Congressional Showdown Looms on International Family Planning Assistance

In late September, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a State Department and Foreign Operations Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2012 that would provide $700 million for international family planning assistance, including $40 million for the United Nations Population Fund. The Senate action would boost funding by $85 million over this year’s appropriation level ($615 million).

The Senate Committee’s action sets up a budget battle with the House, where an Appropriations Subcommittee in July approved only $461 million, a 25 percent cut from the current funding level. The difference between the House and the Senate will have to be resolved through upcoming budget negotiations. The new fiscal year began on October 1, but neither the House nor the Senate has completed action on the State Department and Foreign Operations Appropriations bill. The Federal government is presently operating under a “continuing resolution” that provides temporary funding for federal programs until a final resolution is reached.

http://www.populationinstitute.org/newsroom/press/view/42/  

http://blog.populationinstitute.org/2011/09/23/family-planning-the-best-of-times-the-worst-of-times/