Make US Strong » Nick Samonas

House Appropriations Proposes Cuts to Development

Nick Samonas — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 17:19:44 +0000

Earlier this week, the House Appropriations Committee released the FY 2013 funding allocations for each appropriations subcommittee. The twelve bills add up to match the $1.028 trillion discretionary spending budget approved by the House Budget Resolution earlier this year, but the total amount is still $19 billion short of the agreement reached in the Budget Control Act last year. State and Foreign Operations (i.e. the account that Make US Strong is fighting to protect) received a deep cut: the House allocated only $48.3 billion to the essential State and Foreign Operations account, a staggering $5 billion less than the Senate’s proposal. These dangerous cuts — which make up the majority of funding for international development and diplomacy funding — directly threaten our national security. By cutting these programs, the House severely limits the effectiveness of two of our greatest security tools: development and diplomacy.

It is disappointing to see these cuts put forth by the House, especially after the Senate’s appropriations proposal was nearly equal to last year’s. In order to continue to protect our nation’s security, Congress must be fully committed to not only support our military, but also our development and diplomacy programs.

Mayor: Development Keeps Tallahassee Safe

Nick Samonas — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 16:47:00 +0000

With Janessa Goldbeck gearing up for her Cycle for Security event in Tallahassee tonight, Tallahassee mayor John R. Marks expressed the importance of international development to American security.

In an Op-Ed in the Tallahassee Democrat, Mayor Marks urges the people of Tallahassee to follow in the footsteps of the Greatest Generation by supporting strong international development programs in order to maintain global and American security:

“International development programs assist other nations in building prosperity, establishing responsible, transparent governments, and developing quality education for their children. Development is not charity, but a long-term investment in global stability that keeps Americans safe.”

Mayor Marks understands that national security efforts must be multi-faceted as the threats we face; terrorism, unstable regimes, disease, and climate change cannot be solved by military strength alone. To ensure national and global security, we must protect funding for our international development programs.

National Security Message of Ryan’s Budget is Doubtful

Nick Samonas — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 18:22:53 +0000

Congressman Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) budget resolution for fiscal year 2013 is catching a good deal of criticism for its cuts to International Affairs. The Ryan budget calls for nearly an 11% reduction in international development and diplomacy programs, while increasing appropriations for the Department of Defense. Throughout the budget proposal, Ryan stresses that national security should be our nation’s number one priority. However, his dramatic cuts to the International Affairs budget suggest that Ryan does not understand the essential role development and diplomacy play in American and global security.

In an op-ed appearing in The Hill today, Truman National Security Project Vice President and former Army Captain Michael Breen critiqued the proposed cuts to these vital programs. Breen spoke candidly about his experience patrolling the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. His team included only one other soldier who was highly trained for combat missions. The remaining members included a Pashtun-speaking diplomat and a development expert who were trained to work directly with the Afghan community and who understood the local issues at play. Their entire team – and, indeed, the entire Army – understood that the relationship between the military and agencies like the State Department and USAID were vital to ensuring long-term success in the region.

Breen states:

Without that State Department diplomat, my fellow soldiers and I would have been flying blind in our frequent dealings with tribal elders and warlords. Without that USAID development expert, we would have had little to offer local leaders in exchange for their support against the Taliban. Even in the middle of a modern shooting war, it takes a whole of government approach to win.

These non-military experts are just as important to the U.S. mission in Afghanistan today as they were ten years ago. But Rep. Ryan’s budget cuts the funding for these very same State and USAID employees who play an immense role in keeping America safe. Breen said it best: “To meet these challenges, we need every tool at our disposal — and we need them sharp. You can’t fight bioterrorism or stop pandemic disease with a tank. You can’t ward off a cyber-attack with an aircraft carrier. And you can’t circle the wagons against a threat if you’ve only got one wagon.”