Devex: Budget bill includes small increase for foreign aid, but is it a win?
“While foreign aid funding saw a slight increase in the budget bill approved by the U.S. Congress Thursday, the negotiated numbers also reflect an unusual result — a final amount that is below what appropriators in both the House of Representatives and Senate had approved in their respective bills. The total appropriated for the foreign affairs budget is $54.7 billion, up $467 million from what was enacted in fiscal year 2019. But the amount is lower than budget bills approved by the House and Senate, which included $56.4 billion and $55.15 billion, respectively…” (Saldinger, 12/20).