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FY 2022 Educational and Cultural Exchange Budget

Citizen Diplomacy International of Philadelphia is a member of the national Global Ties U.S. network that advocates for funding on our behalf.

Every November, we need your help to advocate for a robust and timely Educational and Cultural Exchange Budget, during International Education Week, November 15-19.

Every Spring, Congress agrees on the FY omnibus spending bill after weeks of negotiations. This bill funds educational and cultural exchange (ECE) programs at $753 million. This is a $12.7 million increase from FY21 enacted level, and an $11.7 million increase from the Biden Administration’s funding request.

The request for FY 2023 remains at $1.1 billion.

The Dear Colleague letter from Senator Cory Booker’s office to the Senate Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs—requesting $1.1 billion for U.S. Department of State educational and cultural exchange programs in the Fiscal Year 2023—ended up with 36 signers (34 Ds, 2 Is). This includes 1 new signer and 5 signers that did not sign last year but joined prior-year letters.

Thank you to those of you who encouraged your Senators to sign on, as well as to those who encouraged support for the House letter in an earlier campaign this spring.

The Alliance for International Exchange has provided these links for more details:

Bill text (p. 1277-1279)
Bill highlights for SFOPs
Joint explanatory statement.

Current situation

The House passed their FY 2022 State-Foreign Operations bill in July at $62.24 billion ($750 million for Educational and Cultural Exchanges). On Monday, October 18, the Senate Appropriations Committee released their proposed FY 2022 budget at $60.56 billion ($748.9 million for ECE), 3% below the House-approved level and Biden Administration’s FY22 request. The Senate budget still needs to move for a full vote. Once it passes, both chambers will then have to agree on a full budget by December 3, or pass another Continuing Resolution to keep the government running. As you know from past experience, longer-term CRs are second-best to a full federal budget passing, as they allow for some predictability and planning.

On March 9, 2023, Congress reached a deal on the FY22 omnibus spending bill after weeks of negotiations. This bill funds educational and cultural exchange (ECE) programs at $753 million. This is a $12.7 million increase from FY21 enacted level, and an $11.7 million increase from the Biden Administration’s funding request.

The request for FY 2023 remains at $1.1 billion.

Action: Contact Your Senators

In conjunction with International Education Week (November 15-19), please reach out to your Members of Congress to make the following asks:

For the Senate - Senators Bob Casey and Patrick Toomey:

Ask our Senators to pass a federal budget that supports a strong Educational and Cultural Exchange (ECE) budget at the House-approved funding level, before December 3. THANKING Senator Bob Casey for his long-time support of a robust ECE budget.
Indicate that if a vote for another Continuing Resolution is necessary, a longer-term one is preferred to continue to pass through critical funding to your community.
Refer to the linked outline and messaging here to share the importance of international exchange.

Action: Contact Your House Representatives

In conjunction with International Education Week (November 15-19), please reach out to your Members of Congress to make the following asks:

For the House:

Thank your House representatives for passing the State-Foreign Operations bill that supports a strong Educational and Cultural Exchange budget.
- Note: You can check your representative’s vote history here.
Indicate that if a vote for another Continuing Resolution is necessary, a longer-term one is preferred to continue to pass through critical funding to your community.
Refer to the linked outline and messaging here to share the importance of international exchange.

Afghan Exchange Alumni Advocacy Efforts

As many of you know, the fall of the Afghan government to the Taliban in August has led to a historic humanitarian crisis, which has affected scores of Afghan alumni of U.S.-sponsored exchange programs, including International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) alumni. Global Ties U.S. is working with the Alliance for International Exchange on a Task Force for continued advocacy efforts for these severely at-risk Afghans to find safety.

Contact Your Representatives

If you would like to add advocacy for these Afghans to your messages during International Education Week, please encourage your Member of Congress to:

Continue the safe evacuation and resettlement of at-risk Afghans, to provide for the protection of the Afghan public, and to continue support for humanitarian organizations under Taliban rule.
Provide more funds via supplemental bills for the U.S. Agency for International Development, U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service to:
- Process the influx of Afghan visas and green card applications
- Support Afghans who left Afghanistan on Special Refugee Assistance Program status and are currently in third countries waiting to travel to the United States, which includes displaced scholars and U.S. exchange alumni who are waiting in third countries and are unable to receive funding support.
- Provide relief funds for Afghan nationals who are scholars or students already inside the United States to study, conduct research, and contribute to U.S. higher education as professors, faculty, and staff.
Support H.R.5482 - Special Immigrant Visas for Afghan Fulbright Scholars Act of 2021, which will provide Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) to any citizen or Afghan national, and their legal spouse or children, selected on or after Oct. 7, 2001 for U.S.-sponsored educational and cultural exchange programs, like the IVLP and Fulbright.

If you would like to be more involved in more in-depth advocacy efforts around Afghanistan and relocating Afghan refugees, please join the efforts being led by Evacuate our Allies, which is affiliated with Human Rights First and has been doing an extraordinary job in coordinating advocacy efforts across various partners working to support at-risk Afghans.

Questions?

Thank City Council and the Mayor's office of Philadelphia for funding international affairs!

Citizen Diplomacy received $100,000 in the FY23 City of Philadelphia Budget!

Thank you for all your hard work and for sharing your stories!

We are amazed and touched by the hundreds of emails Citizen Diplomats shared as you advocated for Citizen Diplomacy to City Council.

We couldn't have done this without you!!

So thank you again for the time you spent phoning and emailing, and for all the support you consistently show throughout the year to strengthen Citizen Diplomacy.

Every time you meet with an international visitor and welcome them into your home for dinner or to your office for a meeting, you show the world the real Philadelphia. You make a difference in how the United States is viewed around the world.

(It is just 42% of pre-pandemic funding and leaves a large need for a local match. But we are excited to know that City Council and Mayor Kenney agree that international is critical to recovery!)

Learn More

Philadelphia is an important contributor to America's standing in the world.

As the birthplace of democracy, the world looks to Philadelphia.
Representing the 6th largest city in America, Citizen Diplomacy International is one of the largest members of the State Department's international visitor programs, welcoming 1,200 international guests from 147 countries each year.
Philadelphia exports the best practices in Higher Education & Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Global Trade, Social Justice & Rule of Law, Volunteerism & Civic Activism, Fair Elections & Freedom of Speech

Please support Citizen Diplomacy by reaching out to City Council members in the following ways:

Tweet at a City Council member (See Toolkit for Twitter handles): Remember International is critical for our City's recovery and economic growth. Without @CDIPHILA, #PHL will lose international relationships. #GlobalCitizens bring jobs, education and culture to PHL. #ExchangesAre Crucial to #ExpandYourWorld! @[Insert City Council Member Twitter handle]
Call a City Council member
Email a City Council member

Download Your Tool Kit

Find Your Elected Official

Read our 2023 Open Appeal for Funding Restoration to Council