United Press International - February 3, 2004
Lou Marano

The $8.552 billion request out of a $2.4 trillion federal budget was revealed Monday. On Tuesday, three senior State Department officials briefed reporters on background about the department's budget.

President Bush has defined the goal of the Millennium Challenge Account as providing people in developing countries with the tools they need to take advantage of the opportunities of the global economy. In March of 2002, he announced the United States would increase its core assistance to developing countries by 50 percent, resulting in a $5 billion annual increase over 2002 levels by FY 2006.

The official said the State Department's request, like the rest of the federal budget, is a lean budget if the money for the Millennium Challenge Account and the $2.8 billion for the global war on AIDS are removed, "although we continue to fulfill our own needs of secure workplace for our personnel abroad."

He said Secretary of State Colin Powell's focus is on people. "This budget has over $44 million dedicated to the hiring of new personnel for the fourth year," he said.

Some $1.5 billion is allocated for security-related construction and major rehabilitation of U.S. embassies and consulates, and $659 million goes to increase security for diplomatic personnel and facilities in the face of terrorism.

The official said the budget fulfills the president's foreign policy goals and visions. "It absolutely funds his desire to pursue the global war on terrorism. Over $5.7 billion of this budget is dedicated toward military and economic assistance to frontline states that have been our partners in fighting the global war on terror."

An official identified some of the major recipients as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Egypt and Jordan. Some $1.2 billion is provided to Afghanistan alone for economic reconstruction, security and democracy building. The State Department's Web site also lists Israel as a major recipient in its Economic Support Fund for 2005 with a budget of $360 million, which excludes military aid, while the West Bank and Gaza would receive about one-fifth of that amount at $75 million.

Full-time Foreign Service officers will replace some of the consular associates who screen visa applicants around the world. Technology and language training will be improved, an official said.

The budget allocates $731 million to the Andean Counter-Drug Initiative. Included in this sum is $463 million for Colombia -- $313 million for interdiction and $150 million for "alternative development," presumably alternatives to the growing of coca.

Other allocation requests include:

-- $2.75 billion in child survival and health assistance programs.

-- $1.5 billion for multilateral development banks, including $59 million for arrears.

-- $1.2 billion for disasters, famine, refugees and assistance to the victims of conflict.

-- $1.2 billion in food assistance for emergencies and disasters.

-- $1.2 billion for U.S. obligations to international rganizations, including the United Nations.

-- $650 million to back U.N. peacekeeping missions.

-- $401 million for the Peace Corps.

-- $836 million for U.S. border security.

-- $831 million for information technology.

-- $309 million for public diplomacy "to influence foreign opinion and encourage support for U.S. foreign policy goals."

-- $345 million for "strategic educational and cultural exchanges."
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