Washington, DC -- In response to the Administration’s release today of its Fiscal Year 2011 request for the International Affairs Budget, Chairman Howard L. Berman (D-CA) of the House Foreign Affairs Committee issued this statement:

“Our national security depends not just on our armed forces, but on the civilians who risk their lives every day to prevent and respond to crises around the world. Keeping Americans safe means working with other nations to reduce extreme poverty, fight terrorism, slow the pace of disease and end the spread of weapons of mass destruction. The President’s budget request recognizes that fully protecting our national interests means more than military might; diplomacy and foreign assistance need resources, and together they account for just over one percent of the federal budget. In these tough economic times, it’s particularly important to invest in an ounce of prevention so that we won’t need a pound of cure.

“I look forward to working with the Administration and my colleagues in the House and Senate to ensure that the priorities set out in the international affairs budget request – including defeating al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan and saving lives through initiatives to improve global health and food security -- are reflected in congressional action on the budget and appropriations.”

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