The House Appropriations Committee released its binding 302(b) allocations for the 12 Appropriations Subcommittees.  The State, Foreign Operations Subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over the largest component of the International Affairs Budget, was allocated $36.6 billion for FY09 spending.  This is $1.6 billion less than requested by the President and $3.8 billion more than enacted FY08 base funding.

Assuming the $1.3 billion in funding for international food aid programs (P.L. 480) in the Agriculture appropriations and the $300 million transfer to the Global HIV/AIDS Fund contained in the Labor-HHS request, the International Affairs Budget will be funded at $38.2 billion for FY09.  This is very close to the Joint Budget Resolution recommended funding level of $38.3 billion and represents a $3.9 billion increase above FY08 base appropriations.  The Senate is expected to announce its own 302(b) allocations sometime in the next few weeks.