Washington D.C , November 2, 2023 —  InterAction—the largest alliance of U.S.-based NGOs dedicated to implementing and advocating for U.S. humanitarian, health, development, and democracy programs—and its Members and partners wholeheartedly support the Administration’s recent request for more than $10 billion* in supplemental international humanitarian and food and nutrition assistance.
America has learned that if we do not act to support people in crisis, these situations can grow and require far more resources from the U.S. to contain the spread of instability. The request for $10 billion in resources signifies an investment that will yield substantial savings for American taxpayers in the future.
We urge Congress to quickly pass an emergency supplemental bill that reaffirms U.S. leadership for these urgent, lifesaving, resources to meet critical needs—like access to food, shelter, and safe water.

At the outset of this year, the world witnessed unprecedented levels of humanitarian need, with 360 million individuals requiring assistance—a 30% surge from the beginning of 2022. The conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have created an urgency for the humanitarian assistance outlined in the supplemental requests that cannot be overstated. These events have had global impacts on fuel and agricultural supply chains, serving as a hunger multiplier for the 783 million people facing chronic hunger around the world.

The United States has long demonstrated American values and protected American interests by providing humanitarian assistance in times of crisis. This legacy of support generates goodwill, helps secure new partnerships, and underscores U.S. global leadership.

We urge Congress to promptly approve supplementary funding, while also guaranteeing the allocation of resources for humanitarian assistance within the regular FY24 appropriations. This is paramount for bolstering global humanitarian initiatives, strengthening food security, and fortifying resilience programs. These initiatives not only preserve lives but also reinforce U.S. global leadership, fostering stability and prosperity on both the domestic and international fronts.

The following organizations signed on to the above statement:

—
* This includes humanitarian resources outlines in both the national security and domestic supplemental requests.