Earlier this week, the Alliance sent out a call to contact your Senators and urge them to support full funding of the President’s $58.8 billion FY 2011 International Affairs Budget request. According to the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, only 12 Senators have signed the bipartisan letter in support of full funding for the IR budget [new signers to date: Akaka (D-HI), Cardin (D-MD), Casey (D-PA), Collins (R-ME), Gillibrand (D-NY), Lautenberg (D-NJ), and Shaheen (D-NH)].

Please contact your Senators and engage your networks immediately to help ensure the Senate sends a strong, bipartisan message in support of the FY 2011 International Affairs Budget request. You and your members can contact your Senators using the template available on the Alliance website.

The bipartisan letter – led by Senators John Kerry (D-MA), Richard Lugar (R-IN), Christopher Bond (R-MO), Richard Durbin (D-IL), and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) – is circulating in the Senate and seeks full funding for the International Affairs Budget. The letter calls upon Appropriations Committee Chair Daniel Inouye (D-HI) and Ranking Member Thad Cochran (R-MS) to support the President’s full $58.8 billion request in the 302(b) allocations. We face an exceedingly difficult budget environment on Capitol Hill, so it’s critical that we secure a large number of Senators to sign this important letter.

Senators need to know they have their constituents’ support for the International Affairs Budget. Anything less than the request level of $58.8 billion will greatly hamper the Administration's efforts to implement a smart power strategy in order to elevate diplomacy and international exchange programs in U.S. global engagement.

Thank you for your action in support of international affairs and exchanges.