Congress appropriates funding for the world’s most vulnerable through the International Affairs Budget. More concisely, the International Affairs Budget supports U.S. diplomatic engagements, foreign assistance and international aid and development programs.Traditionally, this budget, which accounts for less than 1% of the overall federal budget, is used to bring stability to fragile or conflict-affected populations, deals with environmental issues and natural disasters, helps implement agricultural programs to prevent hunger, broadly promotes American national security efforts and aids in fighting infectious disease. In recent years, the International Affairs Budget has intensified in importance as an estimated 345.2 million people were projected to be food insecure in 2023. As a result, the number of people experiencing extreme poverty has increased as well. The International Affairs Budget enables the U.S. to help those who need it most worldwide. By promoting American soft-power, foreign assistance and development programs facilitate job creation and reduce tendencies toward extremism. For these reasons, and among others, Congress amplified bipartisan support for the International Affairs Budget and rejected proposed cuts in years past. However, foreign aid spending was cut in fiscal year 2024. This dangerous decrease in funding will only make matters worse and cloud the U.S.'s leadership role in the world. Now more than ever, it is vital that Congress prioritizes international funding and provides relief to the world's most vulnerable communities, in turn, protecting the health and security of all Americans. Encourage your representatives to protect the International Affairs Budget.