The U.S. Congress passed a budget bill late on Friday, averting a government shutdown, but experts say questions persist on foreign assistance funding.
Rather than writing and passing a specific budget for the 2025 fiscal year, which is already nearly halfway through, Congress instead passed a continuing resolution that will fund the government at 2024 levels through the end of September. That means Congress is technically appropriating about $60 billion in previously agreed-upon foreign assistance.
“In this environment of change and disruption, having Congress pass level funding for foreign assistance” could be seen as a “huge win,” said Lisa Bos, vice president of global development policy, advocacy, and learning at InterAction.