Development Groups Concerned About Potential Slow Down in Foreign Assistance Funding

Washington, D.C. – As the House and Senate begin work on the Fiscal 2009 appropriations bills, the ONE Campaign, a leading global anti-poverty organization, expressed disappointment in the overall funding level for America’s critical work on health, economic support, and education in the world’s poorest regions.

Many organizations in the development community, including the ONE Campaign, are concerned that macro-level funding levels set this week for the individual appropriations subcommittees will be stretched thin trying to meet next year’s needs in countries working through cycles of extreme poverty and pandemics of preventable diseases like HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria.

“At ONE, we recognize the incredible demands for federal resources, and we appreciate that Senate Chairman Byrd and House Chairman Obey are attempting to stretch limited available funds to a quickly growing list of priorities.  But we urge the Appropriations Committees to do more,” said ONE’s Government Relations Director Tom Hart.  “Our hope is to keep the trajectory of support for this important work similar to last year. Military leaders and diplomats have recognized the critical role our development assistance plays in U.S. foreign policy. Adequate funding for these priorities pays rich dividends, not only to the millions of lives touched, but to our own global standing and security.”

“The real truth is that development assistance works.  The funds which have been delivered in recent years are making a real difference in lives saved from HIV/AIDS, in children in school for the first time ever, and in economic opportunity that is benefiting both Africa and America.  This is not the moment to slow our assistance,” Hart said.  “International development assistance is not sexy; it isn’t an investment which garners big headlines. But there are few other places in the budget where dollars invested literally mean lives saved.”