UPDATE: The Kerry-Lugar amendment has passed by unanimous consent! Thank you for your calls!
Last week, the Senate Budget Committee cut President Obama's FY10 International Affairs Budget request by $4 billion. The International Affairs budget funds critical global health programs like PEPFAR and supports humanitarian aid to Darfur, as well as other needed development and diplomatic programming world-wide.
Please ask the Senate to fully fund the International Affairs Budget for Fiscal Year 2010 in order to prevent drastic cuts in US foreign aid funding.
Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and Richard Lugar (R-IN) are introducing an amendment to return the International Affairs budget to the level requested by the President.
Take Action
- Call the Senate switchboard: 202-224-3121
- Ask for your Senator's office
- Use the sample script below to encourage your Senator to be a champion for global health and development:
I am calling to encourage Senator XXXX to support the Kerry-Lugar amendment, which would restore the $4 billion cut to the FY10 International Affairs Budget. This budget funds global AIDS programs and humanitarian aid to war torn regions like Darfur, as well as critical development and diplomatic initiatives that will save live and improve America's relations with the rest of the world. I hope Senator XXXX will co-sponsor the Kerry-Lugar Amendment so the US can keep its promises to the people of the world who need it most. We need to robustly fund PEPFAR, humanitarian aid for Darfur and other key programs which fall under the International Affairs budget.
The global economic crisis makes Foreign Assistance an even greater priority. The world's most vulnerable people need support to protect themselves from disease, ill health and the horrors of war. Please take action today, and use the ShareThis link below to spread the word to friends, family and colleagues via email, Facebook, Twitter, your blog, etc.
Call your Senator today to prevent drastic cuts in the International Affairs Budget, and urge them to support this amendment and oppose any other cuts that would seriously jeopardize vital global programs in health and development.