U.S. Sec. of State Antony Blinken said the $63.1 billion proposed for the State Department in the Fiscal Year 2024 budget would enable the agency to "lead the world in tackling global challenges."
Blinken said in the State Department's Congressional Budget Justification for Fiscal Year 2024 that the DOS and partner agency U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) "led extraordinary global efforts" to further the United States' support of "a free, open, secure, and prosperous world and deliver on the issues that matter most to the lives and livelihoods of Americans."
President Joe Biden's FY2024 budget proposals for the DOS include continued support for Ukraine's defense and territorial integrity; efforts to strengthen alliances and partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region to counter China's influence; and expanding U.S. presence and programs in the Pacific Islands, renewing the Compacts of Free Association, and providing economic assistance and federal programs and services to the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Palau. The budget includes funding for infrastructure projects in the Indo-Pacific region to "out-compete China," the statement reports.
The funding for the DOS would allow the U.S. to lead global efforts to improve economic, energy, food and health security worldwide; and address the climate crisis and irregular migration by providing resources to develop improved agricultural practices, more resilient agricultural sectors, and reduce toxic agriculture emissions.
The budget request includes also additional funding for Diplomatic Security forces to protect U.S. personnel and facilities at more than 275 overseas and 100 domestic sites.
The DOS reiterated the nation's commitment to "strengthening the Western Hemisphere as a coalition of resilient democracies," and that the budget requests reflect the U.S. dedication to promoting its interests worldwide.
"We learned over the past few years again how integral it is for U.S. foreign policy to focus on the challenges of the global commons," Blinken stated in the news release.
"We will spearhead international efforts to bolster economic, energy, food, and health security, mitigate the climate crisis, and address irregular migration – global challenges that increasingly affect Americans at home," Blinken said.