Senate Appropriations Committee Approves $16.7 Million for East-West Center

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that the Committee approved $16.7 million in federal funding for the East-West Center.  Senator Schatz worked to ensure continued federal funding levels for the East-West Center, which directly supports the U.S. rebalance to the Asia-Pacific through cooperative study, research, and dialogue with countries in the region, and to increase funding $5.9 million above the President's budget.

“Hawai‘i is continuing to do well in the appropriations process,” said Senator Schatz. “With our Asia-Pacific rebalance and the need to strengthen our partnerships in the Pacific through research and exchanges, the East-West Center will continue to play an increasingly important role in how we interact with countries in the region.  The funding passed for the Center by the Appropriations Committee today demonstrates a strong commitment to Hawai‘i and our rebalance strategy.”

Although the President had requested $10.8 million for the East-West Center in his FY 2016 budget, the House Appropriations Committee did not include any funding for the Center.  Senator Schatz worked with Appropriations Committee leadership, including Senate Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), and Appropriations Subcommittee on the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Ranking Member Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) to keep funding levels at $16.7 million.

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