Building the Foundation: Supporting Appropriations for Global Development Priorities (updated 3/30)
When we sit down to balance our own checkbooks or try to plan ahead for our family’s needs, we prioritize the basics – ensuring everyone is healthy and that our kids get the most out of each opportunity.
Every year, Congress has the chance to do the same, and to support programs that help families around the world access the same basic opportunities – staying healthy and going to school.
Since February we’ve had two focuses, getting face-to-face meetings with member of Congress, and making appropriations asks for fiscal year 2016 (FY16). Asking a member of Congress to support appropriations for poverty-focused development is one of the most powerful requests you can make on the issues of global health and basic education this year. The annual appropriations process is a time to influence how we prioritize our funding for issues that provide care and access to services to the most vulnerable, and it is also an opportunity to get your members of Congress to raise their voices on this issue with their peers through congressional “sign-on” letters.
REMEMBER – A “sign-on” letter is circulated by members of Congress (like a petition) to get other members of Congress to sign on to show their support for an issue (also called a “Dear Colleague”). These letters can have a lot of sway with appropriators when a strong number of their colleagues are asking them to support a cause – especially if it shows bipartisan support!
Below are several letters to appropriators supporting robust funding for 1) Global Tuberculosis, 2) Maternal and Child Health, including Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and Nutrition 3) Basic Education, including the Global Partnership for Education, and 4) Global AIDS.
Check below and continue to check this blog as it will be updated to let you know who has signed on to the letters. You can also find last year’s appropriations letters here, and a longer term Congressional Scorecard of actions your representatives and senators have taken over the past 6-7 years through 2014 on this page.
Closed Senate Letters
FY16 Senate Global Fund and PEPFAR Dear Colleague Letter:
- Bipartisan letter led by Sen. Isakson (R-GA) and Sen. Coons (D-DE)
- Asks appropriators for maintaining our commitment to the Global Fund and keep PEPFAR funding at pace to continue momentum on AIDS treatment goals
SENATE Global Fund and PEPFAR Letter (31 signers): Coons (D-DE), Isakson (R-GA), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), James Inhofe (R-OK), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Gary Peters (D-MI), Sanders (I-VT), Schumer (D-NY), Shaheen (D-NH), Stabenow (D-MI), Rubio (R-FL), Udall (D-NM), Warren (D-MA), Whitehouse (D-RI), Wyden (D-OR)
FY16 Senate Basic Education Dear Colleague Letter:
- Bipartisan letter led by Sen. Isakson (R-GA) and Sen. Feinstein (D-CA)
- Asks appropriators for robust funding for Basic Education and the Global Partnership for Education
FINAL SENATE Basic Education and Global Partnership for Education Letter (16 signers): Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Gary C. Peters (D-MI), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
FY16 Maternal and Child Health, Gavi, and Nutrition Dear Colleague Letter:
- Bipartisan letter led by Sen. Boxer (D-CA) and Sen. Collins (R-ME)
- Asks appropriators for robust funding for maternal and child health, Gavi, and nutrition to support ending preventable maternal and child deaths
FINAL SENATE Maternal and Child Health, Gavi and Nutrition Letter (28 signers): Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Al Franken (D-MN), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Gary Peters (D-MI), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Shelly Whitehouse (D-RI), Ron Wyden (D-OR)
House Letters
FY16 House Global TB Dear Colleague Letter:
- Bipartisan letter led by Reps. Engel (D-NY), Don Young (R-AK), Gene Green (D-TX)
- Asks appropriators for $400 million for the bilateral tuberculosis program at USAID
FINAL HOUSE Bilateral Tuberculosis Letter – 49 signers: Eliot Engel (D-NY), Don Young (R-AK), Gene Green (D-TX), Andre Carson (D-IN), Matt Cartwright (D-PA), Joaquin Castro (D-TX), David Cicilline (D-RI), Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI), Joseph Crowley (D-NY), Elijah Cummings (D-MD), Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT), Theodore E. Deutch (D-TX), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Donna F. Edwards (D-MD), Keith Ellison (D-MN), Chaka Fattah (D-PA), Bill Foster (D-IL), Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), Alan Grayson (D-FL), Raúl M. Grijalva (D-CA), Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL), Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), Rick Larsen (D-WA), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Sander Levin (D-MI), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Jim McDermott (D-WA), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Donald Norcross (D-NJ), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), David Price (D-NC), Charles B. Rangel (D-NY), Janice D. Schakowksy (D-IL), Adam B. Schiff (D-CA), Albio Sires (D-NJ), Dina Titus (D-NV), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Juan Vargas (D-CA), Marc Veasey (D-TX), Filemon Vela (D-TX), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Frederica S. Wilson (D-FL)
FY16 House Maternal and Child Health, Gavi, and Nutrition Dear Colleague Letter:
- Bipartisan letter led by Reps. Reichert (R-WA), McCollum (D-MN), Schock (R-IL), Capps (D-CA), and McCaul (R-TX)
- Asks appropriators for robust funding for Maternal and Child Health Account – including Gavi, and Robust funding for the Nutrition Account in Global Health at USAID
FINAL HOUSE Maternal and Child Health, Gavi and Nutrition Letter – 128 signers: Dave Reichert (R-WA), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Michael McCaul (R-TX), Lois Capps (D-CA), Aaron Schock (R-IL), Karen Bass (D-CA), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Amy Bera (D-CA), Donald Beyer (D-VA), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Brendan Boyle (D-PA), Corrine Brown (D-FL), Julia Brownley (D-CA), G. K. Butterfield (D-NC), Andre Carson (D-IN), Matt Cartwright (D-PA), David Cicilline (D-RI), Katherine Clark (D-MA), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Wm. Lacy Clay (D-MO), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Gerald E. Connolly (D-VA), John Conyers (D-MI), Ryan Costello (R-PA), Joseph Crowley (D-NY), Elijah Cummings (D-MD), Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Susan A. Davis (D-CA), Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Diana DeGette (D-CO), John Delany (D-MD), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Ted Deutch (D-FL), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Donna F. Edwards (D-MD), Keith Ellison (D-MN), Renee Ellmers (R-NC), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Elizabeth Esty (D-CT), Sam Farr (D-CA), Chaka Fattah (D-PA), Michael Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Lois Frankel (D-FL), Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), John Garamendi (D-CA), Gwen Graham (D-FL), Alan Grayson (D-FL), Al Green (D-TX), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-CA), Janice Hahn (D-CA), Alcee Hastings (D-FL), Denny Heck (D-WA), James Himes (D-CT), Mike Honda (D-CA), Lynn Jenkins (R-KS), Hank Johnson (D-GA), William Keating (D-MA), Joseph Kennedy III (D-MA), Dan Kildee (D-MI), Ron Kind (D-WI), Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), Ann McLane Kuster (D-NH), Leonard Lance (R-NJ), Rick Larsen (D-WA), Brenda Lawrence (D-MI), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), John Lewis (D-GA), Sanders Levin (D-MI), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Tom MacArthur (R-NJ), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Jim McDermott (D-WA), James McGovern (D-MA), Jerry McNerney (CA), Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Grace Meng (D-NY), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Donald Norcross (D-NJ), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Beto O’Rourke (D-TX), Frank Pallone, Jr., (D-NJ), Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ), Donald Payne, Jr. (D-NJ), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Robert Pittenger (R-NC), Stacey Plaskett (D-VI), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Jared Polis (D-CO), David Price (D-NC), Charlie Rangel (D-NY), Dennis Ross (R-FL), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), John P. Sarbanes (D-MD), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Bobby Scott (D-VA), David Scott (D-GA), Albio Sires (D-NJ), Adam Smith (D-WA), Jackie Speier (D-CA), Mark Takano (D-CA), Dina Titus (D-NV), Juan Vargas (D-CA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Marc Veasey (D-TX), Filemon Vela (D-TX), Ann Wagner (R-MO), Maxine Waters (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VA), Frederica Wilson (D-FL), John Yarmuth (D-KY), Don Young (R-AK)
FY16 House Basic Education and Global Partnership for Education Dear Colleague Letter:
- Bipartisan letter led by Reps. Reichert (R-WA) and McDermott (D-WA)
- Asks appropriators for robust funding for Basic Education and the Global Partnership for Education
FINAL HOUSE Basic Education and Global Partnership for Education Letter – 87 signers: Jim McDermott (D-WA), Dave Reichert (R-WA), Karen Bass (D-CA), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Brendan F. Boyle (D-PA), Julia Brownley (D-CA), G.K. Butterfield (D-NC), Lois Capps (D-CA), Michael E. Capuano (D-MA), Andre Carson (D-IN), Matt Cartwright (D-PA), Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Judy Chu (D-CA), David Cicilline (D-RI), Katherine M. Clark (D-MA), Yvette D. Clarke (D-NY), Steve Cohen (D-TN), John Conyers (D-MI), Joseph Courtney (D-CT), Joseph Crowley (D-NY), Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD), Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Susan A. Davis (D-CA). Peter A. DeFazio (D-OR), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Ted Deutch (D-FL), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Donna Edwards (D-MD), Keith Ellison (D-MN), Elizabeth Esty (D-CT), Chaka Fattah (D-PA) , Lois Frankel (D-FL), Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), John Garamendi (D-CA), Raul M. Grijalva (D-AZ), Janice Hahn (D-CA), Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL), Denny Heck (D-WA), Michael M. Honda (D-CA), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), Hank C. Johnson (D-GA), William Keating (D-MA), Ron Kind (D-WI), Rick Larsen (D-WA), Brenda Lawrence (D-MI), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Sander M. Levin (D-MI), John Lewis (D-GA), Dave Loebsack (D-IA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA).. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), Michael McCaul (R-TX), Jim McGovern (D-MA), Jerry McNerney (D-CA), Grace Meng (D-NY), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Grace F. Napolitano (D-CA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-NJ), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Jared Polis (D-CO), David E. Price (D-NC), Charles B. Rangel (D-NY), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), Bobby L. Rush (D-IL), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Adam B. Schiff (D-CA), Albio Sires (D-NJ), Adam Smith (D-WA), Jackie Speier (D-CA), Dina Titus (D-NV), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Juan C. Vargas (D-CA), Marc Veasey (D-TX), Tim Walz (D-MN), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Maxine Waters (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Frederica S. Wilson (D-FL), John Yarmuth (D-KY)
FY16 House Global Fund and PEPFAR Dear Colleague Letter:
- Led by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA)
- Asks for robust funding for the Global Fund and PEPFAR
FINAL HOUSE Global Fund and PEPFAR Letter 104 signers: Barbara Lee (D-CA), Karen Bass (D-CA), Ami Bera, M.D. (D-CA), Donald S. Beyer, Jr (D-VA), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Robert A. Brady (D-PA), Corrine Brown (D-FL), Lois Capps (D-CA), Michael E. Capuano (D-MA), Tony Cárdenas (D-CA), Andre Carson (D-IN), Matt Cartwright (D-PA), Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Judy Chu (D-CA), David Cicilline (D-RI), Katherine Clark (D-MA), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Wm. Lacy Clay (D-MO), Emanuel Cleaver II (D-MO), Steve Cohen (D-TN), John Conyers (D-MI), Joe Crowley (D-NY), Elijah Cummings (D-MD), Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Susan Davis (D-CA), Peter DeFazio (D-OR), John K. Delaney (D-MD), Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Donna F. Edwards (D-MD), Keith Ellison (D-MN), Elliot Engel (D-NY), Elizabeth H. Esty (D-CT), Chaka Fattah (D-PA), Lois Frankel (D-FL), Marcia L. Fudge (D-OH), Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI), Alan Grayson (D-FL), Al Green (D-TX), Raul Grijalva (D-CA), Luis V. Gutiérrez (D-IL), Alcee Hastings (D-FL), Denny Heck (D-WA), Jim Himes (D-CT), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Mike Honda (D-CA), Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), Hank Johnson (D-GA), William R. Keating (D-MA), Joseph Kennedy III (D-MA), Dan Kildee (D-MI), Anne McLane Kuster (D-NH), Rick Larsen (D-WA), John Larson (D-CT), Brenda Lawrence (D-MI), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Sander Levin (D-MI), John Lewis (D-GA), Dave Loebsack (D-IA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Jim McDermott (D-WA), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Jerry McNerney (D-NM), Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Grace Meng (D-NY), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Donald Norcross (D-NJ), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Beto O’Rourke (D-TX), Frank Pallone, Jr., (D-NJ), Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-NJ), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Mark Pocan (D-WI), David Price (D-NC), Charlie Rangel (D-NY), Cedric Richmond (D-LA), Lucille Roybal Allard (D-CA), Bobby L. Rush (D-IL), Linda T. Sánchez (D-CA), John P. Sarbanes (D-MD), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Bobby Scott (D-VA), David Scott (D-AL), Terri A. Sewell (D-AL), Albio Sires (D-NJ), Adam Smith (D-WA), Jackie Speier (D-CA), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Mark Takano (D-CA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Juan Vargas (D-CA), Marc Veasey (D-TX), Filemon Vela (D-TX), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Maxine Waters (D-CA), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Frederica S. Wilson (D-FL)
Other things to know:
Appropriations deadlines are set in the House:
- The final deadline for the House State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee of Appropriations is MARCH 25. So that means all members of Congress must set earlier internal deadlines in their own offices to meet that.
- The only way to know a particular office deadline is to look it up on their website or to call/email the office to check.
Appropriations deadlines are set in the Senate:
- The final deadline for the Senate State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee of Appropriations is MARCH 30.
Making the Asks:
- Each office may require you to fill out a form to make an official appropriations request for their office. If you have any questions or need support in filling out the form, please let me know! I’m happy to help out.
- All of our appropriations requests can be found here: https://results.org/issues/appropriations/
FY 2016 Appropriations Background and Request Sheets:
- FY 2016 Child Health and Nutrition Request
- FY 2016 Tuberculosis Request
- FY 2016 Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Request
- FY 2016 Global Partnership for Education Request
Remember to prioritize your asks – don’t ask for EVERYTHING, but really pick what will work best with your members.
Here’s a recap of the RESULTS asks for FY2016:
Program |
FY2015 Enacted |
RESULTS FY2016 request |
President’s FY2016 Request |
Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria |
$1.35 billion |
$1.35 billion |