This week, Secretary of State Colin Powell presented the President’s FY2004 international affairs budget to both the House and Senate Budget Committees and also to the House International Relations Committee. Secretary Powell highlighted the Administration’s aim to “strengthen the U.S. and global commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS and alleviating humanitarian hardships.” The President requested $15 billion over the next five years for global HIV/AIDS programs, including the International Mother and Child HIV Prevention program.
Secretary Powell also highlighted the Africa Education Initiative, which would receive $200 million in FY2004. The initiative’s goals over the next five years are to train 160,000 new teachers, develop and distribute 4.5 million textbooks, increase the number of girls attending school, and increase the awareness of HIV/AIDS in Africa.
In FY2004, the President requested $28.5 billion for the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and other foreign affairs agencies.
FY2004 HHS Budget Presented to Committee
On February 12, Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson presented the President’s FY2004 budget for the department to the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Secretary Thompson noted that all of the budget’s proposals, “from building upon the successes of welfare reform to protecting the nation against bioterrorism; from increasing access to health care, to strengthening Medicare…are put forward with the simple goal of ensuring a safe and healthy America.”
In FY2004, the President would provide $537.7 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). In FY2002, the Department received $479 billion.
