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Wednesday's global agenda: Foreign aid in the crosshairs
Your morning global affairs speed-read
The fight over spending for the State Department and foreign operations starts today with the subcommittee markup of the $40.1 billion House appropriations bill.
The bill cuts spending by $2 billion — 5 percent — below fiscal 2012 levels, and slashes monies for programs such as Clean Technology and Strategic Climate funds, UNESCO and multilateral development banks. The cuts have already been denounced by the top Democratic appropriator, who urged the House to adopt the higher spending level agreed to in last year's Budget Control Act.
Big fights are expected over the bill's policy riders, which include: reinstating the Mexico City Policy on withholding funding for nongovernmental organizations that provide abortions; prohibiting funding for the U.N. Population Fund; and other abortion restrictions.
The bill also sets new restrictions on some multilateral and bilateral programs:
• No funding for the Human Rights Council unless the secretary of State certifies that it is in the national interest, and unless the Council stops what the Republicans call its “anti-Israel agenda”;
• No operating funds for Afghanistan until a transition plan is submitted and no assistance until certifications that proper security is in place for civilian aid workers can be made;
• No economic and security assistance to Pakistan unless the government of Pakistan is cooperating with the United States on counterterrorism efforts and other issues;
• No economic and security assistance for Egypt if the government does not adhere to the peace treaty with Israel, and until the secretary of State certifies that additional conditions have been met, including respect for due process of law; and
• No economic assistance to the Palestinian Authority if the Palestinians obtain membership at the United Nations or its specialized agencies without an agreement with Israel.
Israel: The House votes on legislation to extend a loan guarantee program to Israel and reaffirm the U.S. commitment to its security.
Middle East: The House Foreign Affairs panel's subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia holds a hearing on “Assessing U.S. Foreign Policy Priorities and Needs Amidst Economic Challenges in the Middle East.” Key countries that are likely to be discussed include Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Bahrain and Iran. Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs Jeffrey Feltman will testify.
Turkey: Council on Foreign Relations task force co-chairmen Madeleine Albright and Stephen Hadley urge a “new partnership” with Turkey to help navigate the Arab Spring, Syria's crisis and Iran's rise. Read their report here.
Syria: Senate Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-Mass.) tells The Cable it's time to consider safe zones and arming the opposition in Syria.
Afghanistan: Iran is raising pressure on Afghanistan to scuttle a newly signed security accord with the United States, threatening to deport Afghan refugees and migrant workers if Afghanistan's parliament ratifies the deal, The Wall Street Journal reports.
China: The New York Times details the twists of diplomacy in the negotiations over Chen Guangcheng.
Finally, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) is now a citizen of Switzerland, reports Politico.
What you might have missed on Global Affairs:
Kerry calls Lugar's primary defeat a 'tragedy' for the Senate
Chamber of Commerce report urges continued investment in Europe
Biden faults Bush for Iran's nuclear progress
Arab League chief: Syria on its way to 'civil war'
