The House Foreign Affairs Committee held a hearing on Thursday to address the chaos following the demise of the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The hearing revealed confusion over the status of frozen programs and waivers, highlighting the challenges faced by the agency.
During the hearing, Republicans and Democrats clashed over the core mission of USAID. While some Republicans criticized the agency for allegedly straying from its humanitarian aid and development funding mandate, others, including former GOP chair Rep. Michael McCaul, defended its essential role in providing aid and countering global threats.
House Foreign Affairs Chair Brian Mast raised concerns about certain programs funded by USAID, citing examples such as sex change surgeries in Guatemala, climate change education in Africa, and anti-troll efforts in Kazakhstan. These examples were deemed 'indefensible' by Mast, sparking further debate within the committee.
Democrats sought to highlight the human impact of the funding freeze, with Rep. Brad Schneider honoring a woman who died in a refugee camp in Thailand after fleeing Myanmar when USAID funding was cut off. Rep. Sara Jacobs questioned the potential consequences of halting aid, specifically mentioning the spread of diseases like Ebola.
Amidst the partisan exchanges, the hearing also drew criticism for the absence of witnesses from the Trump administration, with Rep. Gregory Meeks accusing Republicans of favoring private sector perspectives over government insights.
The hearing underscored the complex challenges facing USAID and the need for bipartisan cooperation to address issues related to humanitarian aid, global security, and foreign policy.
