Senators urge rescission of Proclamation suspending J-1 visas
On March 17, Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Angus King (I-ME) sent a letter to President Joe Biden urging the rescission of former-President Donald Trump’s ban on seasonal, employer-sponsored, and...Pennsylvania Appropriator Stresses Power of Exchanges During House Hearing on FY2018 State Department Budget
During this week’s House State-Foreign Operations (SFOPS) Appropriations Subcommittee Hearing on the administration’s FY2018 budget request for the Department of State, Pennsylvania Congressman Charlie Dent (R) voiced his strong support for educational and cultural exchange programs and expressed concern about the 55% cut to exchange program funding proposed by the Trump administration for FY2018.
Exchange Programs Highlighted During Senate Hearing on FY2018 State Department Budget
Educational and cultural exchange programs were mentioned twice during a hearing of the Senate State-Foreign Operations (SFOPS) Appropriations Subcommittee this week. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson appeared before the committee to review the administration’s FY2018 budget request for the U.S. Department of State.
Continuing Resolution Until April 2017 Signed into Law
After approval in both Chambers of Congress last week, President Barack Obama signed into law an FY 2017 continuing resolution (CR) that will keep the government funded until April 28, 2017, at the fiscal cap of $1.07 trillion, CQ.com reported. The legislation allocates a total of “$58.8 billion for the International Affairs Budget, an increase of $4.2 billion (8%) above FY16 levels”, according to the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition.
Congress Approves First State Department Authorization Bill in 14 years
For the first time in 14 years, Congress approved and sent to President Obama to be signed into law, a Department of State Authorization Act (S.1635), as announced in a Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) press release.