Some more cuts in that Foreign Operations bill of interest

Just a selection of some I found of interest, since media is not covering this. John Kerry just lost his sinecure.

https://appropriations.house.gov/sites/republicans.appropriations.house.gov/files/documents/FY24%20State%20Foreign%20Operations%20and%20Related%20Programs%20-%20Bill%20Summary%20Updated%209.25.23.pdf

BILL HIGHLIGHTS

Cuts to Wasteful Spending

• Reduces program levels by more than $8 billion, which is $288 million below the FY15 enacted level.

• Eliminates funding for United Nations’ regular budget, resulting in savings of $707 million.

• Prohibits funds for other controversial organizations and programs, such as UNFPA, the World Health Organization, and the Gender Equity and Equality Action Fund.

• 40 accounts in the bill are either at or below FY19 levels or eliminated entirely.

o Eliminates 9 accounts, including Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund, International Organizations and Programs, Contribution to the Clean Technology Fund, and Contribution to the Inter-American Development Bank. (Latin American arm of the World Bank)

o Reduces 14 accounts below the FY19 enacted level, including Diplomatic Programs, Contributions to International Organizations, Contributions for International Peacekeeping Activities, USAID Operating Expenses, Economic Support Fund, and Migration and Refugee Assistance.

o Reduces 17 accounts to the FY19 enacted level, including United States Agency for Global Media, Peace Corps, and International Development Association.

• Terminates [aid to] more than 18 programs, including Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), UN Women, UN Montreal Protocol, UN Environment Fund, and World Economic Forum.

• Prohibits funding for Special Envoys, Special Representatives, Special Coordinators and Special Advisors unless such positions are expressly authorized or have affirmatively received the advice and consent of the Senate. This change eliminates 33 Special Envoys and Special Representatives at the Department of State, including the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate (John Kerry) , Special Envoy for Racial Equity and Justice, Special Envoy to Advance the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Persons, Special Envoy for International Labor Affairs, and Special Representative for Palestinian Affairs.

• Prohibits funds for the Green Climate Fund, Clean Technology Fund, and a soon-to-be- established fund for climate damages.

• Prohibits the Treasury Department from carrying out the Biden Administration’s climate agenda at the World Bank and other multilateral development banks, which harms developing countries and opens the door to predatory financing from the PRC.

• Prohibits the Administration’s current practice of co-opting programming, such as that to empower women; advance democracy and freedom; or counter trafficking in persons, to advance its radical global climate change agenda.

• Prohibits funds to the Wuhan Institute of Virology, the EcoHealth Alliance, any gain-of-function research, and labs in adversarial nations like China, Iran, Russia, North Korea, or Cuba