After releasing his top-line request of $53.9 billion for the FY10 International Affairs Budget over two months ago, on May 7th, President Obama announced details of how he proposes to allocate the total. The FY10 International Affairs Budget request remains $4.1 billion, or 8.2% higher than enacted and pending appropriations for FY09, although a final comparison will need to wait until Congress concludes consideration of a $7.1 billion FY09 supplemental request.

The request increases the International Affairs Budget by $4.1 billion, which represents only 0.18% of the overall FY10 Budget request. Putting this in perspective:

• The entire International Affairs Budget is a mere 1.4% of the total FY10 Budget.
• The International Affairs Budget represents only 7% of the ‘national security budget’, which includes defense and homeland security.
• Even at this level of funding, the International Affairs Budget represents only 0.36% of GDP.

Read the full USGLC Analysis on the President’s FY10 International Affairs Budget Request