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R47579 — Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs: FY2024 Budget and Appropriations

Reports · published 2024-07-16 · v13 · Active · crsreports.congress.gov ↗

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Authors
Cory R. Gill · Emily M. McCabe
Report id
R47579
Summary

Each year, Congress considers 12 distinct appropriations measures to fund federal programs and activities. One of these is the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (SFOPS) appropriations bill, which includes funding for U.S. diplomatic activities; cultural exchanges; development, security, and humanitarian assistance; and participation in multilateral organizations, among other international activities. On March 9, 2023, the Biden Administration released its proposed FY2024 budget request, which called for $69.69 billion in new budget authority for SFOPS accounts, or $69.42 billion when including proposed rescissions of prior year funding. The FY2024 request, including rescissions, represented a 16.0% increase from FY2023 enacted base appropriations (excluding emergency funding responding to Russia’s war in Ukraine). Consistent with previous budget requests and annual SFOPS appropriations measures, the budget request divided SFOPS into two main components: Department of State and Related Agency. These accounts, which are provided in Title I of the SFOPS bill, primarily support Department of State diplomatic and security activities. The FY2024 base proposal included $19.53 billion for Title I accounts, representing a 12.3% increase from FY2023 enacted base appropriations and a 11.3% increase from total FY2023 enacted levels. Foreign Operations and Related Programs. These accounts, which are provided in Titles II-VI of the SFOPS bill, fund most foreign assistance activities and would see a total of $50.16 billion for FY2024, a 16.4% increase when compared with FY2023 enacted base levels and a 21.7% decrease when compared with total FY2023 enacted levels. On July 12, 2023, the House Appropriations Committee approved its version of the FY2024 SFOPS appropriations bill. The full House amended and approved the measure on September 28, 2023. The bill would have provided a total of $53.93 billion in new budget authority for SFOPS ($40.53 billion after rescissions). Of that total, the bill would have provided $14.53 billion for Department of State and Related Agency accounts and $39.40 billion for Foreign Operations and Related Programs accounts. On July 20, 2023, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved its FY2024 SFOPS appropriations measure, which would have provided $63.03 billion in new budget authority ($61.77 after rescissions). Of that total, the bill would have provided $17.96 billion for Department of State and Related Agency accounts and $45.07 billion for Foreign Operations and Related Programs accounts, of which $3.25 billion was designated as emergency funding. On August 10, 2023, the Biden Administration proposed $10.85 billion in FY2024 emergency supplemental SFOPS funding. Such funds would support U.S. assistance for Ukraine and countries affected by the war in Ukraine, respond to irregular migration within the Western Hemisphere, and other Administration priorities for SFOPS such as international infrastructure and countering Russian malign actors in Africa. With this supplemental request, the Administration’s request for FY2024 SFOPS funding totaled $80.27 billion after rescissions. On October 20, 2023, the Biden Administration proposed $34.45 billion in additional FY2024 emergency supplemental SFOPS funding. Such funds would support (1) Israel in the wake of the Hamas attacks, (2) Ukraine “as it defends its sovereignty,” (3) deterrence in the Indo-Pacific, and (4) security at the U.S. Southwest border. This second supplemental request brought the Administration’s total request for FY2024 SFOPS funding to $114.72 billion, net of rescissions. Congress passed a series of continuing resolutions (CRs) to fund federal government agencies in FY2024, largely at FY2023 levels, into March 2024. The House and Senate, on March 22 and 23, respectively, passed the FY2024 Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, a “minibus” of six appropriations bills. The measure was signed by President Biden on March 23 and became P.L. 118-47. The act included $58.97 billion for SFOPS, net of rescissions, of which $2.5 billion was designated as emergency funds. Of the total, $17.44 billion was for Department of State and Related Agency accounts and $43.81 billion for Foreign Operations and Related Programs accounts. On April 20, 2024, the House passed three bills—H.R. 8034, H.R. 8035, and H.R. 8036—making supplemental appropriations for Israel, Ukraine, and the Indo-Pacific, respectively. The Senate rolled the measures with others into one package, passing it on April 23. The President signed the bill on April 24, and it became P.L. 118-50. Divisions A, B, and C of the act include a combined $26.81 billion for SFOPS accounts, bringing total enacted SFOPS appropriations for FY2024 thus far to $88.05 billion: $17.71 billion for Department of State and Related Agency accounts and $70.34 billion for Foreign Operations and Related Programs accounts. Net of rescissions, the total appropriated for FY2024 thus far is $85.77 billion. In the appendix of this report, Table A-1 provides an account-by-account comparison of the FY2024 request to FY2023 enacted and FY2022 actual (allotted) funding levels. Table A-2 offers a similar comparison focused specifically on the International Affairs budget. Both appendices will be updated to reflect congressional action. Figure A-1 depicts the SFOPS account structure. This report tracks SFOPS budget requests and appropriations, comparing funding levels for accounts and purposes. It does not provide extensive analysis of international affairs policy issues. For in-depth analysis and contextual information on international affairs issues, consult the wide range of CRS reports on specific subjects, such as global health, diplomatic security, and U.S. participation in the United Nations. Table A-3 in the appendix includes a list of CRS experts who may be consulted for additional information within their respective issue areas. For more information on SFOPS accounts, see CRS Report R40482, Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations: A Guide to Component Accounts, by Cory R. Gill and Emily M. McCabe.

Bills cited (8)

Curated by CRS — every bill listed in this report's relatedMaterials. Edge type cited_in_report, gold confidence.

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