Looking online, the budget for FEMA is around $20B and the budget for Foreign Aid is around $46B.
I suggest that the US should set aside a budget amount for Foreign Aid and once that budget runs dry, no more foreign aid is granted. I realize that there are a lot of pieces that go into foreign aid, but the idea that we spend more than twice as much on foreign aid than we do on our own citizens during disasters is atrocious.
Also, if additional funding is desired for a foreign country, congress needs to have the representatives from both the House and Senate receive approval from their constituents. With the technology that is available, it wouldn’t be difficult to set up websites with electronic data and quick voting information for situations like that.
For example: the foreign aide budget is spent and the terrorists attack an ally has occurred. Our ally is requesting money for disaster relief and foreign aide. Instead of borrowing that money from another program, Congress needs to determine how much money is needed and then seek approval from the House and Senate. The representatives must alert their constituents for approval of additional funding. If the money is to be “borrowed” from a different program, that has to be clearly indicated on the request. The citizens will then vote online as to whether or not additional funding can be spent.
This would eliminate our government from spending countless dollars to other countries while we have citizens who struggle here. It would also stop the frequent requests for money from the US and reduce our deficit.
Additionally, the budgets for FEMA and foreign aid should be the same or very similar. Having such a discrepancy clearly illustrates that the government does not place as high of value on our citizens as it does those around the world.