With time running out before a temporary federal funding measure expires on March 4^th, the House of Representatives last week passed H.R. 1, which would provide funding for federal agencies for the rest of the fiscal year, through September 2011-but it cuts deep into the international affairs and peacekeeping budget.

Don Kraus, CEO of Citizens for Global Solutions, laid out the consequences of the House budget to IPS News: 'The House FY 2011 funding bill would have a devastating impact on U.S. foreign affairs funding, and if adopted could be a serious setback to U.S support for the Millennial Development Goals (MGDs). The legislation would cut funding for critical poverty fighting food aid programs by up to 50 percent, decimate support for refugees in Africa, Burma, Iraq and other places, and shrink funding for fighting AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis. This legislation represents a serious retreat for U.S. poverty reduction efforts.'

[Published in NonProfitBlogs - Read the original article]