IC|Citizen Update \ Overview of the Foreign Aid Budget Bill

**UPDATED Feb 2014 **

We’re thrilled to announce that, in January 2014, Congress and the President passed a budget bill that included $10 million of foreign assistance for communities vulnerable to LRA violence in central Africa. See the “What did we accomplish” section below for more details.Below is a rundown of the 2014 State and Foreign Operations (or foreign aid) budget bill, to help you better understand exactly what we lobbied for and what our Citizen activists helped accomplished.

WHAT IS IC|CITIZEN?

January through December 2013, the Invisible Children Citizen team* mobilized activists across the country to help make sure Congress stays committed to ending the LRA crisis. Our lobbying efforts focused mainly on the 2014 budget (or “appropriations”) process, urging members of Congress to continue funding efforts to end LRA violence and support affected communities until we have achieved zero LRA. Without these resources from Congress, the work of the U.S. advisors and other crucial efforts to address the LRA simply won’t continue, which would jeopardize all of the incredible progress we have made so far.

WHAT DID CITIZEN LOBBY FOR THIS YEAR?

Led by our Citizen team, activists have been working hard to influence Congress’ decisions on three budget-related bills: the 2014 State and Foreign Operations (or foreign aid) budget bill, the 2014 defense budget bill, and the 2014 National Defense Authorization Act. Members of Congress recently made final decisions on each of these bills and we’re thrilled to update you on what our Citizen activists helped achieve.

What is the 2014 foreign aid budget bill?

Every year, Congress passes a foreign aid (or “Foreign Operations”) budget bill, which specifies what the U.S. government will spend on humanitarian assistance in other countries around the world. All of our country’s non-military efforts to help prevent LRA violence and support affected communities in central Africa are covered in the

What were we lobbying for?

Citizen activists urged members of Congress to include $10 million in the 2014 foreign aid budget for programs that can help protect families vulnerable to LRA attacks and provide for the basic needs of those who have been displaced by the violence.

WHAT DID IC CITIZEN ACTIVISTS DO TO INFLUENCE THE FOREIGN AID BUDGET BILL?

The foreign aid budget bill went through several decision-making stages in Congress before it was passed into law in January 2014. In each of these stages, members of Congress have the opportunity to add, remove, or slightly adjust things in the budget, depending on what they believe should be a priority — and what the American people care about. Our Citizen team mobilized activists across the country to call, write, and meet with their members of Congress just before each of these decisions took place, in an effort to make sure that funds to help protect and support LRA-affected communities were included in the budget and remained there when the final foreign aid budget was passed.

And rather than trying to influence every member of Congress in Washington, we focused our attention on a few dozen key members of Congress whose support matters most because they sit on the committee in Congress that crafts the foreign aid budget. It’s all about working smarter, not harder, people!

WHAT DID WE ACCOMPLISH?

We have a confession: When we mobilized our activists with the goal of getting money for LRA-affected communities into the foreign aid budget we knew this was a long shot. Not because we didn’t believe in the power of our activists, but because there are many competing priorities around the world vying for those funds. However, our Citizen’s have proven once again that we should never doubt them. Their relentless lobbying efforts helped to secured $10 million in the foreign aid budget for programs that will help protect families vulnerable to LRA attacks and provide for the basic needs of those who have been displaced by the violence.

What’s next?

It’s very important that we now take the time to thank our members of Congress for deciding to invest in efforts to support individuals and communities affected by LRA violence. It doesn’t matter if you were a part of the lobbying efforts or not.  Everyone should take a minute right now to call, email, tweet or write your representatives in Washington and thank them for including this $10 million for LRA-affected communities in the foreign aid budget.

WANT TO GET INVOLVED?

If you’re interested in learning more about our Citizen Advocacy efforts and ways that you can be involved please email our Citizen team at [email protected].

OTHER QUESTIONS THAT MIGHT BE ON YOUR MIND

How will this $10 million be be used?

Programs that could benefit from this funding include  rehabilitation programs for children who escape LRA captivity, radio and mobile phone towers to help remote communities being targeted by the LRA communicate with each other and the outside world, and construction of roads and airstrips to help humanitarian relief efforts reach communities in need.

Would any of this money go to Invisible Children’s programs in central Africa?

These funds will be channeled by the U.S. State Department’s foreign aid agency (USAID) to organizations that apply, and are chosen, to implement programs like the ones mentioned above. Invisible Children is one organization, among many, that could apply to receive some of this funds.

THERE IS A LOT OF DEBATE ABOUT OUR NATIONAL DEBT RIGHT NOW. DOES THE INCLUSION OF THESE FUNDS IN THE BUDGET INCREASE THE DEBT?

To put it simply, no. These funds are just a small sliver of our country’s existing foreign aid budget — which already comprises just 1% of our government’s total spending — that will now be to help communities affected by the LRA. The inclusion of this $10 million, out of “existing funds”, does not increase the overall foreign aid budget — or the national budget — in any way.

* The Invisible Children Citizen team oversees our political advocacy efforts to help keep U.S. policymakers committed to ending LRA violence. Follow us on Twitter @IC_Citizen or email us at [email protected] if you have any questions or would like to get further involved.