“Haggling in Congress over bills to fund the state department and foreign operations in 2012 are worrying for those of us seeking to address global poverty and climate change, and respond to famine and other disasters,” Samuel Worthington, president and CEO of InterAction, writes in the Guardian’s “Poverty Matters Blog.” 

“While specific account figures are not given in talks over raising the debt ceiling, the U.S. NGO community fears associated cuts to what is known as ‘discretionary spending’ will translate into less for poverty-focused development and humanitarian assistance,” Worthington writes, continuing, “We can learn from Britain, where budgets are similarly strained and there is a view that targeting international development is not prudent. Money may be saved in the short-term but would lead to major security, humanitarian and global health headaches later on” (8/1).