During the first week of February, the President usually submits his budget request for all foreign aid programs for the next fiscal year. Along with this request, the President must report on the dollar value of all foreign assistance and guaranties, by category and by country, provided by the United States to foreign countries and international organizations in the previous year. This must include estimates of arms sales and an accounting of Security Assistance Organizations (such as "Milgroups") stationed in U.S. embassies overseas. This annual report must be submitted to the Congress. It is required by Section 634 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (P.L. 87-195), as amended (also known as section 2394 of Title 22, U.S. Code).

Congressional Budget Justifications are available on the State Department's website: from 2002 through 2007 and from 2008 onward.

Jesus Silva-Herzog Marquez is Professor of Political Science at ITAM in Mexico City. He is the author of several books, including La idiotez de lo perfecto: Miradas a la política (Fondo de Cultura Económica, 2006), and a columnist for the daily newspaper, Reforma.