Congressional Office for International Leadership Seeks $7.2 Million to Expand Exchanges

The Congressional Office for International Leadership (COIL), which runs the Open World program, asked the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch for $7.2 million in fiscal 2026, a $1.2 million increase from the current funding level.

Miss Sargas, appearing for COIL, said the 20% increase would allow the agency to deepen parliamentary exchanges and expand engagement in underrepresented American communities. COIL’s testimony said the program links foreign emerging leaders and parliamentary delegations with U.S. communities and congressional offices, often using local host families and civic institutions to increase engagement and return economic activity to host communities.

Sargas told the subcommittee the agency has operated at or below $6 million for the last 12 budget cycles despite rising costs and expanded programming; cost-sharing with local host organizations has reached its limit, and COIL turned away nearly 40% of eligible communities this year because of budget constraints. “For every dollar invested, we return value in the form of goodwill, local engagement, and strategic influence,” Sargas said.

She described cost pressures including rising per-delegate costs, higher benefit rates, and increased airfare for delegations from new strategic regions like the Indo-Pacific (airfare from that region can be up to 30% higher than from Europe, she said). Sargas said increased funding would allow COIL to strengthen parliamentary exchanges and deepen engagement in communities that request delegations.

Committee members asked about regional focus and vetting. Sargas said recent delegations have included Ukraine and Georgia, and that Ukraine programming expanded after COIL’s Russia program was suspended; she highlighted a program in Poland that produced delegates who later won parliamentary seats. On vetting, Sargas said participants are nominated — typically by U.S. embassy staff — and vetted in-country; successful nominees receive J-1 visas for exchange visits.

Questions from members also touched on possible overlap with other transatlantic and parliamentary programs and on the agency’s ability to continue costly Indo-Pacific delegations if funding is constrained. COIL said it would likely have to scale back some Indo-Pacific parliamentary activity if new funds are not provided. COIL’s written justification and testimony were entered into the record; there was no formal vote during the hearing.