Res. 71's proposed fiscal year 2018 budget authority level of
$41.521 billion for the International Affairs functions of
government. This would represent a $10 billion cut from this
year's appropriations for those functions. Although the USCCB
does not support every individual International Affairs
account, it has repeatedly called for robust diplomatic
efforts to end longstanding conflicts in a range of
countries, including Syria and Iraq, as well as for robust
funding for refugee and humanitarian assistance. It is hard
to reconcile the need for diplomacy, political solutions, and
life-saving humanitarian and development assistance with cuts
to the State Department budget of the magnitude proposed by
H. Con.