House appropriations subcommittee bill funds ECA at $647 million for FY27

47 Presidential Admini...Appropriations
Written By Adrienne Jacobs

In a rejection of the Administration’s recent budget request, the House National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs (NSRP, formerly SFOPS) Subcommittee proposed funding the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) at $647 million. In addition to the topline funding number, the bill: 

  • Specifically mentions funding the Fulbright Program at no less than $287.8 million; 

  • Retains language ensuring that the Secretary of State consults with Congress no later than 30 days after the bill is enacted on the allocation of program funds;  

  • Retains language ensuring that any major program changes planned by the Department of State must be run by Congress and; 

  • Retains a provision that any regulatory changes made by the executive branch to BridgeUSA exchange programs must be done pursuant to the congressional requirements of formal rulemaking specified in the Administrative Procedure Act.   

While nearly three times the $215 million proposed in the President’s Budget Request, this funding still falls well short of the $667 million enacted for FY26, and the $700.95 million the Alliance has requested for FY27. There are also notable protections included in the FY26 enacted bill that are absent in this one, including: 

  • No specific mention of funding levels for flagship ECA programs including the Gilman Program, International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), and Young Leaders Programs; and 

  • No language requiring funds be sent to ECA by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) no later than 60 days after the bill is enacted. 

We appreciate the committee’s continued bipartisan support for exchanges in a challenging fiscal environment but must keep pushing throughout the appropriations cycle to secure the robust funding  and oversight these programs require. We look forward to supporting collaboration between the House and Senate to ensure exchanges are fully funded and protected in FY27.  

The full bill text can be viewed here. Language on ECA funding and provisions can be found on pages 4, 5, and 125. 

Adrienne Jacobs

Assistant Director and Head of Advocacy and Government Relations

Adrienne Jacobs joined the Alliance as Assistant Director and Head of Advocacy and Government Relations in 2024 after nearly seven years of work on the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders at IREX. Prior to the Fellowship, Adrienne worked for two years on the Senate Budget Committee for then Ranking Member Senator Bernard Sanders. She excels at program and government relations, partnership building, and strategic planning, and is eager to use her combined experience and expertise in her role at the Alliance.

Adrienne has a bachelor’s in International Relations and Diplomacy from Schiller International University and a master’s in Peace Research and Security Policy from the University of Hamburg, both in Germany where she studied abroad.

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President’s FY27 budget proposes 68% cut to Department of State exchange programs