Feinstein, DeWine Lead Group of 30 Senators in Call for Increased U.S. Foreign Aid Funding - Senators Assert Increase Will Help Fight War on Terror



	Feinstein, DeWine Lead Group of 30 Senators in Call for Increased U.S. Foreign Aid Funding - Senators Assert Increase Will Help Fight War on Terror - February 15, 2002 Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Mike DeWine (R-Ohio) and 28 of their colleagues today urged the Senate Budget Committee Chairman to significantly increase U.S. foreign affairs funding in the Fiscal Year 2003 budget in order to promote greater national security. In a letter to Senator Kent Conrad (D-North Dakota), chair of the Senate Budget Committee, the Senators said, "As you begin work on the Fiscal Year 2003 Budget, we urge you to support significantly increased foreign affairs funding as a necessary and effective tool to promote U.S. national security interests around the globe. Given the new realities of the post-September 11^th world, we strongly believe that combating poverty and promoting democratic government are both vital strategic objectives and moral imperatives for the United States." "For decades, foreign affairs programs have advanced U.S. national security interests by strengthening democratic institutions and market economies. Nevertheless, at a time when those interests are most threatened, our foreign affairs budget is barely 0.1 percent of Gross Domestic Product and less than one percent of the overall budget - with development assistance less than half of that. These percentages place the U.S. last among G-7 countries. "Today, a third of the world's people barely survive on $2 per day. Just as we must have adequate resources to preempt and respond to terrorist attacks, so too must we address the conditions that foster terrorism: widespread illiteracy, hunger and disease, and the lack of access to democratic institutions. An increase in the foreign affairs budget, with a focus on programs to combat poverty and strengthen democracy, will help save lives and provide economic opportunities through improvements in education, health, shelter and food security. It will also provide the United States with reliable partners committed to combating international terrorism, narcotics trafficking, and the spread of weapons of mass destruction. In the wake of the September 11th attacks, we have a unique opportunity to rededicate ourselves to the cause of promoting peace and stability abroad, building respect for America and our values, and protecting vital U.S. national security interests. We must not let our foreign affairs budget continue to fall short of what is needed. Moreover, we believe that there are sufficient resources within the $2.13 trillion budget submitted by the President to support significantly increased amounts for foreign affairs funding." The other Senators signing on to the letter were Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), Lincoln Chafee (R-Rhode Island), Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.), Harry Reid (D-Nevada), Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), Mary Landrieu (D-Louisiana), Arlen Specter (R-Penn.), Jeff Bingaman (D-New Mexico), Bob Graham (D-Florida), Richard Lugar (R-Indiana), Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.), Charles Schumer (D-New York), John Kerry (D-Mass.), Robert Torricelli (D-New Jersey), Paul Wellstone (D-Minn.), Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Russ Feingold (D-Wisconsin), James Jeffords (I-Vermont), Herb Kohl (D-Wisconsin) Jon Corzine (D-New Jersey), Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan), Richard Durbin (D-Illinois), Barbara Mikulski (D-Maryland), Maria Cantwell (D-Washington), Edward M. Kennedy (D-Massachusetts), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Patty Murray (D-Washington). # # #