HIAS Condemns House Bill’s Cuts to International Humanitarian Assistance

HIAS joins its NGO partners in condemning the State Department, Foreign Operations and Related Programs (SFOPs) bill for Fiscal Year 2024, which was approved by the House Appropriations Committee today. The bill includes untenable cuts to international humanitarian assistance that is essential to provide support to some of the world’s most vulnerable populations, including refugees and other displaced people around the globe.

“The House bill that passed out of committee today slashes SFOPs funding by nearly 30% overall for Fiscal Year 2024, and we are gravely concerned, given the unprecedented and growing number of forcibly displaced people seeking protection around the world,” said Elizabeth Mandelman, HIAS’ Senior Director, International Advocacy. “The proposed cuts would threaten critical life-saving humanitarian assistance and services for refugees and other displaced populations around the world, and undermine U.S. investment in life-sustaining humanitarian aid. We urge House members to step back from this disastrous proposal, and instead work to restore U.S. leadership on international humanitarian protection by providing adequate funding for critical international programming, as global crises only continue to grow.”

For decades, on an annual basis, Congress has reauthorized the Lautenberg amendment, making it possible for religious minorities from Former Soviet Union countries and Iran to join their family members in the United States. We urge the House to once again continue this proud tradition by including the Lautenberg amendment in the text of its final appropriations bill.

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