This week, the House Foreign Operations Subcommittee is expected to mark-up the Foreign Operations Appropriations Act of 1999. As part of this year’s International Affairs package, the subcommittee will be considering funding for the Baltic countries within the framework of Foreign Military Financing (FMF), International Military Education and Training (IMET), Support for East European Democracy (SEED) and also International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL), which funds international criminal justice programs in law enforcement training.

URGE YOUR REPRESENTATIVE TO SUPPORT THE FOLLOWING FUNDING LEVELS:
1) $20.2 billion for the International Affairs Budget
2) $650,000 per Baltic country for IMET programs
3) $18.3 million in FMF assistance for all three Baltic countries
4) $465 million for total SEED funding, which funds Baltic programs
5) INL funding, consisting of $20 million for anti-crime programs, which includes assistance for the Baltics

Talking Points:
1) The Baltic countries have achieved success in establishing democratic and economic reforms and are working to upgrade their militaries to NATO standards.
2) Stability in the entire Baltic Sea region promotes stability in all of Europe which is in the U.S. best interests.

House Foreign Operations Subcommittee Members:
Chairman Sonny Callahan (R-AL)
Rep. Ron Packard (R-CA)
Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH)
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
Rep. Michael Forbes (R-NY)
Rep. John Edward Porter (R-IL)
Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ)
Rep. Esteban Torres (D-CA)
Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA)
Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA)
Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-MI)
Rep. Sidney Yates (D-IL)
Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY)

*If your Representative is not a subcommittee member urge them to lobby their colleagues
The number for the Capitol Hill switchboard is 202-224-3121.