemingly stable and secure Iraq that was in place when U.S. combat troops departed Iraq at the end of 2011. Some months after the U.S. departure, the uprising in Syria among some elements of the Sunni Arab community there facilitated the reemergence of ISIL in areas of Syria and in its original base in Iraq. After late 2011, the Sunni community grew increasingly restive as Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki marginalized senior Sunni leaders, and the skills and capabilities of the Iraq Security Forces deteriorated. Many Sunnis in Iraq oppose ISIL's tactics and attempts to impose Islamic law, but support it as a vanguard against what they characterize as an oppressive Shiite-dominated national government."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Katzman, Kenneth; Humud, Carla E.; Blanchard, Christopher M. . . .
2014-07-03
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'Islamic State' Crisis and U.S. Policy [October 22, 2014]
"The Islamic State is a transnational Sunni Islamist insurgent and terrorist group that has expanded its control over areas of parts of Iraq and Syria since 2013. It threatens the governments of both countries and potentially several other countries in the region, and has drawn increased attention from the international community. There is debate over the degree to which the Islamic State organization might represent a direct terrorist threat to the U.S. homeland or to U.S. facilities and personnel in the region. The forerunner of the Islamic State (IS) was part of the insurgency against coalition forces in Iraq, and the organization has in the years since the 2011 U.S. withdrawal from Iraq expanded its control over significant areas of both Iraq and Syria. The Islamic State has thrived in the disaffected Sunni tribal areas of Iraq and in the remote provinces of Syria torn by the civil war. Since early 2014, Islamic State-led forces, supported by Sunni Arab tribalists and groups linked to ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, have advanced along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, seizing multiple population centers including Mosul, one of Iraq's largest cities. Since then, IS forces have massacred Syrian adversaries and Iraqi civilians, often from ethnic or religious minorities, and recently executed two American journalists who the group had captured while they were working in Syria. As of October 2014, Islamic State fighters also have come close to capturing a key Kurdish enclave in northern Syria."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Tiersky, Alex L.; Margesson, Rhoda; Humud, Carla E. . . .
2014-10-22
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Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR) [August 27, 2014]
"On April 22, 2014, Secretary of State Kerry announced the launch of the second Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR) saying, 'This is a review of how we've been doing things, but it's also a preview of what State and USAID [U.S. Agency for International Development] need to do in order to put the United States of America in the strongest position to face the challenges and seize the opportunities of tomorrow. This is what we owe to the American people, and we owe it to their elected representatives on Capitol Hill who approve the budget that we live by.'"
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Tiersky, Alex L.; Epstein, Susan B.
2014-08-27
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'Islamic State' Crisis and U.S. Policy [September 11, 2014]
"The Islamic State is a transnational Sunni Islamist insurgent and terrorist group that has expanded its control over areas of northwestern Iraq and northeastern Syria since 2013, threatening the security of both countries and drawing increased attention from the international community. There is debate over the degree to which the Islamic State [IS] organization might represent a direct terrorist threat to the U.S. homeland or to U.S. facilities and personnel in the region. [...] In September 10, President Obama announced a multifaceted strategy to 'degrade, and ultimately destroy' the Islamic State organization. The announced strategy is for the United States to lead and expand a multilateral coalition that will undertake direct military action, provide support for partner ground forces in Iraq and Syria, gather and share intelligence and use financial measures to try to progressively shrink the geographic and political space, manpower, and financial resources available to the Islamic State. The Administration and its allies all have ruled out deploying combat forces to either Iraq or Syria. Some assert that the U.S. strategy will attract the support of Sunnis in both Syria and Iraq in a broad effort to defeat the Islamic State. Others assess that the strategy might have minimal effect because local anti-IS forces will not have support from U.S. or other western combat troops. For details on Islamic State operations in Iraq and U.S. policy toward Iraq since the 2003 U.S. invasion, see CRS [Congressional Research Service] Report RS21968, 'Iraq: Politics, Governance, and Human Rights', by Kenneth Katzman. For further information on the Islamic State's operations in Syria, see CRS Report RL33487, 'Armed Conflict in Syria: Overview and U.S. Response', coordinated by Christopher M. Blanchard."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Katzman, Kenneth; Humud, Carla E.; Blanchard, Christopher M. . . .
2014-09-11
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'Islamic State' Crisis and U.S. Policy [November 12, 2014]
"The Islamic State is a transnational Sunni Islamist insurgent and terrorist group that has expanded its control over areas of parts of Iraq and Syria since 2013. It threatens the governments of both countries and potentially several other countries in the region, and has drawn a military response from the international community. There is debate over the degree to which the Islamic State organization might represent a direct terrorist threat to the U.S. homeland or to U.S. facilities and personnel in the region. The forerunner of the Islamic State (IS) was part of the insurgency against coalition forces in Iraq, and the organization has in the years since the 2011 U.S. withdrawal from Iraq expanded its control over significant areas of both Iraq and Syria. The Islamic State has thrived in the disaffected Sunni tribal areas of Iraq and in the remote provinces of Syria torn by the civil war. Since early 2014, Islamic State-led forces, supported by groups linked to ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and many Sunni Arab tribalists, have advanced along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, seizing multiple population centers including Mosul, one of Iraq's largest cities. […] The Islamic State's tactics have drawn the ire of the international community, increasing U.S. attention on Iraq's political problems and on the civil war in Syria. On September 10, President Obama announced a series of actions intended to 'degrade, and ultimately destroy' the Islamic State organization. […] Several of the regional coalition members apparently seek an expansion of the U.S.-led mission to include an effort to oust President Bashar al Asad of Syria, arguing that the Islamic State cannot be defeated until the Syrian political situation is altered."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Weed, Matthew C.; Tiersky, Alex L.; Margesson, Rhoda . . .
2014-11-12
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Iraq Crisis and U.S. Policy [August 8, 2014]
"The offensive in northern and central Iraq led by the Sunni Islamist insurgent and terrorist group the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIL/ISIS) has raised significant concerns for the United States and precipitated new U.S. military action in Iraq. U.S. concerns include a possible breakup of Iraq's political and territorial order; the establishment of a potential base for terrorist attacks in the region or even against the U.S. homeland; the potential for a humanitarian catastrophe; and direct threats to the approximately 5,000 U.S. personnel in Iraq. The crisis has raised several questions for U.S. policy because it represents the apparent unraveling of a seemingly stable and secure Iraq that was in place when U.S. combat troops departed Iraq at the end of 2011. The Islamic State offensive into Kurdish-controlled territory in early August has caused the United States to become reengaged militarily in Iraq. The Administration has said its intervention will remain limited and will not result in a deployment of U.S. ground troops back into Iraq. The Administration also has engaged in humanitarian air drops to members of minority communities in northern Iraq that fled the IS onslaught."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Tiersky, Alex L.; Margesson, Rhoda; Blanchard, Christopher M. . . .
2014-08-08
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2014 Sochi Winter Olympics: Security and Human Rights Issues [January 26, 2014]
"Since the 2007 selection of Sochi as the site of Olympic Games, many observers, including some in Congress, have raised concerns about security and human rights conditions in Sochi and elsewhere in Russia. Sochi is in Russia's North Caucasus area, which has experienced ongoing terrorist incidents, including several bombings in recent weeks. Through hearings, legislation, oversight, and other action, some Members of Congress have expressed concerns over Russia's hosting of the Sochi Olympic Games and Paralympics, particularly the risks that terrorism and human rights violations might pose to U.S. athletes and visitors. Other broader congressional concerns have included whether the United States should participate in the Games in the face of increasing tensions in U.S.-Russia relations and the Russian government's growing restrictions on the civil and human rights of its citizens. Some Members of Congress have called for boycotting the Games. Others have cautioned that U.S. citizens should carefully weigh the security risks of attending, and have urged greater U.S.-Russia counter-terrorism cooperation to ameliorate threats to the Games. In the period during and after the Games, Congress may continue to exercise oversight and otherwise raise concerns about the safety and human rights treatment of U.S. athletes and visitors and the impact of the Games and other developments in Russia on the future of U.S.-Russia relations. On January 24, 2014, a senior Administration official stressed that the full resources of the U.S. government were being readied to support U.S. athletes, the official delegations, and other citizens attending the Games."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Nichol, James P.; Halchin, L. Elaine; Rollins, John . . .
2014-01-26
