Senate SFOPS bill a step in the right direction
WASHINGTON — The ONE Campaign released the following statement on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee for State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs’ (SFOPS) FY2025 appropriations bill. With the inclusion of emergency funding, the $61.61 billion bill would be a 5.6% increase from the enacted FY24 foreign assistance appropriations bill.
The legislation also includes a two-year authorization of The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the critically important program that has saved 25 million lives from HIV/AIDS. Earlier this year, Congress reauthorized PEPFAR for one year, through March 2025.
“We are heartened by the Senate’s bipartisan commitment, as demonstrated through this bill, to protecting investments in US foreign assistance,” said Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli, President and CEO of The ONE Campaign. “A valuable tool in our global leadership toolkit, investments in global health and economic development programs are both the best demonstration of American values and critical to our national and economic security. That said – we view this bill as a first, not final, step in the right direction. We will work with Congress to ensure robust funding for programs and priorities that shape a safer and more prosperous world for everyone.
“We also welcome the inclusion of a clean, two-year reauthorization of PEPFAR in the bill and are grateful to Sens. Coons and Graham for their strong support of the program. This is a promising development – we look forward to working with leaders in both chambers and on both sides of the aisle to pass a clean, five-year reauthorization.”