The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs boosted funding for State Department educational and cultural exchanges in FY 2011 by more than $19 million, to $654.277 million. The counterpart House Subcommittee funded exchanges at only $635 million for FY 2011. While it is uncertain when Congress will finish with its appropriations work, it is still important that your elected officials hear from you in support of exchange programs.

We urge you to contact your Senators and Representatives and ask them to support the Senate funding level for international exchange programs of $654.277 million. A sample letter is available for use on the Alliance website. Edit it as you see fit, or feel free to send along the letter as is—either way, the process will take you but a few minutes to complete. Also, please share this call to action with your staff, members, and/or chapters in order to garner as many voices in support of exchange as possible.