Spend at least one percent of the Federal budget on foreign aid, including for humanitarian relief, health, poverty, education, the environment and democracy

Program for Public Consultation — February 2026

As you may know, the US provides aid to less developed countries to help them respond to disasters, address hunger and disease, build their economies and develop their democracies. What do you think would be an appropriate percentage of the federal budget to go to foreign aid, if any? Please answer in terms of a percentage, in between 0 and 100%. You may answer as a fraction of a percent as well.

Program for Public Consultation — February 2026

Please say whether you favor or oppose the US providing each type of foreign aid.

Program for Public Consultation — February 2026

Humanitarian relief: providing food, medical care, and shelter to victims of disasters like famine, a flood, or a war.

Program for Public Consultation — February 2026

Health: treating diseases (including HIV and malaria); preventing the spread of diseases; improving health outcomes (especially for mothers and children); train doctors and nurses; ensure access to clean water.

Program for Public Consultation — February 2026

Economic development: improving food production, developing infrastructure, and building up their private enterprises and financial systems.

Program for Public Consultation — February 2026

Education: training teachers, encouraging school attendance (such as by offering school lunches), and improving literacy.

Program for Public Consultation — February 2026

The environment: preserving the environment, reducing pollution, transitioning to energy sources that produce less or no pollution, and preparing better for natural disasters.

Program for Public Consultation — February 2026

Democracy: protecting and promoting free and fair elections, human rights, a free press and the rule of law.

Program for Public Consultation — February 2025

What do you think would be an appropriate percentage of the federal budget to go to foreign aid, if any?

Program for Public Consultation — February 2025

For aid to less developed countries to train teachers, encourage school attendance (especially for girls) such as by offering school lunches, and improve literacy, the US government has been spending about $1.1 billion a year.

Program for Public Consultation — February 2025

For health aid, the US has been spending about $16.1 billion a year. This aid is used to: treat diseases (including HIV and malaria); prevent the spread of diseases; improve health outcomes (especially for mothers and children); train doctors and nurses; ensure access to clean water.

Program for Public Consultation — February 2025

To help less developed countries improve their food production, develop their infrastructure, and build their private enterprises and financial systems, the US has been spending about $16.1 billion a year.

Program for Public Consultation — February 2025

For humanitarian relief, the US has been spending about $15.6 billion a year. This aid is used for caring for people who urgently need food, medical care, or shelter because they are victims of a disaster like famine, a flood, or a war.

Program for Public Consultation — February 2025

For environmental aid to less developed countries, the US has been spending about $1.4 billion a year. This aid is used to help countries preserve their environment, reduce pollution, transition to energy sources that produce less or no pollution, and prepare better for natural disasters.

Program for Public Consultation — February 2025

For aid that goes to further the development of democracy, human rights, a free press, and the rule of law, the US has been spending about $2.3 billion a year. Nearly all of this goes to non-profits and international organizations with specialized skills, rather than directly to foreign governments.