Take action: Your voice will help keep exchange happening in Kalamazoo

Written By Jodi Michaels

Some good news: The House Appropriations Committee has advanced the FY 2026 National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs appropriations bill, which includes about $700 million for Educational and Cultural Exchange (ECE) programs (close to FY 2025, $741 million, which would be great). 

The Global Ties network’s advocacy is working. And we need to keep it up. These are huge gains after the President’s proposal of just $50 million. It recognizes by name the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), which is how Kalamazoo receives most of its international visitors through Global Ties. 

You can still help: Click here to ask your representatives in the House to support this bill.

Meanwhile, the Senate’s version of the State and Foreign Operations funding bill still has the opportunity to support the Educational and Cultural Exchange (ECE) budget at $741 million (its current funding level) and support for the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) at $105 million in the FY 2026 appropriations.

Please take action now. Click here to ask your Senators to support current funding levels.

Jodi Michaels
Next

People are coming to Kzoo! And a call to action so they don’t stop