Devex: U.S. House aid budget bill pushes back against Trump administration policies
“A bill approved Friday would increase U.S. foreign aid funding by 3.9% from fiscal year 2019, and reject the Trump administration’s proposed cuts. The U.S. House of Representatives appropriations subcommittee charged with the state and foreign affairs budget approved the bill, which also seeks to address a number of issues that have not been at the center of the last few budget cycles: climate change, reproductive health, and limitations on how the administration can redirect funds. … At the heart of the partisan concerns mentioned is the inclusion in the budget bill of the Global HER Act, which aims to permanently repeal the ‘global gag rule’ [otherwise known as the Mexico City policy.] The bill also prohibits current and previous funds from being used to implement the Mexico City policy and reinstates funding to the U.N. Population Fund. Unless provisions permanently overturning the Mexico City policy are taken out, the bill has no hope of becoming law, [ranking member of the subcommittee Representative Hal Rogers, from Kentucky,] said…” (Saldinger, 5/13).

The Hill: House panel defies Trump, approves $56B foreign ops spending bill
“A House subcommittee on Friday advanced a $56.4 billion spending bill for the State Department and foreign operations, rejecting President Trump’s proposed budget … ‘It rejects the administration’s unacceptable, irresponsible fiscal year 2020 requests and reaffirms strong support for reproductive health, climate change, and multilateral assistance,” [Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.), who chairs both the subcommittee and the full Appropriations Committee, said in a statement]. The full House Appropriations Committee is expected to take up the bill as soon as [this] week. … The bill adds funding to the State Department, USAID, Peace Corps, President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, and humanitarian assistance, among other programs…” (Elis, 5/10).