The President The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, DC…

The President
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

As you prepare your Fiscal Year 2008 budget, we join together to urge a continued increase
in investments in the U.S. International Affairs Budget. Now more than ever, we must
emphasize the critical role of development and diplomacy in contributing to global stability.

Support for the U.S. International Affairs Budget is shared across the political spectrum,
from national security and foreign policy experts to the vast majority of the American public.
The 2006 National Security Strategy reaffirmed that "Development reinforces diplomacy and
defense, reducing long-term threats to our national security by helping to build stable,
prosperous, and peaceful societies." The Pentagon's 2006 Quadrennial Defense Review cited
the lack of U.S civilian international capability as hindering the Pentagon's core mission to
defend the United States. Furthermore, the bipartisan 9/11 Commission called for an
increased investment in the full range of diplomatic, development and humanitarian tools to
deliver long-term success for U.S. foreign policy.

Moreover, support from the American people remains strong for investments in the
International Affairs Budget. A recent nationwide survey by the Program for International
Policy Attitudes revealed that 69% of Americans wanted to see a greater emphasis on "soft
power" in America's foreign policy.

The array of programs in the International Affairs toolkit spur economic development,
strengthen democracies and civil societies, and respond to global challenges such as
HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases, hunger, illiteracy, environmental degradation, and
the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Furthermore, they help boost global sales of our
nation's goods and services through export promotion and commercial diplomacy.

The International Affairs Budget energizes our outreach to the world through vigorous public
diplomacy, people-to-people educational and cultural exchanges, Peace Corps volunteers,
and capable, secure embassies and diplomats who provide the first line of offense for
America's interests abroad. Our emergency food aid program provides relief for those
suffering from famine and disaster. This investment in international assistance reflects the
compassion of the American people for those in need around the world and advances our
own national interest in peace and stability.

Together we must ensure that the U.S. is equipped to face the challenges and opportunities of
the 21st century. Investing in the International Affairs Budget accomplishes this important
goal and affirms the reality that what happens abroad ultimately affects our prosperity, our
values, and our safety here at home. As you prepare the FY08 Federal Budget, we urge you
to continue to increase funding for U.S. International Affairs programs.

Sincerely,
The President
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

As you prepare your Fiscal Year 2008 budget, we join together in a bipartisan spirit to urge
you to continue to increase investments in the U.S. International Affairs Budget ­ essential to
protecting our national security, building economic prosperity, and conveying our
humanitarian values. Now more than ever, we must emphasize the critical role of
development and diplomacy in contributing to global stability.

Support for the U.S. International Affairs Budget is shared across the political spectrum,
from national security and foreign policy experts to the vast majority of the American public.
In the 2006 National Security Strategy, your Administration reaffirmed that "Development
reinforces diplomacy and defense, reducing long-term threats to our national security by
helping to build stable, prosperous, and peaceful societies." The Pentagon's 2006
Quadrennial Defense Review cited the lack of U.S civilian international capability as
hindering the Pentagon's core mission to defend the United States. Furthermore, the
bipartisan 9/11 Commission called for an increased investment in the full range of
diplomatic, development and humanitarian tools to deliver long-term success for U.S. foreign
policy.

Moreover, support from the American people remains strong for investments in the
International Affairs Budget. A recent nationwide survey by the Program for International
Policy Attitudes revealed that 69% of Americans wanted to see a greater emphasis on "soft
power" in America's foreign policy.

The vast array of programs in the International Affairs toolkit ranges from combating
proliferation of nuclear weapons to boosting sales of our nation's goods and services around
the world through export promotion and commercial diplomacy, to investing in maternal and
child health. This budget expresses the compassion of the American people for those in need
around the world through spurring economic development, strengthening democracies and
civil societies, and responding to global challenges such as HIV/AIDS and other infectious
diseases, hunger, illiteracy, and environmental degradation.

The International Affairs Budget energizes our outreach to the world through vigorous public
diplomacy, people-to-people educational and cultural exchanges, Peace Corps volunteers,
and capable, secure embassies and diplomats who provide the first line of offense for
America's interests abroad. Our emergency food aid program provides relief for those
suffering from famine and disaster.

Together we must ensure that the U.S. is equipped to face its global challenges ­ and its
opportunities ­ in the 21st century. Investing in the International Affairs Budget
accomplishes this important goal and affirms the reality that what happens abroad ultimately
affects our prosperity, our values, and our safety here at home. As you prepare the FY08
Federal Budget, we urge you to continue to increase funding for U.S. International Affairs
programs.

Sincerely,
                        Co-signers of the Feinstein-Hagel-Durbin-Coleman and
                              Berman-Shays-Knollenberg-Snyder Letters
                    to the President for increase in FY08 International Affairs Budget


SENATE LETTER                         HOUSE LETTER
1. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)            1. Howard Berman (D-CA)              56.  Barbara Lee (D-CA)
2. Chuck Hagel (R-NE)                 2. Christopher Shays (R-CT)          57.  Sander Levin (D-MI)
3. Richard Durbin (D-IL)              3. Joseph Knollenberg (R-MI)         58.  John Lewis (D-GA)
4. Norm Coleman (R-MN)                4. Vic Snyder (D-AR)                 59.  Zoe Lofgren (D-CA)
                                                                           60.  Carolyn Maloney (D-NY)
5.    Daniel Akaka (D-HI)             5.    Gary Ackerman (D-NY)           61.  Don Manzullo (R-IL)
6.    Max Baucus (D-MT)               6.    Thomas Allen (D-ME)            62.  Ed Markey (D-MA)
7.    Joseph Biden (D-DE)             7.    Brian Baird (D-WA)             63.  Doris Matsui (D-CA)
8.    Jeff Bingaman (D-NM)            8.    Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)           64.  Betty McCollum (D-MN)
9.    Christopher Bond (R-MO)         9.    Melissa Bean (D-IL)            65.  Jim McDermott (D-WA)
10.   Barbara Boxer (D-CA)            10.   Shelley Berkley (D-NV)         66.  James McGovern (D-MA)
11.   Sam Brownback (R-KS)            11.   Judy Biggert (R-IL)            67.  Marty Meehan (D-MA)
12.   Richard Burr (R-NC)             12.   Tim Bishop (D-NY)              68.  Gregory Meeks (D-NY)
13.   Maria Cantwell (D-WA)           13.   Earl Blumenauer (D-OR)         69.  Michael Michaud (D-ME)
14.   Saxby Chambliss (R-GA)          14.   Mary Bono (R-CA)               70.  Juanita Millender-McDonald
15.   Hillary Clinton (D-NY)          15.   Rick Boucher (D-VA)                 (D-CA)
16.   Susan Collins (R-ME)            16.   Lois Capps (D-CA)              71. Brad Miller (D-NC)
17.   Mark Dayton (D-MN)              17.   Ben Chandler (D-KY)            72. George Miller (D-CA)
18.   Christopher Dodd (D-CT)         18.   Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO)         73. Dennis Moore (D-KS)
19.   Elizabeth Dole (R-NC)           19.   Joseph Crowley (D-NY)          74. Gwen Moore (D-WI)
20.   Byron Dorgan (D-ND)             20.   Susan Davis (D-CA)             75. James Moran (D-VA)
21.   Russ Feingold (D-WI)            21.   William Delahunt (D-MA)        76. Jerry Nadler (D-NY)
22.   Tom Harkin (D-IA)               22.   Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)            77. Grace Napolitano (D-CA)
23.   Daniel Inouye (D-HI)            23.   Norm Dicks (D-WA)              78. James Oberstar (D-MN)
24.   Johnny Isakson (R-GA)           24.   Rahm Emanuel (D-IL)            79. John Olver (D-MA)
25.   James Jeffords (I-VT)           25.   Eliot Engel (D-NY)             80. Ed Pastor (D-AZ)
26.   Edward Kennedy (D-MA)           26.   Philip English (R-PA)          81. Donald Payne (D-NJ)
27.   John Kerry (D-MA)               27.   Bob Etheridge (D-NC)           82. Todd Platts (R-PA)
28.   Herbert Kohl (D-WI)             28.   Sam Farr (D-CA)                83. Earl Pomeroy (D-ND)
29.   Mary Landrieu (D-LA)            29.   Chaka Fattah (D-PA)            84. David Price (D-NC)
30.   Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)         30.   Barney Frank (D-MA)            85. George Radanovich (R-CA)
31.   Patrick Leahy (D-VT)            31.   Jim Gerlach (R-PA)             86. Jim Ramstad (R-MN)
32.   Carl Levin (D-MI)               32.   Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD)         87. Charlie Rangel (D-NY)
33.   Joseph Lieberman (D-CT)         33.   Charles Gonzalez (D-TX)        88. Steve Rothman (D-NJ)
34.   Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)          34.   Al Green (D-TX)                89. John T. Salazar (D-CO)
35.   Mel R. Martinez (R-FL)          35.   Gene Green (D-TX)              90. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)
36.   Robert Menendez (D-NJ)          36.   Alcee Hastings (D-FL)          91. Adam Schiff (D-CA)
37.   Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)         37.   Maurice Hinchey (D-NY)         92. Brad Sherman (D-CA)
38.   Patty Murray (D-WA)             38.   Rush Holt (D-NJ)               93. John Shimkus (R-IL)
39.   Bill Nelson (D-FL)              39.   Mike Honda (D-CA)              94. Robert Simmons (R-CT)
40.   Barack Obama (D-IL)             40.   Steny Hoyer (D-MD)             95. Albio Sires (D-NJ)
41.   Mark Pryor (D-AR)               41.   Steve Israel (D-NY)            96. Louise Slaughter (D-NY)
42.   Jack Reed (D-RI)                42.   Jesse Jackson (D-IL)           97. Adam Smith (D-WA)
43.   Pat Roberts (R-KS)              43.   Shelia Jackson Lee (D-TX)      98. Hilda Solis (D-CA)
44.   John Rockefeller (D-WV)         44.   William Jefferson (D-LA)       99. Ellen Tauscher (D-CA)
45.   Ken Salazar (D-CO)              45.   Timothy Johnson (R-IL)         100. John Tierney (D-MA)
46.   Charles Schumer (D-NY)          46.   Marcy Kaptur (D-OH)            101. Mark Udall (D-CO)
47.   Gordon Smith (R-OR)             47.   Patrick Kennedy (D-RI)         102. Tom Udall (D-NM)
48.   Olympia Snowe (R-ME)            48.   Carolyn Kilpatrick (D-MI)      103. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)
49.   Arlen Specter (R-PA)            49.   Ron Kind (D-WI)                104. Jim Walsh (R-NY)
50.   Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)          50.   Mark Kirk (R-IL)               105. Diane Watson (D-CA)
51.   John Sununu (R-NH)              51.   Ray LaHood (R-IL)              106. Henry Waxman (D-CA)
52.   George Voinovich (R-OH)         52.   James Langevin (D-RI)          107. Jerry Weller (R-IL)
53.   Ron Wyden (D-OR)                53.   Richard Larsen (D-WA)          108. Robert Wexler (D-FL)
                                      54.   John Larson (D-CT)             109. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA)
                                      55.   Jim Leach (R-IA)