The Hill News

There is no greater privilege than serving your country, and we both proudly wore our uniforms for four decades. In our combined 80 years of service, we worked to keep this nation safe and secure. Today we recognize our nation is in a different kind of danger with a massive debt and tough budget choices will have to be made.  One thing we cannot afford to shortchange, however, is our national security.

That’s why last week we wrote to congressional leaders urging them to protect the critical 1 percent of our federal budget that funds our international affairs programs. This investment is the backbone of America’s leadership in the world, supporting all of our development and diplomacy work around the globe.  Programs funded by the ! International Affairs Budget are cost effective solutions to stabilize dangerous regions, prevent conflicts before they start, and support the extraordinary efforts of our troops in the field.

With the global challenges we face today, not adequately funding our international affairs programs is a shortsighted choice that will only cost us more in the long run.  By spending a little now, we can prevent spending our greatest treasure, the lives of our brave men and women in uniform.

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