Washington, D.C. – Representative Maggie Goodlander, a Member of the House Armed Services Committee, sent a letter urging Secretary of State Marco Rubio to end the Trump Administration’s stop work order on U.S. foreign assistance while a 90-day review of USAID programs is underway.
The Members wrote: “We respect any incoming Administration’s desire to review U.S. foreign policy programs to ensure alignment with the Administration’s priorities. However, halting programs to remove landmines, prevent global disease outbreaks, and avoid famine will not make America safer, stronger, or more economically prosperous. U.S. foreign assistance plays a crucial role in our national security by stabilizing regions and preventing conditions that lead to extremism. Removing that aid risks fueling instability, insurgencies, and increased migration. Further, when the U.S. pulls back, we create a vacuum that countries like Russia and China gladly fill.
“As more than 120 retired three- and four-star generals wrote in a letter to congressional leadership, ‘The military will lead the fight against terrorism on the battlefield, but it needs strong civilian partners in the battle against the drivers of extremism—lack of opportunity, insecurity, injustice, and hopelessness.’ In a world with rapidly emerging challenges to U.S. interests, foreign aid is vital to U.S. national security needs.
“U.S. foreign assistance programs have clear humanitarian and geopolitical value. Foreign assistance programs support life-saving health initiatives—for example, Ebola prevention and response. The Department of Defense has a vested interest in stopping the spread of disease both to better understand what medical countermeasures are effective for the health and safety of U.S. armed forces and to ensure that large-scale logistical support measures are not ultimately required. The stop-work order on all U.S. foreign aid and dismantling of USAID has severe consequences. It is essential that programs are allowed to continue and receive funds while the administration conducts its review. Without payment, including for contractual work performed in the months before the stop work order was imposed, organizations the U.S. partners with will not be able to survive without funding for the duration of the 90-day review of foreign assistance. This means that even when programs are ultimately deemed effective after the review period, hundreds of implementing partners will no longer exist and programs will not be able to resume. Programs that promote stability where our military operates, doing things like countering violent extremist organizations and malign influence, will be shut down with no immediate alternative to resume their crucial work.
“Even though waivers to continue providing life-saving assistance have been issued, these waivers have not resulted in a resumption of funding necessary for partners to actually carry out their work. To exacerbate the issue, there is no clear process for obtaining a waiver.
“Without foreign assistance the job of our military becomes much more difficult. For a small investment in foreign assistance, we can avoid more costly militarily supported interventions later on. U.S. military advisors under both Republican and Democratic administrations have made it clear that a successful national security policy requires defense, diplomacy, and development. Sheer force does not prevent conflicts or win wars alone.
“For these reasons, we urge you to end the stop work order on U.S. foreign assistance while the review is underway.”
Click here for a copy of the letter and the full list of signatures.
