US Development Policy
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This is a joint post with Owen McCarthy.
The development community breathed a sigh of relief on December 23 when President Obama signed a nine-bill spending package that included healthy funding for the International Affairs budget. But there is more in this behemoth than topline funding numbers. Tucked away in the State, Foreign Operations portion are new income definitions for the Millennium Challenge Corporation’s (MCC) low income and lower middle income country categories.
At first glance, this may seem like news only for MCC wonks and income data nuts, but the new specifications will have far-reaching effects. The new income definitions will create new low income country (LIC) and lower middle income country (LMIC) groups with new indicator medians that could change a country’s passing/failing status. MCC legislation also dictates that only 25% of MCC funds may be used for LMICs; the new income definitions will alter the countries that fall under this cap by altering the income country groups.
The question of whether and how much aid Pakistan will receive has been a hotly contested issue in Congress this year
As the troubling details of the Department of Energy's loan program continue to roll out, I can’t help but think of
This report takes a look at the Obama administration's FY2012 budget request and congressional reaction to gauge the potential for implementing foreign aid reforms as spelled out in the administration's policy documents.
Ben Leo testified before the House Subcommittee on International Monetary Policy and Trade on July 27, 2011 about the importance of multilateral development banks to the United States and the greater world.
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The 113th congress will be sworn in on January 3, and – thanks to term limit rules, and a number of election losses a
This is a joint post with Casey Dunning.
Representative Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) Congressional budget alternative was launched last week to the dismay of the development community. The 99-page Path to Prosperity anticipates a very small role for development and diplomacy in America’s foreign policy. Both areas of the budget take heavy cuts – a near 10 percent reduction from fiscal year 2012.
The Ryan budget is already taking serious heat with its proposals to eliminate Feed the Future and merge USAID development assistance programs with the Millennium Challenge Corporation. But who didn’t see that level of contention coming? What’s really interesting is comparing the Ryan budget against Congressional reaction to recent USAID hearings with Administrator Raj Shah earlier in March. Congressmen on both sides of the aisle asked nuanced questions that demonstrated an understanding of the role of development as a part of robust U.S. foreign engagement. Moreover, Congressional leaders in both chambers were supportive of administrative efforts to reform and enhance our foreign assistance.
After a whopping forty-four months, the White House nominated a USAID assistant administrator for legislative and public affairs yesterday. Chuck Cooper, if confirmed by the Senate, would move to USAID from a similar (though not Senate-confirmed) position at MCC. The kicker? The Senate is scheduled to recess at the end of next week until after the Nov. 6 elections. This leaves two big questions: will he be confirmed at all and if so, will he have time to make an impact?
There's some happy news for foreign aid in the new year: the White House appointed nine members to the President's Gl
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