International Family Planning Programs Receive Nearly Twenty Percent Increase

International family planning and reproductive health (FP/RH) programs have recieved a much-needed increase in funding, thanks to the recent adoption of the fiscal year 2009 omnibus spending bill (H.R. 1105).  This bill, signed into law by President Obama on March 11, includes a total of $545 million for bilateral and multilateral FP/RH, an increase of $82 million, or 18%, above current levels.  PAI applauds Congress on this increase, which brings funding back to the second highest level in the program’s history (not adjusted for inflation) but also is working to achieve far larger increases in future budgets.

The $410 billion omnibus spending bill includes the nine FY 2009 appropriations bills funding the federal government that had yet to be enacted into law, including the State-Foreign Operations appropriations bill, which funds U.S. foreign assistance activities including international FP/RH. The massive measure was negotiated by House and Senate appropriators in December, but lawmakers had been awaiting the inauguration of President Obama and the passage of the economic stimulus package before taking action on the bill.

As part of the increased funding for FP/RH, the foreign assistance portion of the bill contains an earmark of $50 million for UNFPA.  President Obama announced on January 23rd his intention to work with Congress to restore a U.S. contribution to UNFPA, and it is anticipated that the President will move quickly to do so once the omnibus bill is signed into law.

In another positive development, on February 26th President Obama released the broad outlines of his fiscal year 2010 budget request that includes a significant $4.5 billion (9.5%) increase in funding for international affairs programs.  In addition, the accompanying narrative description of the international affairs programs highlights "increases [in] funding for global health programs" as a top priority.  It notes that the budget will call for "increasing investments in global health programs, including areas such as maternal and child health, family planning and other core health programs, while also emphasizing a commitment to HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis through successful programs, such as the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and the Malaria Initiative," acknowledging the current imbalance in global health funding. 

The President is expected to send a detailed budget document to Congress, including the specific funding amount for family planning and reproductive health programs, in mid-April.  As part of this process, PAI continues to work with partners in the global health and development community to secure significant increases in U.S. family planning and reproductive health assistance.