US Office of Management and Budget grants budget reprieve to key exchange programs

In a highly unusual intervention in an area of Congressional authority, the US Office of Management and Budget (OMB) announced in early August that it was planning to cut fiscal year 2025 funding for dozens of international exchange programs administered by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA). The planned cuts indicated at the time amount to roughly US$100 million, and would affect thousands of exchange participants.

The move followed a funding freeze earlier this year that paused funding to many of those same programs.

“Without these funds, ECA faces an existential crisis, threatening all current and future exchange programs,” said Alliance for International Exchange Executive Director Mark Overmann. “This action risks establishing a precedent that undermines Congressional authority, paving the way for OMB to effectively eliminate international exchange programs.”

The Alliance reported late last week that its advocacy campaign had resulted in 13,000+ messages to 503 Senators and Representatives in all 50 states, and that Congress had responded to protect exchange programs but also to reinforce the role of Congress in appropriating funds to the Department of State for such programs.

More than 20 programs are still subject to OMB funding cuts, the restoration of which the Alliance characterizes as an “uphill battle.”

However, another 28 programs for which funding had also been held by the OMB have now been released. In the mechanics of government, this means that the programs have been released to Congress, where, after a 15-day review period, it is expected their funding will be confirmed for the 2025 fiscal year and that ECA will be able to carry on to administer those funds – and in particular the awards to program participants.

The 28 programs that are now expected to have that funding restored included the ECA’s flagship Fulbright Program. Fulbright, says the ECA, “provides awards to approximately 8,000 students, scholars, teachers, artists, and professionals each year from the United States and over 160 countries.”

Other programs that have been released from the OMB hold include the EducationUSA advisory program and the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, which provides funding for students of limited financial means to study abroad.