March 10, 2025 A Note from OneAID Community Organizers We are thrilled to announce the launch of the OneAID Community's website! It will serve as a hub for information sheets and our updates. Our goal is to build it out over the coming weeks to provide additional resources and link to other great work being done across our community. Key Updates OneAID Community is supporting USGLC’s Week of Action for International Assistance kicking off today! Please join the webinar   today, Monday, March 10 at 2:00 pm EST and join us in this effort. More to come throughout the week. A tweet from Secretary Rubio early Monday morning seemed to announce that the Foreign Assistance Review was complete, and 83% of USAID’s programs will formally be cut , but there has been no further official communication, and the legality of such a sweeping cut is still in question. A hearing was set for March 11, for the U.S. African Development Foundation’s  (USADF) lawsuit to block DOGE and Pete Marocco’s illegal takeover of the agency . A new   lawsuit   was also filed by the National Endowment for Democracy . A new Trump Administration memo reportedly calls for large-scale cuts to the Veterans Administration with 80,000 firings   potentially impacting services—including the suicide prevention Veterans Crisis Line—for the over 18 million veterans across the country. Keep calling your senators and representatives. Choose one terminated life-saving program, demand an explanation for its cancellation, and ask when the U.S. Government will honor its contracts and pay its bills. There are three major asks for Congress right now, so ask your representative to: Insist on the  immediate resumption of Congressionally-appropriated foreign assistance funds  and the halt and reversal of all terminated active foreign assistance programs,  in line with Congressional power of the purse. Demand the Administration comply with the rule of law and pay back Implementing Partners for over $2 billion in work completed , including ensuring fully functioning payment systems. Absent payment owed, partners face bankruptcy and the international development sector will cease to exist imminently. More details below… Tweet from Secretary Rubio’s personal account announces formal end to the Foreign   Assistance Review and an 83% of USAID programs cut–for now Secretary Rubio’s tweet seemed to announce the completion of the 90 day Foreign Assistance Review after just six weeks, and with it, the formal announcement that 83 percent of USAID’s programs will be cut. Rubio claims USAID programs did not serve the core national interests of the U.S. and noted that the remaining 17 percent of programs will be managed by the State Department. ( X ,  CNN ) This announcement, however, will not be the final word, given court cases and other actions still in progress. Not only has the administration itself rescinded hundreds of its own original terminations, but US District Court Judge Ali (judge in the implementing partner case) could find that these terminations were done arbitrarily and capriciously enough to violate the Administrative Procedures Act and thus should be rescinded. Most of USAID’s programs are driven by Congressional appropriations earmarks, which the executive branch in theory must fulfill or risk violating the Impoundment Act. Notably, this announcement precedes the March 24 deadline for implementing partners (IPs) to submit responses to the Department of State’s “Foreign Assistance Review Data Call”, which “requires self-reporting from IPs to be assessed within the parameters of making America: (1) safer (2) stronger and (3) more prosperous.” This form asked managers of US foreign assistance programs whether the program had a waiver, limited mass migration to the US, combatted anti-Christian bias, etc.—and how many US-based jobs or US citizens the projects employ. ( OMB , Guardian ) March 11 Hearing Scheduled in USADF Lawsuit, and New Lawsuit Filed by National   Endowment for Democracy These two lawsuits were filed in D.C. District Court last week and are worth following, as they raise impoundment and separation of powers issues similar to those brought by USAID implementing partners and employees. The USADF president filed a lawsuit   to block DOGE and Pete Marocco’s illegal takeover of the small, congressionally-established independent agency, specifically aiming to prevent them from unlawfully accessing USADF, removing the USADF President, and shutting down the agency. ( Democracy Forward ) The suit argues that DOGE’s actions violate the Appointments Clause and the African Development Foundation Act. A March 11 hearing is scheduled to consider a temporary restraining order (TRO) in the suit. ( Yahoo ) The suit, brought against Pete Marocco, President Trump, DOGE, and a number of other defendants, contests efforts to shutter USADF because of the fact that it was established by Congress, and also challenges the appointment of Marocco as Chair of the USADF Board without the consent of the Senate. The suit seeks to enable the current USADF president to stay in office and challenges his removal as a violation of Constitutional Separation of Powers and a violation of the Administrative Procedures Act. On March 5,  the  National Endowment for Democracy   filed suit (NED v. United States) in the D.C. District Court to challenge the impoundment of funds  appropriated for the NED, and to gain access to obligated and Congressionally appropriated funds. ( NPR ) The suit alleges that the government’s actions are arbitrary and capricious and a violation of the Separation of Powers; it requests that the State Department release funds appropriated each year to NED and that the Department of Health and Human Services release funds to pay vouchers for work already done. NED also filed for a temporary restraining order (TRO), but a hearing has not yet been scheduled. Trump Administration Threatens Mass Firing of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)   Employees In February, more than  1,000 VA employees were fired   before being rehired after lawmakers criticized the decision. However, a new memo reportedly calls for 80,000 firings across a roughly 480,000-person department potentially impacting essential services for the more than 18 million veterans in the United States. ( Politico ) Federal job cuts disproportionately impact veterans because they are given preference in government hiring. At the end of fiscal 2023, 30 percent   of federal employees were veterans. According to the most recent publicly available Employment of Veterans in the   Federal Executive Branch   report, 12 percent of USAID employees were veterans—a number that has likely increased since the 2021 report was published. Health care, education benefits, housing assistance, and many other services veterans rely on are directly threatened by cuts to the VA. These cuts, which reportedly will take effect beginning in June, include the Veterans Crisis Line—a suicide prevention hotline for veterans and their families. ( Reuters ) Happening This Week OneAID Community is supporting USGLC’s Week of Action for International Assistance kicking off today! Please join the webinar   today, Monday, March 10, at 2:00 pm EST and join us in this effort. More to come throughout the week. Join us on the Hill on Wednesday, March 12, to deliver constituent letters and meet with staffers in support of foreign aid. Meet at 9:30 am EST at the Hart Building Atrium. All foreign aid supporters are welcome. Arrive early to allow time to go through security. Whether or not you can attend on Wednesday, invite friends and family from across the country to write letters to their Representative and Senators in support of foreign aid to be hand-delivered. Print the letters to bring yourself or send them to congressaidletters@gmail.com   by 5:00 pm EST on Tuesday, March 11 with the Congress member’s name, district, and state in the subject line. Consistent Topline Messages (Talking Points) Preserving Foreign Assistance as a U.S. Foreign Policy Tool An effort from the Trump administration and Congress to reform and streamline U.S. foreign assistance is welcome, however, the current approach is not a serious reform effort : it is an ineffective, sloppy power grab that is—unintentionally or not—destroying U.S foreign assistance apparatus and depriving the U.S. of a critical soft-power tool. Foreign assistance keeps us safer here at home while demonstrating American generosity and saving millions of lives worldwide. This flawed power grab is evident in the  broken waiver process, which lacked clear procedures and failed to operate effectively, as well as the cancellation of over 10,000 State and USAID contracts,  some of which had already been granted waivers. Despite the Administration’s claims, even life-saving and critical national security projects approved for waivers by Secretary Rubio have not received funding. This stems from rushed, careless efforts to alter USAID’s financial system (Phoenix), rendering it non-operational and incapable of processing payments. This includes efforts to stem an Ebola outbreak that could infect Americans, HIV prevention and treatment, and sensitive work in conflict zones. The Trump Administration’s efforts to dismantle USAID has left the U.S. without the systems, experienced personnel, or partners necessary to responsibly and strategically implement foreign assistance. Americans agree: foreign assistance is a powerful U.S. soft-power tool, and  89 percent   of Americans support spending at least 1 percent of our federal budget on foreign aid. For this reason,  Congress must halt these illegal actions by DOGE and instead implement a more strategic, sensible reform effort that restores the legislative branch’s important oversight function. USAID: The first, but not the last USAID is the playbook for President Trump and Elon Musk’s plan for a rapid and potentially illegal overhaul of the U.S. Government without required Congressional approval and oversight for agencies codified by statute. Reform is welcome, but what DOGE is doing is not reform, it is taking a sledgehammer to destroy a vital tool of U.S. national security. Rep. Bacon (R-NE) underscored this in his comments to the Wall Street Journal: “[USAID was] funding a lot of stupid stuff — that’s a fact. But they’re also doing a lot of good stuff too. So you don’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Instead of taking a sledgehammer, let’s get out the scalpel.” Some Republican Senators have joined their Democratic colleagues in expressing alarm  over the Trump administration’s foreign aid freeze and gutting of USAID.  Lindsey   Graham (R-SC), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Susan Collins (R-ME) wrote   to Secretary Rubio stating they believe the State Department is acting unlawfully by failing to notify and consult Congress during the process. Instead of undertaking a reform effort—working closely with Congress as is required by law—DOGE has taken a “burn it all down” approach, including mass firings and major infringements on Congress’s power of the purse. This may work for tech firms, but it is a dangerous approach for government institutions that must remain accountable to taxpayers, enforce and follow laws, and deliver public goods. Current Impact American Economy and Jobs: Confirmed Job Losses from our partners at USAIDStopWork : 14,173 Americans have lost their jobs, been furloughed, or placed on administrative leave. 59,634 jobs globally (non-American) have been lost as of March 6, 2025. Humanitarian Assistance In Gaza , The Trump administration’s cuts to USAID have frozen hundreds of millions of dollars in contractual payments to aid groups, leaving them paying out of pocket to provide assistance critical to preserving a fragile ceasefire. ( AP ) In Sudan , famine has been confirmed in at least five areas and is likely to expand in the next three months. As physical and bureaucratic access impediments continue to hamper the response, U.S. funding cuts will make it nearly impossible for humanitarian actors to meaningfully sustain, scale up and preposition supplies to alleviate acute suffering. ( ReliefWeb ) In Afghanistan and Lebanon , USAID-funded INTERSOS programs have been halted, depriving approximately 500,000 people from accessing life-saving humanitarian aid. ( ReliefWeb ) In  Zambia , women and girls are at risk of being forced into exploitative “sex-for-fish” practices as a result of the Trump administration’s foreign aid cuts. The abrupt halt of USAID funding has forced ActionAid to shut down its work protecting women in Zambia’s remote fishing camps, stripping communities of vital resources to combat gender-based violence. This sex-for-fish practice has become increasingly common in Zambia as prolonged drought and failed crops have driven more women into the fishing business in search of an income, which quickly becomes a cycle of abuse and coercion for many. Drought-related food and water shortages have left millions of people struggling, with women and girls disproportionately affected. ( ReliefWeb ) The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWSNET) is offline due to the Trump administration’s foreign aid cuts, despite having received a stop work order waiver. FEWSNET monitors drought, crop production, food prices and other indicators in order to forecast food insecurity in more than 30 countries. FEWS NET is considered the gold-standard in the sector, and it publishes more frequent updates than other global monitoring efforts. ( CNN ) Health USAID Stop-Work   highlights global health contracts that were deemed life-saving and granted waivers but were abruptly terminated  by the administration across two days, prior to a key court deadline. This is a constantly evolving list. According to Malaria No More, new modeling shows that just one year of disruption in the malaria-control supply chain would lead to nearly 15 million additional cases and 107,000 additional deaths globally. ( AP ) In Bangladesh , nearly all—95%—of pregnant women in the world’s largest refugee camp could make it to a hospital bed with the help of social workers funded by USAID; as a result of the Trump Administration’s funding cuts, this has decreased to 40% to 50%. ( CBC ) The Trump administration’s pause on foreign aid has halted programs that prevent and respond to infectious disease outbreaks around the world, leaving people everywhere more vulnerable to threatening viruses and bacteria: dangerous pathogens left unsecured at labs across Africa; halted inspections for Mpox, Ebola, and other infections at airports and other checkpoints; and millions of unscreened animals shipped across borders. ( NY Times ) Democracy, Rights, and Governance More than 80 Afghan women who fled the Taliban to pursue higher education in Oman now face imminent return back to Afghanistan after their USAID-funded scholarships were cut. ( BBC ) National/International Media Review Politico:  Trump puts new limits on Elon Musk Washington Post:  Trump’s foreign aid demolition hits major Christian charities NY Times: Africa Received Billions in U.S. Aid. Here’s What It Will Lose NY Times (Video):  Can This Georgia Factory Survive DOGE? CBS News (Video): Malnutrition food product sees funding affected by USAID cuts CBC: Former USAID head warns disease outbreaks could grow after cuts to agency The Guardian: Trump’s USAid cuts will have huge impact on global climate finance, data   shows The Guardian (Opinion): I lost my job at USAid. It’s devastating – but I still have hope Local Media Review Pacific NW KOIN: Former US Ambassador addresses ‘disturbing’ shutdown of USAID Fort Myers News-Press (Opinion): USAID and our humanitarian tradition must be saved LA Progressive (Opinion): What Dismantling USAID Costs Us The Frederick News-Post (Opinion):   Laid-off contractor said USAID did 'life-saving work' Lancaster Online (Opinion):  The gutting of USAID is a blow to the United States’   economy Additional Resources for Information and Messaging from Our Partners USAIDStopWork website   and USAIDStopWork Bluesky Friends of USAID:  Instagram ,  X/Twitter ,  YouTube 6

March 7, 2025 Key Updates The administration is considering  criminal referrals   to the DoJ for USAID employees and/or grantees over alleged waste, fraud, and abuse,  per Pete Marocco at a March 5 HFAC meeting. He also declined to comment on whether the Administration will pay for completed work following the March 5 Supreme Court ruling. Legal Updates: In the USAID implementing partners lawsuit the government was ordered to pay plaintiffs for work completed before February 13 by 6 pm on March 10. The judge requested both sides propose a timeline for other payments by 12:00 ET on March 7 and heard arguments on Constitutional/separation of powers issues regarding executive and legislative roles in foreign affairs and foreign aid. A Preliminary Injunction favoring plaintiffs is expected within two weeks. In the USAID Personal Services Contractors lawsuit, the  temporary Restraining   Order (TRO) was denied   by the judge on March 6, who found no “irreparable harm.” The president of the United States African Development Foundation (USADF) lawsuit  filed a lawsuit   to block DOGE and Pete Marocco’s illegal takeover of the agency. Keep calling your senators and representatives. Choose one terminated life-saving program, and demand an explanation for its cancellation and ask when the U.S. Government will honor its contracts and pay its bills. There are three major asks for Congress right now, so ask your representative to: Support foreign assistance funding in the continuing resolution, which Congress must pass by March 14. Provide an outline for the plan to reverse the dismantling of USAID and spend duly appropriated funds. Urge the Trump administration to halt and reverse all terminations of active foreign assistance programs and resume the disbursement of Congressionally appropriated foreign assistance funds , in line with Congressional power of the purse. Ensure the payment system is fully operational and staffed with capable personnel to implement waived programs and disburse past-due funds. The Supreme Court rejected the Trump administration’s request to lift a lower-court order demanding the government quickly pay, meaning the administration MUST pay implementing partners for over $2 billion in work completed . Without immediate action, partners face bankruptcy and the international development sector faces imminent collapse. More details below… Marocco Considers Criminal Referrals, Silent on Whether the Administration will Pay   Implementing Partners What They’re Owed – HFAC Hearing Recap On March 5, State Office of Foreign Assistance Director Pete Marocco had a closed-door meeting with the House Foreign Affairs Committee. During the meeting, Marocco claimed the administration had found waste, fraud, and abuse and is considering criminal referrals with the Department of Justice against USAID employees and grant recipients. ( The Hill ) Democratic committee members told media that Marocco provided no specifics on the administration’s aid review or program cuts, saying in a statement  “what’s happening under Mr. Marocco is not reform—it is a wrecking ball that violates the law and makes our country less safe while compromising our values, creating opportunities for our adversaries and abandoning decades long partnerships.”  ( Reuters ,  SFRC ) Marocco avoided answering whether the administration will comply with the March 5 Supreme Court ruling rejecting the administration’s freeze on overdue foreign aid payments. He also admitted that the waivers intended for lifesaving aid are not being implemented, according to Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX). As the Trump administration continues to delay payment for overdue bills to the aid groups hired to implement USAID programs, aid groups working in-country report privately that communities are questioning US commitments to meet essential needs. They say: “It will no longer be safe for us to implement if we keep not paying our vendors. We will not be welcome in communities. We know Congress wants to keep some things – very well, pay us so [that] we can still exist when you make up your mind.” USAID Implementing Partners Lawsuit: Marathon Hearing on Merits, Logistics Background:  USAID implementing partners (IP) have an ongoing legal challenge to the stop work order and 90-day pause on foreign assistance. Judge Ali of the U.S. District Court for D.C. issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) and a motion to enforce it,  requiring the governm ent to pay $2 billion in obligated aid by February 26. The administration sought to vacate the order, but, on March 5, the Supreme Court denied the request ( CNN ) and kicked the case back to Judge Ali to “clarify what obligations the Government must fulfill to ensure compliance with the TRO, with due regard for the feasibility of any compliance timelines.”  ( AP ) Update: During a four hour hearing on March 6, Judge Ali heard arguments on 1) the underlying merits of the IP’s case (legality of EO on the foreign assistance pause and the Stop Work Order put in place to implement the EO), and 2) setting a feasible timeline to comply with the Supreme Court’s directive on the TRO enforcement order. Regarding the TRO enforcement order, Judge Ali will order defendants to pay the all named plaintiffs’ invoices), along with all organizations holding Letters of Credit with Health and Human Services (HHS), for work completed before February 13 by 18:00 ET on March 10. Counsel from both sides are required to submit proposed deadlines for other required payments under the original TRO by 12:00, March 7. He anticipates identifying a payment plan in a forthcoming preliminary injunction. Judge Ali also noted the original TRO (which he granted on February 13) is broader than simply completing payments; he plans to address other issues in future orders/rulings such as rescinding contract terminations. Judge Ali’s ultimate decision with respect to the broader relief sought by the IPs–who originally sought to stop the President and other defendants from enforcing the EO in its entirety–will depend on his interpretation of Constitutional and appropriations law related to the extent to which Presidents can overrule Congressional appropriations related to foreign assistance. The judge seemed favorable to the position of the implementing partners that relief under the APA would not be limited to the named plaintiffs in the case. Parties agreed plaintiffs received some payments overnight, totaling approximately $70 million. Judge Ali pointedly noted at the end of argument as he was issuing his ruling with instructions for written proposals by noon Friday, that prior to January 17, USAID issued thousands of payments daily. With just 2-3000 payments now in arrears for IP payments across the board, the Monday deadline should be achievable for this smaller subset of payments. The judge stated he was inclined to select a timeline somewhere between Monday and the 30-45 days requested by defendants to make all payees whole. The Judge appeared highly motivated to respond to the Supreme Court and its requirement of a feasible timeline. Also of note, the Judge raised a case several times that was not referenced by either side–“Aiken County”–in which then-federal district judge Kavanaugh, found very clearly that the power of the purse is core to separation of powers and must be respected. This reference by Judge Ali would seem to be a strong hint to plaintiffs to cite this case which, when appealed to SCOTUS as is expected, might garner Justice Kavanaugh’s vote in favor of plaintiffs. The Impoundment Act along with APA is now squarely on the table. The case by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) filed on March 5, focuses on impoundment but since it is at an earlier stage, this IP case is most likely to get to SCOTUS first, with Justice Alito’s dissent basically inviting writ certiorari, in which case could lead to a definitive ruling on impoundment by SCOTUS by the close of its annual session in June. USAID Personal Services Contractors Lawsuit: Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) Denied on   by Judge who Found No “Irreparable Harm” Background: The Personal Services Contractor (PSC) Association   filed suit on February 18, challenging Executive Order 14169 and subsequent actions that effectively suspended U.S. foreign aid and began dismantling USAID. The plaintiffs, representing USAID PSCs—who are key members and a large proportion of USAID staff—allege these actions have caused severe disruption, as contractors have been locked out of facilities and email, are facing eviction overseas, losing access to healthcare, and being unable to carry out humanitarian aid work. A TRO was requested asking to be allowed to resume work. Update: On March 6, Judge Nichols of the U.S. District Court for D.C. denied the TRO because: The judge views the case as a federal contract dispute for which plaintiffs should seek relief in either the U.S. Court of Federal Claims or the Civilian Board of Contract appeals; and The plaintiffs did not establish imminent and irreparable harm (requirements for a TRO), due to the judge’s perception that plaintiffs were located in relatively safe areas. Plaintiffs argued that uprooting lives overseas, particularly for people with medical conditions, is irreparable harm. Judge Nichols, however, felt that contractors could request waivers to return at a later date or be addressed via money damages. ( Devex ) President of United States African Development Foundation Files Suit to Block DOGE and Pete   Marocco’s Illegal Takeover of the Small, Congressionally-Established Independent Agency President of the United States African Development Foundation (USADF) Ward Brehm filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for D.C. to prevent DOGE from unlawfully accessing USADF, removing him as President, and shutting down the agency. ( Democracy   Forward ) The suit , brought by Democracy Forward, argues that DOGE’s actions violate the Appointments Clause and the African Development Foundation Act. USADF plays a critical role in fostering economic stability in fragile regions by investing in over 1,000 African-owned businesses and organizations, lifting millions out of poverty, and contributing to global security. Brehm and Democracy Forward warn that shutting down USADF would harm both African communities and U.S. interests, destabilizing conflict-prone areas and undermining efforts to create safer, more resilient societies. Democracy Forward vows to use all available legal tools to block what it calls an unlawful overreach by DOGE. Upcoming events March 7:  Stand Up for Science   is supporting rallies in D.C. and  31 other cities . March 8:  International Women’s Day . Hundreds of  events and marches   planned. Consistent Topline Messages (Talking Points) Preserving Foreign Assistance as a U.S. Foreign Policy Tool An effort from the Trump administration and Congress to reform and streamline U.S. foreign assistance is welcome, however, the current approach is not a serious reform effort : it is an ineffective, sloppy power grab that is—unintentionally or not—destroying U.S foreign assistance apparatus and depriving the U.S. of a critical soft-power tool. Foreign assistance keeps us safer here at home while demonstrating American generosity and saving millions of lives worldwide. This flawed power grab is evident in the  broken waiver process, which lacked clear procedures and failed to operate effectively, as well as in last week’s cancellation of over 10,000 State and USAID contracts,  some of which had already been granted waivers. Despite the Administration’s claims, even life-saving and critical national security projects approved for waivers by Secretary Rubio have not received funding. This stems from rushed, careless efforts to alter USAID’s financial system (Phoenix), rendering it non-operational and incapable of processing payments. This includes efforts to stem an Ebola outbreak that could infect Americans, HIV prevention and treatment, and sensitive work in conflict zones. The Trump Administration’s efforts to dismantle USAID has left the U.S. without the systems, experienced personnel, or partners necessary to responsibly and strategically implement foreign assistance. Americans agree: foreign assistance is a powerful U.S. soft-power tool, and  89 percent   of Americans support spending at least 1 percent of our federal budget on foreign aid. For this reason,  Congress must halt these illegal actions by DOGE and instead implement a more strategic, sensible reform effort that restores the legislative branch’s important oversight function. USAID: The first, but not the last USAID is the playbook for President Trump and Elon Musk’s plan for a rapid and potentially illegal overhaul of the U.S. Government without required Congressional approval and oversight for agencies codified by statute. Reform is welcome, but what DOGE is doing is not reform, it is taking a sledgehammer to destroy a vital tool of U.S. national security. Rep. Bacon (R-NE) underscored this in his comments to the Wall Street Journal: “[USAID was] funding a lot of stupid stuff — that’s a fact. But they’re also doing a lot of good stuff too. So you don’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Instead of taking a sledgehammer, let’s get out the scalpel.” Some Republican Senators have joined their Democratic colleagues in expressing alarm  over the Trump administration’s foreign aid freeze and gutting of USAID.  Lindsey   Graham (R-SC), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Susan Collins (R-ME) wrote   to Secretary Rubio stating they believe the State Department is acting unlawfully by failing to notify and consult Congress during the process. Instead of undertaking a reform effort—working closely with Congress as is required by law—DOGE has taken a “burn it all down” approach, including mass firings and major infringements on Congress’s power of the purse. This may work for tech firms, but it is a dangerous approach for government institutions that must remain accountable to taxpayers, enforce and follow laws, and deliver public goods. Current Impact American Economy and Jobs: Confirmed Job Losses from our partners at USAIDStopWork : 13,715 Americans have lost their jobs, been furloughed, or placed on administrative leave. 58,705 jobs globally (non-American) have been lost as of March 5, 2025. In Ohio , farmers export half their soybeans and over 1 million tons of U.S. farm products are purchased annually through USAID programs to provide food aid overseas. Some producers depend on USAID food programs and cutting USAID programs, combined with other existing stressors in agriculture, is impacting farmers. ( Ohio WYSO ) USAID has directed millions of dollars to state colleges and universities for their technical and research capabilities. These programs have been halted as a result of the foreign aid freeze: Michigan State University and Mississippi State University both received five-year grants in 2024 from USAID to strengthen STEM programs in Malawi and help alleviate poverty by improving nutrition through aquatic foods in Asia and Africa. The aid disruptions have reportedly halted research at land grant universities in at least 13 states focused on fighting hunger and malnutrition. ( Forbes ) The University of Illinois Soybean Innovation Lab was forced to lay off all 30 lab staff and plans to close the lab on April 15, dealing a blow to African soybean farmers who depend on technical assistance to boost agricultural yields. ( Forbes ) Arizona State University partnered with USAID for over a decade to address issues like border security, reducing reliance on global competitors like China, creating skilled labor forces, and building alliances in parts of the world that are strategically important, all of which provided economic benefits to the U.S. ( ASU ) Humanitarian Assistance The International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA) —a global network of humanitarian NGOs—prepared a report to provide a snapshot of the immediate consequences and emerging trends resulting from the abrupt shifts U.S. foreign aid policy: lives are at risk with vulnerable populations most affected, confusion and panic are widespread, access challenges and security risks are increasing, there are heightened expectations on remaining operational organizations, the global humanitarian system is significantly weakened, and local and international NGOs face financial collapse. (ReliefWeb - Report   and Slides ) As a result of USAID funding cuts, the UN World Food Program (WFP) has been forced to drastically reduce food aid: In Bangladesh , WFP was forced to cut food rations for Rohingya refugees in half, impacting over one million refugees in the world’s largest refugee settlement, which will have significant health and safety impacts. ( ReliefWeb ) In Kenya , thousands of refugees clashed with police in a refugee camp after receiving news that WFP was forced to cut 40% of the basic minimum food ration due to U.S. foreign aid cuts. ( Guardian ) Democracy, Rights, and Governance The Brookings Institution facilitated a roundtable discussion on global south perspectives on U.S. development assistance changes and future directions. One participant described the disruption to the U.S. foreign assistance structure and system as having broken trust and faith, not just with U.S. assistance but with the entire international development system. ( ReliefWeb ) In North Korea , UN envoy warned U.S. funding cuts will impair the work of human rights organizations that play a crucial role in promoting and protecting the human rights of people in North Korea in the complete absence of civil society. ( ReliefWeb ) In Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela, USAID funding cuts are hampering local organizations' work to promote and strengthen democracy and freedom of speech. ( CBS   News - Video ) 6 National/International Media Review KFF: The Trump Administration’s Foreign Aid Freeze and Global Health: The Biggest Gaps   Left on the Donor Landscape NY Times:  A Timeline of Cuts, Legal Orders and Chaos at U.S.A.I.D. ABC News (Video): Head of International Rescue Committee on the USAID cuts Devex: 'That money is going to sink us': USAID-funded startups fight to survive Washington Post:  Trump’s foreign aid demolition hits major Christian charities The Economist:  Donald Trump’s cuts to USAID will hurt Asia, too Center for Global Development: Report - The Future of US Foreign Assistance: How Low   Can They Go? USA Today (Opinion): DOGE fired me from USAID. I'll be fine, but America is in trouble NY Times (Opinion): Trump Purged These Watchdogs From Government Newsweek (Opinion): Restore USAID and Rescue Children from Deadly Malnutrition Financial Times:  Foreign aid can be effective without the US Ukraine Business News: JICA intends to finance energy and infrastructure projects in   Ukraine instead of USAID Swiss Info: USAID freeze ‘earthquake’: Swiss development agency head Local Media Review KOSU: How USAID cuts are impacting the personal economy of one Oklahoma contractor WECT (Video): Wilmington woman who works with USAID speaks out on funding freeze 10News (Video): East TN native who lost USAID job warns that layoffs could have   extensive impact Charlotte Observer (Opinion):  I lost my job working with USAID. I won’t go silently with   so much at stake Portland Press Herald (Opinion): Dismantling of USAID is just cruel Additional Resources for Information and Messaging from Our Partners USAIDStopWork website   and USAIDStopWork Bluesky Friends of USAID:  Instagram ,  X/Twitter ,  YouTube

March 5, 2025 A Message from OneAID Organizers Thank you for your continued engagement and support for our collective efforts to advocate for foreign assistance and to support the broader community and architecture around it at this critical moment. OneUSAID Community is evolving to OneAID Community to emphasize that the USAID community encompasses the broader ecosystem and everyone in it. Every day we are heartened by this incredible community of USAID staff (current and former and every other status in between), implementing partners, local staff and partners, and other supporters. There is no USAID without all the vital members that comprise this community. We are also in the process of setting up a website – which will be pretty basic at first – but will include informative one pagers, staff and partner resources, legal information, and so much more. Our goal is to create a one stop shop for those supporting USAID and foreign assistance with links to partners and others who can be helpful - stay tuned. As we continue to evolve this effort, we hope you will continue to provide feedback and evolve with us. We are stronger together! Key Updates The Supreme Court denied the Trump Administration’s request to continue to freeze billions of dollars in foreign aid approved by Congress but stopped short of requiring immediate payment of the up to $2 billion in past due foreign aid payments. The US District Judge must now clarify what obligations the government must fulfil–as most aid work remains in suspense. Trump’s cuts to USAID abandon America’s allies in the Pacific Islands . U.S. laws and decades-old agreements ( including COFA – the Compact of Free Association ) with these countries commit USAID to providing disaster preparedness and recovery for vulnerable island nations, but the Trump administration cancelled the programs essential to upholding these commitments. Congressionally-established independent agencies are fighting back as the Trump Administration attempts to install Pete Marocco as the President of the  Inter-American Foundation and the African Development Foundation, following an  executive order   on February 19, 2025, demanding their closure. Keep calling your senators and representatives.  Pick one of the life-saving programs that has been terminated, and ask them to demand a specific explanation for why it has been cut and when the U.S. Government will honor its contracts and pay its bills.  There are three major asks for Congress right now: Urge the Administration to halt and reverse all terminations of active foreign assistance programs and immediately resume the disbursement of Congressionally appropriated foreign assistance funds , in line with Congressional power of the purse. Make sure the payment system is functioning, and capable staff are in place, so that waived programs can be implemented and past-due funds can be disbursed. The Supreme Court has rejected the Trump administration’s request to lift a lower-court order demanding the government quickly pay:  the Administration MUST pay back implementing partners for over $2 billion in work completed . Without these steps, partners face bankruptcy and the international development sector will cease to exist imminently. Upcoming events: March 8 is International Women’s Day , with hundreds of events and   marches   planned across the country. More details below… Today’s SCOTUS Ruling – A Small Win for Democracy but Significant Work Remains On March 3, the Trump administration urged the Supreme Court to excuse the government from immediately repaying the overdue $2 billion in foreign aid bills, with its lawyer asserting that the government had “largely completed their individualized review of all funding awards and decided to retain thousands of awards, rendering respondents’ original challenge to the blanket ‘freeze’ moot.”( Devex ) Earlier today, in a 5-4 ruling the Supreme Court rejected   the Trump Administration’s request to keep billions of dollars in foreign aid approved by Congress frozen. Although the order does not require immediate payment of the up to $2 billion in past due foreign aid payments, it does pave the way for the district court to “clarify what obligations the government must fulfil to ensure compliance with the temporary restraining order.” The Supreme Court justices ruled that US District Judge Amir Ali must clarify   what obligations the government must fulfil   to ensure compliance with the order. It seems that the order will drag on in the lower courts and offer a “potentially short-lived victory” for USAID and its implementing partners. Steve Vladeck , CNN Supreme Court analyst and professor at Georgetown University Law Center, noted:  “The fact that four justices nevertheless dissented – vigorously – from such a decision is a sign that the Court is going to be divided, perhaps along these exact lines, in many of the more impactful Trump-related cases that are already on their way.” Unfortunately, the significant damage President Trump and Elon Musk have done through the dismantling of USAID will make compliance extremely difficult while humanitarian crises continue to unfold, food remains rotting in warehouses, and the threat of diseases spreading increases. Although the administration has reportedly turned the payment system back on, staff access to the system required to make prompt payments to implementing partners for Congressionally appropriated activities is limited and the lengthy approval process for disbursements is a significant impediment. The waiver and payment process the Trump administration has implemented is inefficient, ineffectively, and unwieldy at best. Pete Marocco and Secretary Rubio could easily reverse the decisions that have hamstrung the system but they do not appear inclined to take concrete steps to enable administration compliance. Although a few implementing partner payment requests have been approved and funds owed have been paid, the significant number of outstanding vouchers unpaid since November will require months to process at the current pace. Some organizations have placed their staff on suspension rather than termination to be ready to again serve people in need, however, many ran out of funds at the end of February and are now on life-support waiting for the administration to do the right thing. When Congressionally appropriated funding that implementing partners depend on to conduct life-saving operations is repeatedly turned off and back on again, the United States government becomes an unreliable partner. The current uncertainty and lack of guidance with current unpaid bills calls into the question the US government's ability to be a trusted donor and actor on the world stage in its obligations to implementers Trump Cuts to USAID Abandon America’s Allies in the Pacific Islands USAID is mandated by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 and Compacts of   Free Association (COFA)   to provide disaster aid to the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). USAID has used FEMA funding to respond to five major disasters since 2008. On February 26, the Trump administration  terminated USAID’s disaster preparedness   and response operations   in Micronesia and the Marshall Islands, leaving FSM without disaster preparedness support in the lead up to typhoon season and potential drought conditions, including for $2 million in pre-positioned supplies. USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance experts in the Pacific region, civil-military coordination, logistics, emergency management, and supply chain have been abruptly terminated. Even if the administration’s intent is to regroup and respond, the people that would be doing those jobs no longer are in place. The reckless and uninformed firing of staff and cancellation of programs essential to the implementation of the COFA bilateral treaty obligations is just one more example of the disingenuousness of DOGE’s so-called review process. Terminating these staff and awards breaks agreements that took decades of lessons learned and negotiations to put in place. Congressionally-Established Independent Agencies Supporting U.S. Foreign Policy Objectives   Fight Back Against Illegal Closures On February 19, an executive order   ordered the closure of the U.S. African Development Foundation (ADF), the Inter-American Foundation (IAF), the Presidio Trust, and the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP), despite these being independent agencies established by Congress. Three of the four serve U.S. foreign policy objectives in different ways and their nimbleness and independence allows them to do things USAID and the Department of State cannot, often serving as a vital partner: The Inter-American Foundation (IAF) is an independent U.S. foreign assistance agency created by Congress in 1969 that directly invests in localized community-led development across Latin America and the Caribbean. The U.S. African Development Foundation (ADF) is an independent U.S. government agency established by Congress to invest directly in African grassroots enterprises and social entrepreneurs. Congress founded the U.S. Institute of Peace in 1984 as a nonpartisan, independent organization dedicated to protecting U.S. interests by helping to prevent violent conflicts and broker peace deals abroad. Over the last two days, the Trump Administration escalated its tactics to force their closure by installing the Director of Foreign Assistance, and USAID acting Deputy Administrator, Pete Marocco, as president of the IAF. The administration then terminated its bipartisan board of directors, appointed Marocco as the sole board member and chairman, and put all but one of the agency’s staffers on leave, apparently via automated emails addressed to “Hi {First Name}”. ( Guardian , X ) After this incident, DOGE and Marocco attempted to gain access to the African Development Foundation, which denied their entry as instructed by the ADF President out of fear of a repeat of what happened at the IAF the day before. ( Letter ADF sent to   DOGE ) Consistent Topline Messages (Talking Points) Preserving Foreign Assistance as a U.S. Foreign Policy Tool An effort from the Trump administration and Congress to reform and streamline U.S. foreign assistance is welcome, but the current approach is not a serious reform effort : it is an ineffective, sloppy power grab that is—unintentionally or not—destroying the U.S foreign assistance apparatus and depriving the U.S. of a critical soft-power tool. Foreign assistance keeps us safer here at home while demonstrating American generosity and saving millions of lives around the world. The clearest examples of this are both the  broken waiver process, which never functioned appropriately or had a clear standard operating procedure, and the cancelling of over 10,000 State and USAID contracts last week, some of which had received waivers. Despite the Administration’s claims, even those life-saving and critical national security projects that were approved by Secretary Rubio to receive waivers were not able to receive funding. This is due in part to hurried and careless efforts to alter USAID’s financial system (Phoenix) that have left it non-operational and unable to process payments. This includes efforts to stem an Ebola outbreak that could infect Americans, HIV prevention and treatment, and sensitive work in conflict zones. The Trump Administration’s efforts to dismantle USAID have now left the U.S. without the systems, experienced personnel, or partners necessary to responsibly and strategically implement foreign assistance. Americans agree: foreign assistance is a powerful U.S. soft-power tool, and  89 percent   of Americans support spending at least 1 percent of our federal budget on foreign aid. For this reason,  Congress must halt these illegal actions by DOGE and instead implement a more strategic, sensible reform effort that restores the legislative branch’s important oversight function. USAID: The first, but not the last USAID is the playbook for President Trump and Elon Musk’s plan for a rapid and potentially illegal overhaul of the U.S. Government. This is being done without the Congressional approval and oversight required for those agencies codified by statute. Reform is welcome, but what DOGE is doing is not reform, it is taking a sledgehammer to destroy a vital tool of U.S. national security. Rep. Bacon (R-NE) underscored this in his comments to the Wall Street Journal: “[USAID was] funding a lot of stupid stuff — that’s a fact. But they’re also doing a lot of good stuff too. So you don’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Instead of taking a sledgehammer, let’s get out the scalpel.” Some Republican Senators have joined their Democratic colleagues in expressing alarm over the Trump administration’s foreign aid freeze and gutting of USAID. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Susan Collins(R-ME) wrote   to Secretary Rubio to express that they believe the State Department is not operating in accordance with the law by neglecting to notify and consult with Congress during the process. Instead of undertaking a reform effort—working closely with Congress as is required by law—DOGE has taken a “burn it all down” approach including mass firings and major infringements on Congress’s power of the purse. This may work for tech firms, but it is a dangerous approach for government institutions that must remain accountable to taxpayers, enforce and follow laws, and deliver public goods. Current Impact American Economy and Jobs Confirmed Job Losses : 13,604 Americans have lost their jobs, been furloughed, or placed on administrative leave. 57,502 jobs globally (non-American) have been lost as of February 27, 2025. Details on specific USAID partners forced to make cuts, furloughs, and suspensions across their workforces can be found on Devex . In Hawaiʻi , USAID cuts stopped research that could help American coffee growers. The Synergistic Hawaiʻi Agriculture Council supports specialty crops, including coffee. A USAID grant to develop coffee trees resistant to the fungal disease coffee leaf rust has been halted. ( Hawaiʻi Public Radio ) National Security Some U.S. government workers with top security clearances fired in mass layoffs were not given standard exit briefings and were not advised on what to do if approached by foreign adversaries. The lack of debriefs for workers could raise security risks as they dealt with secret information on everything from managing nuclear weapons to protecting the power grid from influence by adversaries and ensuring the safety of U.S staff overseas. ( Reuters ) Foreign adversaries including Russia and China have recently directed their intelligence services to ramp up recruiting of U.S. federal employees working in national security, targeting those who have been fired or feel they could be soon. The intelligence indicates that foreign adversaries are eager to exploit the Trump Administration’s efforts to conduct mass layoffs across the federal workforce. At least two countries have already set up recruitment websites and begun aggressively targeting federal employees on LinkedIn. ( CNN ) Health The latest KFF Health Tracking Poll   finds that a majority of the public expects that the dismantling of USAID will lead to increased humanitarian and health crises globally while somewhat fewer expect the move to alleviate domestic fiscal issues: At least six in ten adults say that getting rid of USAID is likely to lead to more illness and death in low-income countries (67%) or more humanitarian crises around the world (62%). Smaller shares – but still close to half – say getting rid of USAID will likely allow funds to be redirected to domestic programs (47%) or significantly reduce the U.S. budget deficit (47%). Partisans are strongly divided on the impacts of cutting USAID, with Democrats more likely to anticipate negative health and humanitarian consequences globally and Republicans more likely to expect positive fiscal outcomes at home. The Trump Administration’s cancelling of USAID funding for the Stop Tuberculosis Partnership could lead to a 32% increase in multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. ( Devex ) In the Democratic Republic of Congo , an unidentified illness with Ebola-like symptoms has killed over 60 people and sickened more than one thousand since late January, occurring at the same time as an Ebola outbreak in neighboring Uganda and amid increasing political violence within the DRC. The dismantling of USAID has stymied the response to this unidentified disease, delaying further investigations and containment efforts of additional disease outbreaks. ( WIRED ) In India , the first medical clinic for transgender people has shut operations in three cities, which catered to approximately 6,000 people and about 6% to 8% of the patients were being treated for HIV. ( BBC ) Humanitarian Assistance In Afghanistan , the Trump Administration's foreign aid cuts has resulted in the suspension of 188 health facilities across Afghanistan, significantly impacting access to lifesaving healthcare services for approximately 1.6 million people. ( ReliefWeb ) In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) , Oxfam reports that USAID cuts will have an immediate and life-threatening impact on the 500,000 people in eastern DRC, who are already in need of food, water, and shelter due to the spiralling conflict. ( ReliefWeb ) Democracy, Rights, and Governance The International Bar Association has raised concerns that dismantling USAID and the foreign funding freeze jeopardizes rule of law and human rights globally, emphasizing that China may take advantage of this opportunity – and it won’t necessarily do so with the same requirement for aid recipients to adhere to human rights. ( IBA ) In Uganda , USAID cuts have put individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ at even greater risk, with shelters underfunded, hundreds of individuals unemployed and many more facing discrimination and violence, while vital medical supplies remain scarce and LGBTQ+ individuals increasingly report feeling depressed or suicidal. In 2023, President of Uganda Yoweri Museveni signed a law that calls for life imprisonment for anyone who engages in same-sex relations in Uganda and up to a decade in prison for anyone who tries to. ( NY Times ) Media Review Reuters: Trump administration official to brief Congress on USAID, sources say MSNBC (Video): Samantha Power: Musk’s DOGE spreading ‘lies’ about USAID CBS News (Video): Ex-USAID worker talks about emotional toll of firings, impact on   family CBS News (Video): USAID worker put on leave speaks out on DOGE cuts ABC News (Video): 'This has been devastating, lives are being lost,' says fired USAID   employee CNBC (Video): Former USAID official Dr. Gawande: The damage to the agency has   already been done Bloomberg: Diplomats Decry USAID’s Dismantling in Dissent Cable to Rubio The Atlantic:  DOGE Gets a Foreign Ally CNN:  Trump's funding cuts are taking a toll in North Carolina Washingtonian:  Senator Andy Kim Began His Career at USAID. Now He’s Speaking out   Against DOGE Cuts Christianity Today (Video): USAID’s Demise, Fighting Malaria, and Being the Church with   Nathaniel Moller | Being Human TIME:  Her Small Business Helps Disabled Kids Learn. USAID Cuts Have Pushed It Toward   Bankruptcy Chatham House: First USAID closes, then UK cuts aid: what a Western retreat from   foreign aid could mean Basic Education Coalition (Video): How does foreign assistance put America first? Kentucky WHAS (Video): USAID contractor from Louisville hit by federal layoffs; Kentucky   DOGE bill advances in Senate Minnesota KARE11: Minnesota organizations feeling impact of USAID cuts Portland Press Herald: A Maine nonprofit is working to fill the void amid USAID cutbacks Indy Star (Opinion):  DOGE fired me. I'll be fine, but America is in trouble Chicago Daily Herald (Opinion): I’ve seen firsthand how USAID aligns with Trump’s,   America’s values Courier Journal (Opinion): My daughter is collateral damage in Trump's reckless war on   USAID Additional Resources for Information and Messaging USAIDStopWork website   and USAIDStopWork Bluesky Friends of USAID:  Instagram ,  X/Twitter ,  YouTube 7

March 3, 2025 Key Updates Secretary Rubio’s so-called life-saving waivers still don’t work, and the Trump Administration continues to fire any whistleblowers who report otherwise.  USAID’s   acting Assistant Administrator for Global Health was placed on administrative leave   after he shared a memo with USAID staff describing how political leadership’s actions have prevented the bureau from delivering life-saving assistance under the waivers. UN and NGO leaders express alarm over catastrophic impacts worldwide from the Trump Administration’s cancellation of thousands   of USAID programs last week In an attempt to skirt its legal obligations. As of the release of today’s updates, OneUSAID Community also learned that UNICEF is in the process of laying off 300 employees as a direct result of the cuts. Keep Calling!  Call or email your senators and representatives, pick one of the programs that has been cut, and ask them to demand a specific explanation for why it has been cut.  Members of Congress are reacting   in large part to concerns by their constituents over the chaos and cuts unleashed by DOGE in the federal government. More details below… The Acting Assistant to the Administrator for Global Health Was Placed on Leave After Issuing   a Whistleblower Memo–and a Second Memo Details Death Toll A  memo issued by USAID’s acting Assistant Administrator for Global Health describes in detail the actions taken by the Trump Administration since Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued the Stop Work Order for all foreign assistance on January 24th. This memo describes the ineffective waiver process and lack of payments for those activities that were issued a waiver. It also describes the haphazard nature of the award termination process and links to a separate memo detailing the staffing issues and indiscriminate firings of Bureau for Global Health staff since the Stop Work Order was implemented. The memo concludes that  “This will no doubt result in preventable death, destabilization, and threats to national security on a massive scale.” Responding to reports that the  waiver process   is not allowing aid groups to continue live-saving work, the Trump Administration has issued denials and threats ( ProPublica ). The memo confirms that “USAID’s failure to implement lifesaving humanitarian assistance under the waiver is the result of political leadership…who have created and continue to create intentional and/or unintentional obstacles that have wholly prevented implementation… including contradictory and shifting guidance regarding approval for required activities and failure of Agency leadership to process disbursement of funds for activities once approved.” Leadership has changed waiver approval criteria and processes multiple times in the last few weeks, required re-approvals for activities previously approved, failed to respond to re-approval requests, terminated awards that manage approved activities under the waiver, and said some “may have been… in error”. Staff reported to leadership that access to USAID financial systems “had been completely turned off by DOGE…preventing the flow of any funds” to approved life-saving activities.  Significant staffing disruptions also hamstrung efforts. On this memo’s clearance page, 25% read “no staff left to clear”. None of the 72 life-saving humanitarian activities identified by the Bureau for Global Health Bureau have been approved nor paid, fully preventing their implementation–and nearly all have since been terminated. A second, unfinished memo   that details the loss of life and other impacts due to the Stop Work Order was also leaked to the New York Times . These are the first estimates on the human impact of the Stop Work Order to come directly from the Agency. The unfinished memo estimates a minimum of 2.5 million additional deaths per year due to the termination of USAID’s global health projects. These death estimates are from a range of causes including malaria, Ebola, mpox, and childhood immunizations, but do not include increased incidents of severe malnutrition, tuberculosis, or polio nor do they include deaths that will come from a lack of maternity and post-natal care, malnutrition, pneumonia, or diarrhea, all major causes of death for women and young children. UN and NGO Leaders Express Alarm Over Trump Administration Cuts to Foreign Aid Following   Program Terminations Last Week UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres:   “I want to start by expressing my deep concern about information received in the last 48 hours by UN agencies — as well as many humanitarian and development NGOs — regarding severe cuts in funding by the United States. These cuts impact a wide range of critical programmes. From life saving humanitarian aid, to support for vulnerable communities recovering from war or natural disaster. From development, to the fight against terrorism and illicit drug trafficking. The consequences will be especially devastating for vulnerable people around the world… American funding directly supports people living through wars, famines and disasters, providing essential health care, shelter, water, food and education — the list goes on. The message is clear. The generosity and compassion of the American people have not only saved lives, built peace and improved the state of the world. They have contributed to the stability and prosperity that Americans depend on. United Nations staff members around the world are deeply proud of what we’ve accomplished together — as partners. Now going through with these cuts will make the world less healthy, less safe and less prosperous. The reduction of America’s humanitarian role and influence will run counter to American interests globally.” UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher : “ The U.S. has been this humanitarian superpower, a leader in that space for decades and U.S. support from the taxpayer has saved hundreds of millions of lives. And look, it's right that the public in any country asks are we getting value for money. It is right that the politicians respond to the need to deliver at home as well as overseas. But the impact of those cuts is a blow to our work. But it's not about us. It's about the people we are there to serve. And it will have a massive impact on programs. Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Gaza, globally.” UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem : “This devastating decision will force thousands of health clinics to close. Women in crisis zones will be forced to give birth without medicines, midwives or equipment, putting their lives and their babies’ lives in jeopardy. Rape survivors will be denied counselling and medical care. Midwives delivering babies in the world’s worst humanitarian crises will lose their ability to function. Shipments of life-saving medical supplies to refugee camps will be disrupted. UNFPA hopes that the U.S. Government will reconsider its stance and retain its position as a global leader working in partnership with UNFPA to alleviate the suffering of women and their families, often as a result of catastrophes not of their own making. So much good has been achieved during our more than five decades of close collaboration with the USA, a founding partner. With U.S. support, UNFPA has helped strengthen health systems, save the lives of women, adolescent girls and newborns, and improve the economic prospects of families, communities and countries.” Interaction - 60+ NGOs Respond to Terminations of Life-Saving Programs : “Programs that save hundreds of thousands of lives are being shuttered. Education for young girls seeking a better life will become unattainable, infectious disease tracking for deadly viruses like Ebola will go offline, and vital treatment for malnourished children in conflict zones will no longer reach them. Programs fostering good governance and economic development—crucial for global stability—will end. We urge the Administration: Reverse course immediately. Restore and fund these vital programs.” Partners in Health CEO Shelia Davis : “The Trump administration is eliminating 90% of USAID foreign aid contracts and $60 billion in overall U.S. assistance around the world, including previously exempted humanitarian programs. This immoral systemic targeting of already vulnerable people is a man-made catastrophe that directly results in death and suffering for millions including vulnerable HIV patients, starving children and refugees today, tomorrow and years to come.” Danish Refugee Council Secretary General Charlotte Slente : “The Danish Refugee Council is appalled at the announcement from the U.S. Government to terminate nearly all its aid contracts and we warn of catastrophic consequences for millions of people forcibly displaced and living in conflict affected and fragile states.” Human Rights Watch Washington Director Sarah Yager :  “The Trump administration’s abrupt elimination of so many vital human rights and humanitarian programs is reckless, cruel, and will wreak havoc on efforts to promote democracy and rule of law around the world,” said Sarah Yager, Washington director at Human Rights Watch…There are plenty of responsible ways to tailor foreign aid to an administration’s agenda without needlessly causing deaths and suffering…No member of Congress, regardless of their party, should be comfortable allowing the State Department to unilaterally terminate tens of billions of dollars that Congress specifically appropriated for human rights and humanitarian assistance. The House and Senate need to stand up for the rule of law and demand answers from the administration.” Mercy Corps CEO Tjada D’Oyen McKenna : “The U.S. Government’s decision to end thousands of aid programs will have devastating consequences for people in urgent need of food, clean water and shelter in Sudan, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It will stop programs that help prevent youth radicalization by violent extremist groups in West Africa, and stop assistance to help Venezuelan refugees who fled to Colombia. These programs not only saved lives, they prevented conflict and instability, and helped communities recover from crisis, reducing long-term reliance on aid. Ending these programs so suddenly will be destabilizing and have devastating consequences for trust in the communities that relied on them. We urge the U.S. Government to urgently revisit these decisions and immediately resume essential foreign assistance programs.” Save the Children CEO Inger Ashing : “ The cut in foreign assistance globally is a dark and difficult moment for a world already struggling to meet the growing needs of children facing conflict, poverty, hunger and climate disasters. It comes at a time when children’s needs have never been greater. This withdrawal of support will have a direct and deadly impact on some of the world’s most vulnerable children…The loss of U.S. funding alone will widen the funding gap at a time when about one in every 11 children globally needs humanitarian assistance…Now is not the time to turn our backs on children in need. Now is the time to come together to build a better and safer future.” International Rescue Committee Senior VP  Hans Van de Weerd : “ The U.S. refugee resettlement program has long been an effective partnership between the federal government, states, and everyday Americans to welcome refugees as our new neighbors. The decision to end these resettlement agreements comes at a cost not only to the families whose lives are now endangered stranded overseas, but also to the American communities that will miss out on the cultural and economic contributions, resilience, and ingenuity that refugees bring.” Consistent Topline Messages (Talking Points) Preserving Foreign Assistance as a U.S. Foreign Policy Tool An effort from the Trump administration and Congress to reform and streamline U.S. foreign assistance is welcome, but the current approach is not a serious reform effort : it is an ineffective, sloppy power grab that is—unintentionally or not—destroying the U.S foreign assistance apparatus and depriving the U.S. of a critical soft-power tool. Foreign assistance keeps us safer here at home while demonstrating American generosity and saving millions of lives around the world. The clearest examples of this are both the  broken waiver process, which never functioned appropriately or had a clear standard operating procedure, and the cancelling of over 10,000 State and USAID contracts last week, some of which had received waivers. Despite the Administration’s claims, even those life-saving and critical national security projects that were approved by Secretary Rubio to receive waivers were not able to receive funding. This is due in part to hurried and careless efforts to alter USAID’s financial system (Phoenix) that have left it non-operational and unable to process payments. This includes efforts to stem an Ebola outbreak that could infect Americans, HIV prevention and treatment, and sensitive work in conflict zones. The Trump Administration’s efforts to dismantle USAID have now left the U.S. without the systems, experienced personnel, or partners necessary to responsibly and strategically implement foreign assistance. Americans agree: foreign assistance is a powerful U.S. soft-power tool, and  89 percent   of Americans support spending at least 1 percent of our federal budget on foreign aid. For this reason,  Congress must halt these illegal actions by DOGE and instead implement a more strategic, sensible reform effort that restores the legislative branch’s important oversight function. USAID: The first, but not the last USAID is the playbook for President Trump and Elon Musk’s plan for a rapid and potentially illegal overhaul of the U.S. Government. This is being done without the Congressional approval and oversight required for those agencies codified by statute. Reform is welcome, but what DOGE is doing is not reform, it is taking a sledgehammer to destroy a vital tool of U.S. national security. Rep. Bacon (R-NE) underscored this in his comments to the Wall Street Journal: “[USAID was] funding a lot of stupid stuff — that’s a fact. But they’re also doing a lot of good stuff too. So you don’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Instead of taking a sledgehammer, let’s get out the scalpel.” Some Republican Senators have joined their Democratic colleagues in expressing alarm over the Trump administration’s foreign aid freeze and gutting of USAID. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Susan Collins (R-ME) wrote   to Secretary Rubio to express that they believe the State Department is not operating in accordance with the law by neglecting to notify and consult with Congress during the process. Instead of undertaking a reform effort—working closely with Congress as is required by law—DOGE has taken a “burn it all down” approach including mass firings and major infringements on Congress’s power of the purse. This may work for tech firms, but it is a dangerous approach for government institutions that must remain accountable to taxpayers, enforce and follow laws, and deliver public goods. Current Impact American Economy and Jobs Confirmed Job Losses : 13,604 Americans have lost their jobs, been furloughed, or placed on administrative leave. 57,502 jobs globally (non-American) have been lost as of February 27, 2025. Details on specific USAID partners forced to make cuts, furloughs, and suspensions across their workforces can be found on Devex . Health In  Senegal,  the biggest malaria project has closed, which distributed bed nets and medication to tens of thousands of people. Maternal, child health and nutrition services have also closed, which provided lifesaving care to tens of thousands of pregnant women and treatment that would have prevented and treated acute malnutrition. ( AP ) In South Sudan, the International Rescue Committee closed a project providing access to quality health care and nutrition services to more than 115,000 people. ( AP ) In  Somalia,  50 health centers servicing more than 19,000 people a month closed because health workers are not being paid. ( AP ) In Thailand, hospitals helping 100,000 refugees from Myanmar   have shuttered. ( AP ) In Vietnam, a program assisting disabled people through training caregivers and providing at-home medical care have stopped. ( AP ) In Bangladesh, 600,000 women and children will lose access to critical maternal health care, protection from violence, reproductive health and other lifesaving care. ( AP ) In Pakistan , the shutdown of USAID-funded initiatives designed to provide clean drinking water to residents could lead to severe hardship in places already struggling with intense heat waves and water scarcity. Summer temperatures in Jacobabad, located in southeastern Pakistan, regularly exceed 122 degrees F. ( The Media Line ) Humanitarian Assistance Last week, the Trump Administration cancelled USAID’s contract with American food producer MANA Nutrition, whose factory in Georgia makes a nutrient-fortified peanut butter to treat malnutrition, which put 300,000 children at risk of losing critical treatment for malnutrition ( HuffPost ). MANA had 400,000 boxes of the USAID-branded product ready and waiting to be shipped out. “Every one of those packets has printing on it that says, ‘From the American people. USAID.’ And if… I don’t deliver it through USAID contracts, it’s trash. I can’t distribute it,” the CEO said ( CNN ). As of today, MANA’s contract with USAID was reinstated after Musk said he would “investigate” and “fix it” ( CNN ). In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, aid group Action Against Hunger will stop treating tens of thousands of malnourished children from May, which the NGO said will put the children in “mortal danger.” ( AP ) In Ethiopia, food assistance has stopped for more than 1 million people. The Ministry of Health was also forced to terminate the contract of 5,000 workers across the country focused on HIV and malaria prevention, vaccinations and helping vulnerable women deal with the trauma of war. ( AP ) In Sudan, 90 communal kitchens closed in the capital, Khartoum, leaving more than half a million people without consistent access to food. ( AP ) In Kenya, more than 600,000 people living in areas plagued by drought and persistent acute malnutrition will lose access to lifesaving food and nutrition support ( AP ). In Kakuma refugee camp, refugees face severe food and water shortages ( Tuko ). In Mali, critical aid such as access to water, food, and health services was cut for over 270,000 people. ( AP ) In Nigeria, 25,000 extremely malnourished children will stop receiving food assistance by April. ( AP ) In Burkina Faso, over 400,000 people lost access to services such as water. Services for gender-based violence and child protection for thousands are no longer available. ( AP ) In Ukraine, cash-based humanitarian programs that reached 1 million people last year have been suspended. ( AP ) In Afghanistan, hundreds of mobile health teams and other services were suspended, affecting 9 million people. ( AP ) In Syria, aid programs for 2.5 million people stopped providing services. A dozen health clinics, including the main referral hospital for the area, have shut down. ( AP ) In Yemen, 220,000 displaced people will lose access to critical maternal health care, protection from violence, rape treatment and other lifesaving care. ( AP ) In  Colombia,  a program shuttered by the Norwegian Refugee Council has left 50,000 people without lifesaving support including in the northeast, where growing violence has precipitated a once-in-a-generation humanitarian crisis. The support included food, shelter, clean water and other basic items for people displaced in the region. ( AP ) In Haiti, 13,000 people have lost access to nutritional support. The cuts will affect in total at least 550,000 people who were receiving aid. ( AP ) In the Philippines, a program to improve access to disaster warning systems for disabled people has stopped. ( AP ) Media Review ProPublica: The Trump Administration Said These Aid Programs Saved Lives. It Canceled   Them Anyway ABC News:  'Many of them will die': Hammer drops on USAID with organizations left   reeling International Crisis Group: U.S. Aid Cuts Make Famine More Likely and Easier to Hide CBC - Radio Canada: How Trump’s USAID freeze amplifies suffering in world’s largest   refugee camp   - Video The Irish Times: ‘We’ve become used to being betrayed’: US aid cuts affect camps for   people accused of Isis affiliation Washington Post (Opinion):  What I saw in the Peace Corps USGLC (Opinion):  Malaria Fight Abroad Keeps America Safe at Home – The Epoch Times Billboard: Elton John Slams Trump Administration’s USAID Cuts: ‘Devastating Effects on   the HIV Response’ Chattanooga Free Times Press (Opinion): Cutting aid, like USAID, threatens all of us and   may be just the tip of the iceberg Jerusalem Post (Opinion): Trump USAID shutdown could spark a global humanitarian   crisis The Japan Times: 'Total panic' as USAID cuts jobs from Syria to Haiti ACLED: The Raleigh Report: February 2025 Additional Resources for Information and Messaging USAIDStopWork website   and USAIDStopWork Bluesky Friends of USAID:  Instagram ,  X/Twitter ,  YouTube

February 21, 2025 A Note from OneUSAID Community Leads Thanks to all who are supporting OneUSAID Community’s efforts to provide information and resources to a wide swath of people. You’ll notice these will now come out as “updates” versus “key messages,” on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to our broadcast channels on Signal. Our aim is to arm our supporters with curated, factual information provided by USAID staff and partner experts as well as news media, so that you can more effectively engage with your communities, members of Congress, and others about what is happening to change the course of it. Our focus is on the impact of the stop work order and dismantling of USAID on staff and partners around the world as well as the need to maintain foreign assistance in some form, managed by experts in development and humanitarian assistance, and to sound the alarm on the fact that USAID was the first, but is not the last. We are a community of USAID and implementing partner staff - current, former, furloughed, and laid off - who are trying to come together and use our networks for good in this painful moment. We remain anonymous for now because of this in-between status many of us face, but we are hundreds strong working on advocacy efforts at every level. With broadcast outlets on Signal now including over 1,700 people, we are so grateful for this community, and thank you for your continued support and efforts across the country to raise awareness and drive change. Key Updates Court Cases Related to USAID Just Security Litigation Tracker   - public resource tracking legal challenges to Trump administration actions Devex: Court filings underscore security risks to USAID staff abroad Devex: Lawsuit seeks to reinstate USAID contractors, claiming irreparable harm AP:  Trump administration is flouting an order to temporarily lift a freeze on foreign aid,   judge says The Washington Post: Trump comes close to the red line of openly defying judges,   experts say Summary of the Latest on the Court Case Brought By Implementing Partners Last week, Judge Ali, issued a temporary injunction saying that the Trump administration could not suspend, pause, or otherwise prevent the obligation or disbursement of foreign assistance through agreements (including contracts, grants, cooperative agreements or loans) that were formalized prior to Trump’s inauguration, nor could it issue, implement or enforce terminations or stop-work orders in connection with any agreement in existence as of the same date. This ruling applied not just to those who were plaintiffs in the suit but all projects impacted by the stop work order. During a follow-up hearing yesterday (February 20th), Judge Ali ruled that the administration did not comply with the temporary restraining order (TRO). Because of this, past due invoices from before Trump’s inauguration owed to USAID implementing partners have not been paid. These payments are critical for partners to be able to pay staff, and maintain operations that once shut down, may not be able to be re-started. The administration has blatantly maintained blanket freeze on payments while constructing post-hoc (after the fact) legal rationalizations submitted through testimony to the court. The TRO does not, however, prevent the administration from reviewing individual contracts and grants and modifying or suspending them after appropriate review, further complicating the situation facing implementing partners of USAID impacted by the stop work order. The judge extended the temporary restraining order until midnight on March 10th, and another hearing on the original suit will take place by March 4th. The Trump Administration’s memo on   Radical Transparency About Wasteful Spending   misleads the American public and fails to acknowledge that information on federal spending   is already public. The Trump Administration and DOGE want the public to believe that USAID and other federal agencies are distributing funding with no accountability. In reality, USAID spending is tracked—through detailed reports, audits, and compliance reviews—and this information is available publicly on usaspending.gov   and foreignassistance.gov . Inspector general reports are also publicly available at https://oig.usaid.gov/our-work . Growing Job Losses from Musk’s Sledgehammer Strategy USAID employees continue living with the uncertainty of when they may be laid off or have their contracts terminated. In the most recent round, over 250 USAID personal services contractors (PSCs), who are on mostly technical contracts directly with USAID, were terminated overnight with no notice in a blanket letter that did not even reference the individual contract numbers for each of these staff. The majority of the staff who were terminated in this round are directly responsible for working with implementing partners and providing oversight on critical humanitarian assistance. This action also further threatens the ability to continue this work under the waiver for lifesaving programs that is meant to be in place. Because they are contractors, the staff most recently terminated, have their contracts publicly available on federal websites tracking government contracts. These contracts with personal information have now been included on DOGE’s website as part of the “receipts” they claim show waste, fraud, and abuse. This completely unproven claim based solely on the existence of an employment contract now leaves staff susceptible to doxxing and harassment. Consistent Topline Messages (Talking Points) Preserving Foreign Assistance as a U.S. Foreign Policy Tool An effort from the Trump administration and Congress to reform and streamline U.S. foreign assistance is welcome, but the current approach is not a serious reform effort : it is an ineffective, sloppy power grab that is – unintentionally or not – destroying the U.S foreign assistance apparatus and depriving the U.S. of a critical soft-power tool. Foreign assistance keeps us safer here at home while demonstrating American generosity and saving millions of lives around the world. The clearest example of this is the  broken waiver process. Despite the Administration’s claims, the life-saving and critical national security projects that have been approved by Secretary Rubio are not receiving funding  because hurried and careless efforts to alter USAID’s financial system (Phoenix) have left it non-operational and unable to process payments. This includes efforts to stem an Ebola outbreak that could infect Americans, HIV prevention and treatment, and sensitive work in conflict zones. If the current efforts continue, the United States will be left without the systems, experienced personnel, or partners necessary to responsibly and strategically implement foreign assistance. Americans agree: foreign assistance is a powerful U.S. soft-power tool and  89 percent   of Americans support spending at least 1 percent of our federal budget on foreign aid. For this reason,  Congress must halt these illegal actions by DOGE and instead implement a more strategic, sensible reform effort that restores the legislative branch’s important oversight function. USAID: The first, but not the last USAID is the playbook for President Trump and Elon Musk’s plan for a rapid and potentially illegal overhaul of the U.S. government. This is being done without the Congressional approval and oversight required for those agencies codified by statute. Reform is welcome, but what DOGE is doing is not reform, it is taking a sledgehammer to destroy a vital tool of U.S. national security. Rep. Bacon (R-NE) underscored this in his comments to the Wall Street Journal: “[USAID was] funding a lot of stupid stuff – that’s a fact. But they’re also doing a lot of good stuff too. So you don’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Instead of taking a sledgehammer, let’s get out the scalpel.” Instead of undertaking a reform effort – working closely with Congress as is required by law – DOGE has taken a “burn it all down” approach including mass firings and major infringements on Congress’s power of the purse. This may work for tech firms, but it is a dangerous approach for government institutions that must remain accountable to taxpayers, enforce laws, and deliver public goods. Current Impact American Economy and Jobs Confirmed Job Losses : 13,124 Americans have lost their jobs, been furloughed or placed on administrative leave as of February 19, 2025. American farmers supply over 40% of the food aid USAID delivers, and on average, the U.S. government purchases  $2.1 billion in crops from American farmers  each year. This is now in jeopardy. American generosity pays for itself. For every $1 spent on procuring American food commodities to feed hungry people around the world, an estimated $1 is generated in additional economic activity for the U.S. (calculation made using USDA   data with analysis from USAID experts). U.S. in-kind food aid is directly tied to legislation that benefits American farmers and the American maritime industry. Health The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that the recent suspension of U.S. funding for WHO and the disengagement of U.S. institutions is affecting the global effort to eradicate polio and respond to Mpox. ( Reuters   and Health Policy Watch ) USAID funds to combat Mpox   in the Democratic Republic of the Congo remain frozen, risking increased spread of the disease to other countries. ( The Guardian ) In Myanmar, the WHO estimates that 60,000 people now have no access to life-saving health services as a result of the U.S. cutting funding for WHO. ( Health Policy Watch ) In Nepal, at least 36 nurses serving in 18 federal and provincial hospitals across the country lost their jobs, as funds from USAID, which was used to hire those health workers, were suspended. ( Asia News Network ) In Ghana, one patient with HIV in Accra expressed "I don't know what's going to happen to me." He is one of an estimated 150,000 individuals in Ghana who depend on USAID-funded antiretroviral drugs and doctors have warned of potential disruptions to supplies. ( France 24 ) Humanitarian Assistance The waivers do not work without funding. On January 29, Secretary Rubio notified USAID that the stop work order would be waived for lifesaving programs. Despite this notice, implementation of the waivers is still stymied by inconsistent communication, purging of staff who would manage waiver processes, lack of access to systems for staff managing those programs, and a broken payment system after DOGE took over. A new process was communicated on February 20, but it remains to be seen if this will rectify the issues facing the waivers. Providing humanitarian aid isn’t only the right thing to do, it supports national security objectives.  The Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWSNET), which seeks to prevent famine and has saved over one million lives, is one of USAID’s most efficient, data-driven, and impactful programs. The Trump Administration shut it down anyway. ( Wired ) There is a correlation between food insecurity, displacement, conflict, and national security. People will move to seek safety, food, shelter, and other basic needs. By shutting down FEWSNET, the U.S. Government will no longer have advance notice about a potential spike in people fleeing famine, including from places like Central America and the Caribbean where food insecurity and unrest have historically led to people seeking refuge in the United States. ( Wired ) While lifesaving emergency food aid programs are eligible for waivers under the Trump Administration’s foreign aid freeze,  non-emergency food aid programs that help chronically poor and vulnerable people reach a more stable situation are blocked . Withholding this food aid 1) undermines U.S. foreign policy goals by making it more likely that these people will need emergency aid for longer when the next disaster strikes; and 2) increases the risks of instability and displacement if people can’t get the aid they need. National Security USAID has played a vital role in supporting Taiwan’s diplomatic allies through development aid, countering China’s economic coercion. Through the elimination of USAID, Washington is weakening Taiwan’s international standing and opening the door for China to further isolate Taiwan on the world stage. ( Global Taiwan Institute ) As a result of the Trump Administration’s freeze on foreign aid, USAID-funded programs in the Amazon that work to combat cocaine production and trafficking to the U.S. are shut down. ( Context ) Democracy The USAID funding freeze stopped funding to health programs, anti-trafficking efforts, and safe houses for pro-democracy activists in Myanmar, undermining pro-democracy efforts and aiding the military junta. ( The New Humanitarian ) Media Review The Washington Post: Many of Trump’s early actions are unpopular, Post-Ipsos poll finds Only 38% of U.S. adults overall approve of “shutting down the agency that provides humanitarian aid in low-income countries” NYTimes:  ‘We’re Just Keeping Everybody Alive’: The Damage Done by the U.S.A.I.D.   Freeze NYTimes:  The Influence of Foreign Aid AP:  The USAID shutdown is upending livelihoods for nonprofit workers, farmers and   other Americans WSJ:  WSJ Exclusive: Inspectors General Fired by Trump Speak Out NPR: DOGE released data about federal contract savings. It doesn't add up Dayton Daily News: Ohio farmers, ag research stand to lose from proposed USAID cuts Chris Hayes Podcast: The Uncertain Future of USAID with Jeremy Konyndyk NYTimes: Agent Orange Twisted Her Limbs. The U.S. Is Abandoning a Vow to Help Additional Resources for Information and Messaging USAIDStopWork 5

February 13, 2025 Today’s Key Messages The current process DOGE has undertaken to dismantle USAID is messy, wasteful, and breaking   the broader foreign assistance apparatus. Foreign assistance is a good thing when done right. An effort from the Trump administration and Congress to reform and streamline U.S. foreign assistance is welcome, but the current approach is not a serious reform effort: it is an ineffective sloppy exercise that is – unintentionally or not – destroying the U.S foreign assistance apparatus and depriving the us of a critical soft-power tool. The clearest example of this is the  faulty waiver process, where even those life-saving and critical national security projects that have been waived by Secretary Rubio are not able to receive funding  because hurried and careless efforts to alter USAID’s financial system (Phoenix) have left it non-operational, putting these critical activities at risk. This includes efforts to stem an Ebola outbreak that has already infected Americans, HIV prevention and treatment, and sensitive work in conflict zones. If the current efforts continue, the United States will be left without the systems, experienced personnel, or partners necessary to responsibly and strategically implement foreign assistance. During the House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on Thursday, there was broad consensus that foreign assistance is a powerful U.S. soft-power tool. For this reason,  Congress must halt these illegal actions by DOGE and instead implement a more strategic, sensible reform effort that restores its important oversight function. The Global Fragility Act: A Proven, Bipartisan Framework for U.S. Foreign Policy The Global Fragility Act (GFA), signed into law by President Trump in 2019, is a proven, bipartisan strategy for using foreign assistance alongside other tools to help make America safer. This law set forth clear expectations for what U.S. assistance should look like and how it should be coordinated with the Department of State and Department of Defense. As highlighted by Reps McCaul (R-TX 10th) and Jacobs (D-CA 51st) during the HFAC hearing on USAID Thursday, GFA provides an example of what smart, Congressionally driven reform of U.S. foreign assistance could look like to improve alignment with U.S. national security priorities. The GFA provides important lessons that underscore why a hurried, unilateral approach to dismantle the U.S. foreign assistance apparatus is dangerous: The success of the GFA depends on experienced foreign assistance professionals who understand how aid can be used to promote stability and prevent conflict, and who are on the ground, forging partnerships with local officials – this expertise and presence is currently in jeopardy. An opaque waiver process has failed to allow most GFA programs to continue, including projects that work in partnership with DoD to stem the spread of terrorist groups in West Africa that have already destabilized US partners and account for 43% of global deaths from terrorism. USAID has robust oversight and vetting requirements and processes to protect American   taxpayer dollars and safeguard U.S. national security. As part of an extremely thorough and lengthy application process, USAID vets partner organizations who receive U.S. taxpayer dollars to ensure USAID assistance does not support or benefit terrorists in high risk environments including in places such as Afghanistan, Gaza and the West Bank, Syria, and Yemen. For example, vetting is used to prevent Taliban government officials from receiving taxpayer funds as a recipient or vendor of USAID partners. The Trump Administration and DOGE are crippling USAID’s ability to conduct adequate oversight and vetting by furloughing, firing, or placing on leave the staff who manage these critical functions, including the USAID Inspector General who was fired after issuing a report detailing the risks to U.S. national security and increased risk of fraud posed in the absence of vetting. Overhead costs are high in conflict zones, but it is not USAID’s decision. A Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) is a document published to reflect an estimate of indirect cost rates negotiated between the Federal Government and a Grantee’s organization which reflects the indirect costs (facilities and administrative costs) and fringe benefit expenses incurred by the organization. In the absence of a NICRA, the grantee can use the de minimis rate of 10% of modified total direct costs. NICRAs are typically set by OMB for the entire Executive branch, requiring USAID’s NICRAs to be largely in line with other Agencies and Departments. USAID’s overhead costs are high because USAID is following the law, adhering to the standard negotiated by other government agencies like the Department of Defense. Congress should help USAID cut overhead by granting USAID the power to renegotiate these rates as appropriate for USAID’s context and comparatively limited budget. In conflict zones, NICRAs are typically higher than in other contexts because operating in these areas requires additional costly security measures to address risks. For example, contractors are required by the Defense Base Act   to purchase insurance coverage to be able to pay death benefits to the children of USAID contractors if they are killed in the line of duty. In the absence of the military, USAID’s partners on the ground are risking their lives and paying for private security to ensure people in need receive assistance. USAID does not fund abortion. USAID does not fund abortions. The agency has strict oversight mechanisms to ensure compliance with the 1973 Helms Amendment   that bans U.S. assistance being used to fund abortions. Leaders rally to block destruction of USAID as crucial national security capability Rep. Sara Jacobs (CA-51) introduced the Protect U.S. National Security Act , which reiterates that any USAID reform should abide by existing laws and not harm American soft power, prohibits the use of funds to eliminate USAID as an independent agency, and requires annual certification of this prohibition by the Secretary of State. The US military relies on USAID to create post-conflict stability and prevent future conflicts, says retired US Navy admiral: “If you want to try to save money by cutting USAID, you will only end up spending more on costly Pentagon programs.” ( Bloomberg ) Media Review The Guardian: USAID cuts sow feeling of betrayal among Yazidis, 10 years after IS   genocide The New York Times:  USAID Lifesaving Aid Remains Halted Despite Rubio’s Promise The Atlantic:  At USAID, I Prioritized the Wrong Argument CNN: USAID Employees Detail Harrowing Exits from DR Congo Amid Violence as Trump   Administration Dismantles Agency Devex: Devex Newswire: Mass Cancellation of USAID contracts Raises Legal Questions USA Today:  USAID's foreign aid comes from US farms. Now $450 million of food is left to   rot . Bloomberg: USAID Really Does Protect Americans and Save Money Current Impact Fatalities A 71 year old woman, Pe Kha Lau, a refugee from Myanmar living in a displacement camp in neighbouring Thailand, died four days after she was discharged from a USAID-funded healthcare facility operated by the International Rescue Committee following the stop work order. ( Telegraph UK ) In Umpiem Mai camp in Thailand, which is home to more than 10,000 people who fled the brutal civil war in neighbouring Myanmar, a resident and a health worker told ABC that multiple patients who were reliant on oxygen have now died. ( Telegraph UK ) After the USAID funding freeze suspended work on their U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) orphans and vulnerable children program, one employee of the “Family Matters” subprogram committed suicide. ( Zambian Observer ) American Economy and Jobs In just three weeks, 11,521 Americans across 43 states have lost their jobs, with the estimated potential job loss to come likely to be over 52,000. Globally, 54,575 have been confirmed lost so far with the total likely to be over 100,000. From farmers in Kansas to NGO workers in North Carolina, the Foreign Assistance Stop Work order is hurting American workers and the U.S. economy. The loss of USAID means U.S. states will lose an estimated $3.34b in direct economic benefit. American farmers supply over 40% of the food aid USAID delivers, and on average, the U.S. government purchases $2.1 billion in crops from American farmers each year. This is now completely in jeopardy. Health Women’s Health: As a result of the stop work order, it is estimated that 130,390 women each day will be denied access to contraception, with 11.7 million women denied after the 90-day pause. That could result in as many as 4.2 million unintended pregnancies and more than 8,340 maternal deaths ( The Guardian ) Humanitarian Assistance The waivers are not working. On January 29 Secretary Rubio notified USAID that the stop work order would be waived for lifesaving programs. Despite this notice, implementation of the waiver has been stymied by inconsistent communication, lack of access to systems for staff managing those programs, and lack of clarity on how to request a waiver. When programs are told to abruptly stop working, they do not restart easily. Stop work orders force organizations to make decisions like firing staff, breaking leases, and turning away people who rely on them for medicine or food. In many cases, starting again means finding new expert staff and rebuilding trust with communities. Through USAID, the first Trump Administration supported the provision of humanitarian aid to help religious minorities persecuted by the Islamic State, including for the Yazidis in Iraq who suffered a genocide. The second Trump Administration is now abandoning them, freezing much needed aid, sowing feelings of betrayal among vulnerable people, and contributing to a risk of increased Islamic State influence in the region. In Sinjar, Iraq  where thousands of Yazidis were massacred by the Islamic State , the U.S. freeze on foreign aid has halted operations to provide water and electricity, primary healthcare centres, the construction of schools, community centers and other basic infrastructure at a time when thousands of Yazidis are returning home after more than a decade in Syrian refugee camps. In one case, electricity transformers already delivered had to be put into storage because of the stop-work order, leaving a community without reliable electricity. ( The Guardian ) Catholic Relief Services, the U.S. Catholic Church's overseas relief and development agency and USAID partner, warned that with USAID programs paused, the effect is dire ( Detroit Catholic ): Families in Ukraine will lose safe housing as home repairs and heating will stop amid Russia’s continued attacks. Amid freezing winter temperatures, without heat or safe housing, children, older adults and people with disabilities are especially vulnerable to severe illness or even death. In Sudan, a country ravaged by war and ongoing famine, 18,000 families will face increasing hunger due to losing farming support ahead of the critical planting season. In Vietnam, nearly 8,000 people with disabilities and their caregivers will not receive therapy, equipment and support, endangering their health and directly impairing their ability to lead independent lives. In Guatemala, the stoppage of aid will prevent 10,000 families in Guatemala from receiving the tools, seeds and cash to prepare crops for the beginning of the April planting season. The aid suspension also stood to drive residents to migrate in the face of worsening food security and malnutrition. National Security With the foreign assistance freeze, in just three weeks, U.S. adversaries like China have   stepped in to fill the void of USAID , this is often done through exploitative and dangerous loans versus grants that can lead to increased instability and economic collapse in the longer term: China provided a grant to help a Cambodian project clearing unexploded bombs days after the freeze on payments by USAID had forced it to suspend work, per the head of Cambodian Mine Action Centre. ( Newsweek ) In Nepal, Chinese officials have reportedly signaled to the Nepalese government that Beijing is willing to step in to replace USAID’s void with development funding of its own. Despite its strategic importance to the United States in the Indo-Pacific, officials in the Cook Islands have said they expect the withdrawal of USAID from the region to provide an opening for China. In Colombia, which received around $385 million in USAID funding in 2024, non-governmental organizations that received USAID funding say the Chinese government is interested in putting up money to help fill the void. The dangerous rhetoric and misinformation spread by President Trump, members of his administration, and Elon Musk are putting USAID staff, USAID partners, and communities who have received USAID assistance in danger, at the exact time that USAID staff are working in locations where terrorist groups use the same type of language to threaten USAID staff, partners, and recipient communities.

February 12, 2025 Important Events/Hearings this week: The court hearing on the case against the funding freeze and firing of USAID workers has been moved from today to 11am on Thursday, February 13th , due to the snow. People are encouraged to attend but to do so silently, wearing black, and not carrying any signs. The goal is to show support without causing disruption to an important hearing. One document filed in this case   details the horrific ordeal endured by one USAID staff member evacuated from the Democratic Republic of Congo. A Senate Foreign Relations Committee Roundtable, National Security Implications of   Halting U.S. Foreign Assistance , will be held today at 4 PM and will host a number of speakers including former Assistant to the Administrator for USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, Ms. Sarah Charles, and former Director of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance at USAID, Mr. Jeremy Konyndyk, to discuss USAID’s work in supporting national security through its programs and expertise. A House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing,  The USAID Betrayal , is slated for tomorrow at 8:30 AM.  This hearing will feature former Administrator of USAID, Andrew Natsios , Representative  Ted Yoho , and Heritage Foundation Senior Research Fellow,  Max   Primorac . Hearing statements from all three have been released and indicate that Primorac will promote unfounded claims and accusations about the work of USAID. The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs (HSGAC) hearing, Eliminating Waste by the Foreign Aid Bureaucracy , will be held tomorrow at 10 AM . Today’s Key Messages USAID seems to be the playbook for President Trump and Elon Musk’s plan for a rapid and potentially illegal overhaul of the U.S. government. This is being done without the Congressional approval and oversight required for those agencies codified by statute. No one is against reform, but what DOGE is doing isn’t reform, it’s taking a sledgehammer to a vital tool of U.S. national security. ASK: In accordance with its constitutional obligations, Congress needs to act now on the dismantling of USAID and unfreeze foreign assistance to signal that these actions will not stand. Congress has power of the purse and oversight on reform of agencies codified in statute, not DOGE. USAID has evolved and reformed at the behest of administrations and Congress numerous times over its 65 year history to more effectively serve America’s interests at any given time, and bold reform now is both necessary and feasible. Instead of undertaking a reform effort, working closely with Congress as is required by law, DOGE has taken a “burn it all down” approach. This may work for tech firms, but it is a dangerous approach for government institutions that must be accountable to taxpayers, that enforce laws, and that deliver public goods, not accountable to profit. Rep. Bacon (R-NE) underscored this in his comments to the  Wall Street Journal : “[USAID was] funding a lot of stupid stuff - that’s a fact.  But they’re also doing a lot of good stuff too. So you don’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Instead of taking a sledgehammer, let’s get out the scalpel.” If the current DOGE approach being executed by Pete Marocco continues, the United States will lose the expertise and operational systems that are essential to responsibly oversee foreign assistance, along with many valuable programs. This will make it extremely costly if not impossible for the United States to continue to wield foreign assistance as an effective soft power tool in the future and only China and U.S. adversaries will benefit. DOGE has repeatedly presented false or inaccurate information to back up its claims of fraud and waste. Standing in the Oval Office next to the President of the United States when speaking about USAID, Elon Musk said   “we are moving so fast so we will make mistakes.” Musk also said   “some of the things that I say will be incorrect.” If DOGE was committed to government efficiency, they would not be spreading misinformation and trying to illegally shut down USAID in a matter of days, DOGE would be promoting a proper independent audit of USAID operations and programs. New EO as a cover for DOGE’s attacks on USAID’s workforce On February 10th, the Trump administration issued an executive order Implementing   The President’s Department of Government Efficiency Workforce Optimization Initiative , that seems to be reverse-engineering a cover story for the mass layoffs and firings initiated by DOGE that started at USAID and other agencies. The EO instructs Agency Heads to initiate large-scale layoffs (reductions in force) and inserts a “DOGE Team Lead” at every agency as the overseer of any new hiring. Agency Heads may exempt any position necessary for national security. USAID Inspector General report and subsequent firing The Trump administration  terminated USAID’s inspector general   the day after his office reported that administration actions had hamstrung USAID’s ability to track and respond to potential misuse of humanitarian assistance. This has now become seemingly common practice with IGs being fired across the U.S. government despite their roles as independent watchdogs investigating waste or fraud being critical to the current mission DOGE claims to be undertaking. The Trump administration’s kneejerk retaliation may also be illegal for failing to provide 30 days’ notice to Congress with justification for the dismissal. On February 10th, the USAID Office of the Inspector General (OIG) published a report   concluding that $8.2bn in obligated but undisbursed humanitarian assistance is at risk of diversion, spoilage, or other misconduct as a result of the assistance pause, other directives and unclear instructions, and staff reductions. Key findings include: USAID’s partner-vetting unit, responsible for ensuring aid does not fund terrorist organizations, has been shut down. This increases the risk of aid being diverted to groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and ISIS.  USAID can no longer effectively vet new or existing aid contracts, creating major security concerns . Food aid worth  $489 million  is sitting at ports, in transit, or in warehouses, at risk of spoilage, theft, or diversion. Over 500,000 metric tons of food sourced from U.S. farmers remains stuck due to unclear funding policies. Third-party monitoring (TPM) contracts were suspended, leaving USAID unable to verify if aid is being delivered properly. Staff reductions have severely limited USAID’s ability to investigate fraud, waste, or abuse in humanitarian programs. Reports suggest that humanitarian aid in high-risk areas like Gaza, Syria, and Ukraine is vulnerable to theft and mismanagement. Current Impact Fatalities A 71 year old woman, Pe Kha Lau, a refugee from Myanmar living in a displacement camp in neighbouring Thailand, died four days after she was discharged from a USAID-funded healthcare facility operated by the International Rescue Committee following the stop work order. ( Telegraph UK ) In Umpiem Mai camp in Thailand, which is home to more than 10,000 people who fled the brutal civil war in neighbouring Myanmar, a resident and a health worker told ABC that multiple patients who were reliant on oxygen have now died. ( Telegraph UK ) American Economy and Jobs In just three weeks, 11,322 Americans across 43 states have lost their jobs, with the estimated potential job loss to come likely to be over 52,000. Globally, 51,848 have been confirmed lost so far with the total likely to be over 100,000. From farmers in Kansas to NGO workers in North Carolina, the Foreign Assistance Stop Work order is hurting American workers and the U.S. economy. The loss of USAID means U.S. states will lose an estimated $3.34b in direct economic benefit. On February 10, the National Democratic Institute   furloughed 60% of its staff due to the foreign assistance freeze. This is just one instance of a critical USAID partner having to take such a drastic step after just three weeks after the stop work orders were issued. American farmers supply over 40% of the food aid USAID delivers, and on average, the U.S. government purchases $2.1 billion in crops from American farmers each year. This is now completely in jeopardy. Humanitarian Assistance On January 29 Secretary Rubio notified USAID that the stop work order would be waived for lifesaving programs. Despite this notice, implementation of the waiver has been stymied by inconsistent communication, lack of access to systems for staff managing those programs, and lack of clarity on how to request a waiver. In addition, the measures USAID has for ensuring responsible use of taxpayer funding have been dramatically weakened by the actions of the Musk/Trump administration. Due to building closures, staff do not have access to the systems for vetting organizations to prevent funding to terrorist groups. Staff whose responsibility it is to vet, monitor and oversee programs have been put on leave or otherwise denied access to their email. The USAID Inspector General, who issued a report on such damage to the oversight of taxpayer dollars, has been fired. When programs are told to abruptly stop working, they do not restart easily. Stop work orders force organizations to make decisions like firing staff, breaking leases, and turning away people who rely on them for medicine or food. In many cases, starting again means finding new expert staff and rebuilding trust with communities. Sudan’s Emergency Response Rooms (ERRs) is a civilian-led, grassroots network providing lifesaving food, medicine and other basic supplies to people in Sudan. As famine already rages in parts of Sudan, ERR has had to immediately stop most kitchen operations due to a lack of funding, about 75% of which came from USAID. It costs approximately $10,000 for a single ERR kitchen in Darfur to feed 250 families for two weeks. Without this aid, ERR estimates civilians in Darfur will start dying in 10 to 20 days. ( NBC ) National Security In the absence of USAID leadership and influence, vulnerable people around the world will turn to others for help, not only China and Russia, but potentially violent extremist organizations. With the foreign assistance freeze, in just two weeks, U.S. adversaries like China have   stepped in to fill the void of USAID , this is often done through exploitative and dangerous loans versus grants that can lead to increased instability and economic collapse in the longer term: In Nepal, Chinese officials have reportedly signaled to the Nepalese government that Beijing is willing to step in to replace USAID’s void with development funding of its own Despite its strategic importance to the United States in the Indo-Pacific, Officials in the Cook Islands have said they expect the withdrawal of USAID from the region to provide an opening for China. In Colombia, which received around $385 million in USAID funding in 2024, non-governmental organizations that received USAID funding say the Chinese government is interested in putting up money to help fill the void. USAID has worked with Ukraine to bolster the country’s digital defenses. USAID’s Cybersecurity for Critical Infrastructure in Ukraine Activity was designed to help secure the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ global diplomatic communications networks in October. As reported by Forbes on February 11th , this activity has been paused as a result of the administration's attempt to shut down USAID. Thus, impacting essential Ukrainian government functions such as diplomacy which is vital while the country continues its war against Russia. Health Confirmed cases of Ebola in Uganda have now increased to seven from the initial two and are no longer being contained by American foreign aid and technical expertise. All 10 confirmed cases of Marburg virus (similar to Ebola) in Tanzania have died. Ebola and other related viruses can quickly spread to become another pandemic if USAID is not present. USAID was responsible for containing the 2013-2015 Ebola outbreak, preventing a global pandemic from occurring, and saving millions of lives. HIV/AIDS (PEPFAR): Based on FY2024 dispensing data, 222,333 people pick up new supplies of ARVs every single day, 365 days per year. So, 222,233 people lose access to treatment every day that the stop work order is in effect. Of these, 7,445 are children under the age of 15 losing access to treatment for each day. ( amfAR ) For each day pregnant women with HIV go without treatment due to the stop work order, there will be 1,471 new HIV infections among infants. They will likely go undiagnosed because infant HIV testing services are suspended. ( amfAR ) Malaria: The abrupt suspension of USAID funding has immediate implications for life-saving programs worldwide. The "stop work" order affects approximately 1,400 activities across 133 countries and regions, including those under the President’s Malaria Initiative. In 2023, this initiative delivered 37 million insecticide-treated bed nets, a critical tool in malaria prevention. The cessation of such programs threatens to reverse progress made in malaria control ( Source ). One implementing partner that receives USAID funding has more than one million insecticide-treated bed nets in a warehouse in Ethiopia that, along with antimalarial drugs and diagnostics, are going to waste because they are not allowed to deploy them anymore. ( Nature ) After one week of the freeze, 912,720 women and girls have been denied care, and after one month, the figure will reach about four million. Over the course of the full 90-day review period, 11.7 million women and girls will be denied essential care (Source:   Guttmacher) .

February 11, 2025 Today’s Key Message USAID seems to be the playbook for President Trump and Elon Musk’s plan for a rapid and potentially illegal overhaul of the U.S. government. This is being done without Congressional approval and oversight required for those agencies codified by statute. No one is against reform, but what DOGE is doing isn’t reform, it’s taking a sledgehammer to a vital tool of U.S. national security. ASK: Congress needs to act now on the dismantling of USAID and unfreeze foreign assistance to signal that these actions will not stand. Congress has power of the purse and oversight on reform of agencies codified in statute, not DOGE. With announcements over the weekend that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau   (CFPB) is facing similar destructive actions to those executed in an attempt to dismantle USAID over the last two weeks, and DOGE accessing at least 15 government agencies , it is clear that USAID was just the first stop in this effort. USAID has evolved and reformed at the behest of administrations and Congress numerous times over its 65 year history to more effectively serve America’s interests at any given time, and bold reform now is both necessary and feasible. Instead of undertaking a reform effort, working closely with Congress as is required by law, DOGE has taken a “burn it all down, build it back up” approach. This may work for tech firms, but it is a dangerous approach for government institutions that must be accountable to taxpayers and that deliver public goods, not profit. Rep. Bacon (R-NE) put it best in his comments to the Wall Street Journal: “[USAID was] funding a lot of stupid stuff - that’s a fact.  But they’re also doing a lot of good stuff too. So you don’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Instead of taking a sledgehammer, let’s get out the scalpel.” If the current DOGE approach being executed by Pete Marocco continues, the United States will lose the expertise and operational systems that are essential to responsibly oversee foreign assistance, along with many valuable programs. This will make it extremely costly if not impossible for the United States to continue to wield foreign assistance as an effective soft power tool in the future and only China and U.S. adversaries will benefit. There remains no clear guidance for USAID staff that have been kept on or whose access to government systems was reinstated due to the court order last week. There are now a few thousand staff back online, ready to work, but who have not received guidance on where to focus their working hours. Meanwhile, staff need direction and a mandate to enact the urgently needed, life-saving work that the waivers, approved by Secretary Rubio, allow to move forward. There continues to be confusion on the status of waivers, rescinded funds, and contract and program terminations. Many of the contracts/programs that USAID missions have been told to terminate fall under congressional mandates such as audits and oversight programs , and therefore cannot be terminated without congressional approval. Staff are now being told to cancel these contracts and programs that are meant to help USAID be a good steward of taxpayer dollars. Current Impact American Economy and Jobs In just three weeks, 11,322 Americans across 43 states have lost their jobs, with the estimated potential job loss to come likely to be over 52,000. Globally, 51,848 have been confirmed lost so far with the total likely to be over 100,000. From farmers in Kansas to NGO workers in North Carolina, the Foreign Assistance Stop Work order is hurting American workers and the U.S. economy. The loss of USAID means U.S. states will lose an estimated $3.34b in direct economic benefit. On February 10, the National Democratic Institute   furloughed 60% of its staff due to the foreign assistance freeze. This is just one instance of a critical USAID partner having to take such a drastic step after just three weeks after the stop work orders were issued. American farmers supply over 40% of the food aid USAID delivers, and on average, the U.S. government purchases $2.1 billion in crops from American farmers each year. This is now completely in jeopardy. Humanitarian Assistance On February 10th, the USAID Office of the Inspector General (OIG) published a report   concluding that $8.2bn in obligated but undisbursed humanitarian assistance is at risk of diversion, spoilage, or other misconduct as a result of the assistance pause, other directives and unclear instructions, and staff reductions. Key findings include: USAID’s partner-vetting unit, responsible for ensuring aid doesn’t fund terrorist organizations, has been shut down. This increases the risk of aid being diverted to groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and ISIS.  USAID can no longer effectively vet new or existing aid contracts, creating major security concern s. Food aid worth  $489 million  is sitting at ports, in transit, or in warehouses, at risk of spoilage, theft, or diversion. Over 500,000 metric tons of food sourced from U.S. farmers remains stuck due to unclear funding policies. Third-party monitoring (TPM) contracts were suspended, leaving USAID unable to verify if aid is being delivered properly. Staff reductions have severely limited USAID’s ability to investigate fraud, waste, or abuse in humanitarian programs Reports suggest that humanitarian aid in high-risk areas like Gaza, Syria, and Ukraine is vulnerable to theft and mismanagement Because of the U.S. foreign assistance freeze and despite humanitarian waivers, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), will have to suspend programs serving hundreds of thousands of people in 20 countries despite having funding from other donor countries available. “The impact of this will be felt severely by the most vulnerable, from deeply neglected Burkina Faso, where we are the only organization supplying clean water to the 300,000 trapped in the blockaded city of Djibo, to war-torn Sudan, where we support nearly 500 bakeries in Darfur providing daily subsidized bread to hundreds of thousands of hunger-stricken people,” NRC said in a statement. National Security In the absence of USAID leadership and influence, vulnerable people around the world will turn to others for help, not only China and Russia, but potentially violent extremist organizations. With the foreign assistance freeze, in just two weeks, U.S. adversaries like China have   stepped in to fill the void of USAID , this is often done through exploitative and dangerous loans versus grants that can lead to increased instability and economic collapse in the longer term: In Nepal, Chinese officials have reportedly signaled to the Nepalese government that Beijing is willing to step in to replace USAID’s void with development funding of its own Despite its strategic importance to the United States in the Indo-Pacific, Officials in the Cook Islands have said they expect the withdrawal of USAID from the region to provide an opening for China. In Colombia, which received around $385 million in USAID funding in 2024, non-governmental organizations that received USAID funding say the Chinese government is interested in putting up money to help fill the void. Health Confirmed cases of Ebola in Uganda have now increased to seven from the initial two and are no longer being contained by American foreign aid and technical expertise. All 10 confirmed cases of Marburg virus (similar to Ebola) in Tanzania have died. Ebola and other related viruses can quickly spread to become another pandemic if USAID is not present. USAID was responsible for containing the 2013-2015 Ebola outbreak, preventing a global pandemic from occurring, and saving millions of lives. HIV/AIDS (PEPFAR): Based on FY2024 dispensing data, 222,333 people pick up new supplies of ARVs every single day, 365 days per year. So, 222,233 people lose access to treatment every day that the stop work order is in effect. Of these, 7,445 are children under the age of 15 losing access to treatment for each day. ( amfAR ) For each day pregnant women with HIV go without treatment due to the stop work order, there will be 1,471 new HIV infections among infants. They will likely go undiagnosed because infant HIV testing services are suspended. ( amfAR ) Malaria: The abrupt suspension of USAID funding has immediate implications for life-saving programs worldwide. The "stop work" order affects approximately 1,400 activities across 133 countries and regions, including those under the President’s Malaria Initiative. In 2023, this initiative delivered 37 million insecticide-treated bed nets, a critical tool in malaria prevention. The cessation of such programs threatens to reverse progress made in malaria control ( Source ). One implementing partner that receives USAID funding has more than one million insecticide-treated bed nets in a warehouse in Ethiopia that, along with antimalarial drugs and diagnostics, are going to waste because they are not allowed to deploy them anymore. ( Nature ) After one week of the freeze, 912,720 women and girls have been denied care, and after one month, the figure will reach about four million. Over the course of the full 90-day review period, 11.7 million women and girls will be denied essential care (Source:   Guttmacher) .

February 10, 2025 Today’s Key Message It now appears that USAID is the playbook for President Trump and Elon Musk’s plan for a rapid and potentially illegal overhaul of the U.S. government. This is being done without Congressional approval and oversight required for those agencies codified by statute. ASK: Congress needs to act now on USAID to signal that this approach to reform will not stand. With announcements over the weekend that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is facing similar destructive actions to those executed in an attempt to dismantle USAID over the last two weeks, and DOGE accessing at least 15 government agencies, it is clear that USAID was just the first stop in this effort. It is widely acknowledged and understood that reform and change are necessary and good. This is not a reform effort. Rep. Bacon (R-NE) put it best in his comments to the Wall Street Journal this weekend: “They were funding a lot of stupid stuff - that’s a fact. But they’re also doing a lot of good stuff too. So you don’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Instead of taking a sledgehammer, let’s get out the scalpel.” Congress needs to act now so that there is a foreign assistance infrastructure left to reform. There remains no clear guidance for USAID staff that have been kept on or whose access to government systems was reinstated due to the court order last week. There are now a few thousand staff back online, ready to work, but who have not received guidance on where to focus their working hours. Meanwhile, staff need direction and a mandate to enact the urgently needed, life-saving work that the waivers, approved by Secretary Rubio, allow to move forward. Despite the return to work order, USAID staff have been told to remain at home on telework status as the “former USAID headquarters at the Ronald Reagan Building” and other USAID properties remain closed indefinitely. There also continues to be confusion on the status of waivers, rescinded funds, and contract and program terminations. Many of the contracts/programs that USAID missions have been told to terminate fall under congressional mandates such as audits and oversight programs, and therefore cannot be terminated without congressional approval. Staff are now being told to cancel these contracts and programs that are meant to help USAID be a good steward of taxpayer dollars. Congress has a choice right now: USAID needs Members of Congress to step in and stop the dismantling so that an effective assistance review can be undertaken, otherwise, take responsibility for the catastrophic consequences of these actions and the complete loss of development as a tool in the U.S. national security and foreign policy toolkit. Current Impact USAID’s Structure and People The continued hollowing out of USAID expertise and presence around the world will have global ripple effects for years to come. On February 4, the entire USAID direct hire workforce globally was notified that they were on administrative leave indefinitely, and all “non-essential” Institutional Support and Personal Service Contractors–approximately 3,000 people–were “terminated.” The administrative leave status for U.S. direct hire personnel (approximately 2,500 staff) was reversed by a court order on February 7, however, this hold will only remain in place until midnight February 14, with a longer term pause being considered in a hearing on February 12. USAID has more than 13,000 total employees worldwide, including direct hires (foreign and civil service), locally employed foreign service national staff, and contractors. USAID was founded by an executive order (EO) but was codified in statute by Congress and only Congress has the power to approve the modification/merger of USAID or its closure. This cannot be done unilaterally by the Executive Branch. American Economy From farmers in Kansas to NGO workers in North Carolina, the Foreign Assistance Stop Work order is hurting American workers and the U.S. economy. The loss of USAID means U.S. states will lose an estimated $3.34b in direct economic benefit. See this State by State view of USAID’s work Implementing partners, which include NGOs and development companies based across 42 states in the United States - will be facing mass furloughs or layoffs, and some may even have to close their doors entirely in the coming days and weeks. The current estimate is that these actions will result in an estimated 52,000 American jobs, and 100,000 global jobs lost. USAIDstopwork.com is tracking actual jobs lost, furloughed, and placed on administrative leave and have confirmed 10,758 people across 43 states to be impacted, and 51,848 global jobs confirmed lost. Title II emergency food and nutrition assistance, which constitutes the bulk of USAID’s food assistance, is currently suspended. This suspension will drive more people into famine conditions, and impact the American farmers who grow the food, as well as the U.S. ocean freighters that ship these commodities around the world. American farmers supply over 40% of the food aid USAID delivers, and on average, the U.S. government purchases $2.1 billion in crops from American farmers each year. More than 475,000 metric tons of American food commodities—valued at more than $450 million—are currently scheduled or in transit and at risk of being wasted. This food, grown by American farmers in the country’s heartland, is enough to feed more than 36 million people and includes corn and cornmeal, lentils, pinto beans, rice, sorghum, vegetable oil, wheat, and yellow split peas. In addition, more than 29,000 metric tons of food commodities—valued at nearly $39 million—are sitting on the floor in USAID warehouses in Houston, Texas, unable to be loaded onto waiting US-flagged ships for transportation to hungry people abroad. Food is also waiting to be loaded at ports in Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Lake Charles (LA), Miami (FL), Newark (NJ), New York (NY), Norfolk (VA), and Savannah (GA). A continued pause will hurt the American shipping industry which handles the majority of USAID food commodities. National Security USAID should be reformed to better align with an America First foreign policy agenda and adapt to a new era of strategic competition, but Elon Musk and Pete Marocco’s actions are not doing this, they are robbing the United States of a critical soft power tool. Because many of those actions are sloppy, they are likely to end up costing U.S. taxpayers much more than an orderly reform process. In the absence of USAID leadership and influence, vulnerable people around the world will turn to others for help, not only China and Russia, but potentially violent extremist organizations. Dozens of embassies have been sending cables to Department of State headquarters detailing how this action to dismantle USAID and recall staff is a mistake, and a major threat to national security and U.S. diplomacy. USAID food aid supports national security by maintaining a strong U.S.-flag merchant fleet, ensuring sealift capacity for military operations, and sustaining the domestic maritime industry. America’s Adversaries Cheer On USAID’s Demise Khmer Times Front Page Headline on February 7, 2025: China provides $4.4 million more in demining aid amid USAID funding freeze Moscow Times Headline on February 6, 2025: Russia Welcomes USAID Cuts, Calls Agency ‘Machine for Interfering’ Humanitarian Assistance On February 9th, the World Food Program announced that the recent pause of their in-kind food assistance purchased from U.S. farmers with Title II funds has been rescinded. This allows for the resumption of food purchases and deliveries under existing USAID agreements and for NGOs to continue to operate through this partnership. While this is welcome news, this is only one instance among numerous programs and projects that remain in limbo on whether or not Congressionally appropriated funds for their activities will be unfrozen so that life-saving work can be resumed. The delays and dysfunction in the waiver process continue to put people at risk and must be clarified immediately for USAID to resume its impactful work around the world. In Somalia, with the purging of USAID staff, there is more than $400 million in USAID humanitarian funding that now lacks appropriate oversight, including for emergency food aid that is reaching over one million hungry people each month. Food assistance rations to one million refugees in Bangladesh could be severely reduced by April without new funds for humanitarian assistance. Flood affected areas in southern Pakistan, an important national security partner, where 12 mobile health units, providing services for approximately 740,000 people, including primary health and maternal newborn and child health care, are not receiving the care they need due to the freeze on foreign assistance funds. In South Sudan, there is approximately $200 million in emergency food aid (Title II) and $100 million in Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) funding on the way or sitting in Mombasa, Kenya, to feed an estimated five million people, where 60 percent of the population is extremely food insecure. One in four children under five is suffering from severe acute malnutrition. Health Cases of Ebola in Uganda have spread to seven confirmed cases from the initial two and are no longer being contained by American foreign aid and technical expertise. All 10 confirmed cases of Marburg virus (similar to Ebola) in Tanzania have died. Ebola and other related viruses can quickly spread to become another pandemic if USAID is not present. USAID was responsible for containing the 2013-2015 Ebola outbreak, preventing a global pandemic from occurring, and saving millions of lives. HIV/AIDS (PEPFAR): Based on FY2024 dispensing data, 222,333 people pick up new supplies of ARVs every single day, 365 days per year. So, 222,233 people lose access to treatment every day that the stop work order is in effect. Of these, 7,445 are children under the age of 15 losing access to treatment for each day. ( amfAR ) For each day pregnant women with HIV go without treatment due to the stop work order, there will be 1,471 new HIV infections among infants. They will likely go undiagnosed because infant HIV testing services are suspended. ( amfAR ) Malaria: The abrupt suspension of USAID funding has immediate implications for life-saving programs worldwide. The "stop work" order affects approximately 1,400 activities across 133 countries and regions, including those under the President’s Malaria Initiative. In 2023, this initiative delivered 37 million insecticide-treated bed nets, a critical tool in malaria prevention. The cessation of such programs threatens to reverse progress made in malaria control ( Source ). One implementing partner that receives USAID funding has more than one million insecticide-treated bed nets in a warehouse in Ethiopia that, along with antimalarial drugs and diagnostics, are going to waste because they are not allowed to deploy them anymore. ( Nature ) After one week of the freeze, 912,720 women and girls have been denied care, and after one month, the figure will reach about four million. Over the course of the full 90-day review period, 11.7 million women and girls will be denied essential care ( Source: Guttmacher ).

February 7, 2025 Today’s Key Messages America’s Adversaries Cheer On USAID’s Demise Moscow Times Headline on February 6, 2025: Russia Welcomes USAID Cuts, Calls Agency ‘Machine for Interfering’ Secretary Rubio Dismantles 94% of USAID’s American Workforce On February 6th, the Agency announced that only 611 employees worldwide will remain at USAID as essential staff, out of a total of 10,000 current American staff. The remaining employees were placed on indefinite administrative leave, locked out of their email systems, and told not to come into work. All but a small handful of Institutional Support and Personal Service Contractors–approximately 3,000 people–were “terminated.” The plan is clearly to pull a shell version of USAID under the Department of State, but the loss of expertise and almost the entire workforce through the expected reduction in force and termination of contract employees will make it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to bring the Agency’s capabilities back online in any capacity in the near future. Many programs, if not formally cut through the foreign assistance review, will effectively be shut down due to staffing shortages at USAID and implementing partners who will close if they have not already, as a result of this action. The loss of USAID Washington and Mission staff will severely hinder all remaining humanitarian and development programs, including life-saving activities like PEPFAR and critical assistance approved under Secretary Rubio’s waiver, issued on January 28, 2025. Congressionally required oversight of these programs funded by American taxpayers will also come to a halt without USAID staff present to conduct it. The dismantling of USAID will cost the American taxpayer: One estimate puts the sunk cost of the abandonment of USAID facilities and forced repatriation of all American USAID Foreign Service Officers and their families, who have been ordered to return to the U.S. within 30 days, at almost $1 billion. Foreign Assistance Stop Work Order Harms the U.S. Economy From farmers in Kansas to NGO workers in North Carolina, the Foreign Assistance Stop Work order is hurting American workers and the U.S. economy. The loss of USAID means U.S. states will lose an estimated $3.34b in direct economic benefit. Implementing partners, which include NGOs and development companies based across 42 states in the United States - will be facing mass furloughs or layoffs, and some may even have to close their doors entirely in the coming days and weeks. This is estimated to impact a total of 52,000 American jobs , with 10,275 American jobs (USAID and partners) already being confirmed to be lost, furloughed, or on leave, as well as the imminent fear of unemployment and jobs lost for 15,100 people (non-American) globally. USAID provided $1 billion in contracts to U.S. small businesses last year. The foreign assistance freeze is likely to have devastating impacts on these small businesses. American farmers supply over 40% of the food aid USAID delivers, and on average, the U.S. government purchases $2.1 billion in crops from American farmers each year. While a food assistance waiver was issued, payments have not been flowing to implementing partners and thus American farmers are not getting paid and food is rotting on shelves. The Department of State Director of Foreign Assistance, Peter Marocco, stated that he does not know why funding is not flowing to partners under the waivers; however, reports continue that funds are not being received. Avian Flu Spreads Amid USAID Disease Surveillance Shutdown The H5N1 avian flu has spread across all 50 states, killing 156 million birds and even affecting dairy cattle in Nevada. The bird losses have driven egg prices to record highs, with some areas reporting over $10 per dozen and retailers imposing purchase limits. If USAID staff were still allowed to do their jobs, they could help with critical actions they are experts in to stop the spread globally, as they have done with Ebola and other diseases, such as disease tracking, emergency health management, infection prevention, public communication, personal distribution, and eventual vaccine delivery. This work helps prevent infectious diseases from reaching the United States. Ongoing attacks on the agency’s workforce and critical programs weaken the government’s ability to fight this pandemic, putting all Americans at greater risk Current Impact USAID’s Structure and People There is grave concern about the complete hollowing out of USAID staff and that this will mean USAID will cease to exist. The plan is clearly now to pull it under the Department of State, but the loss of expertise and the damage done will make it difficult to bring back online in any capacity in the near future. On February 4, the entire USAID direct hire workforce globally was notified that they are now on administrative leave indefinitely, and all “non-essential” Institutional Support and Personal Service Contractors–approximately 3,000 people–were “terminated.” USAID has more than 13,000 total employees worldwide, including direct hires (foreign and civil service), locally employed foreign service national staff, and contractors. This includes: ○ More than 1,900 American Foreign Service Officers (FSOs), who will now need to return home with their families More than 1,600 American civil service employees, who have all been placed on administrative leave More than 4,100 American contractors, most of whom were already furloughed, and now officially laid off More than 5,000 locally employed foreign service national staff, who will now be out of work as Missions stop work and shutter USAID was founded by an executive order (EO) but was codified in statute by Congress and only Congress has the power to approve the modification/merger of USAID or its closure. This cannot be done unilaterally by the Executive Branch. American Farming and Shipping Title II emergency food and nutrition assistance, which constitutes the bulk of USAID’s food assistance, is currently suspended. This suspension will drive more people into famine conditions, and impact the American farmers who grow the food, as well as the U.S. ocean freighters that ship these commodities around the world. More than 475,000 metric tons of American food commodities—valued at more than $450 million —are currently scheduled or in transit and at risk of being wasted. This food, grown by American farmers in the country’s heartland, is enough to feed more than 36 million people and includes corn and cornmeal, lentils, pinto beans, rice, sorghum, vegetable oil, wheat, and yellow split peas. In addition, more than 29,000 metric tons of food commodities—valued at nearly $39 million —are sitting on the floor in USAID warehouses in Houston, Texas, unable to be loaded onto waiting US-flagged ships for transportation to hungry people abroad. Food is also waiting to be loaded at ports in Boston (MA), Chicago (IL), Lake Charles (LA), Miami (FL), Newark (NJ), New York (NY), Norfolk (VA), and Savannah (GA). A continued pause will hurt the American shipping industry which handles the majority of USAID food commodities. Senator Moran (R-KS) is right: This aid must be distributed immediately. The scale of this disruption underscores the far-reaching consequences of the funding pause on global food assistance efforts. National Security USAID should be reformed to better align with an America First foreign policy agenda and adapt to a new era of strategic competition, but Elon Musk and Peter Marocco’s actions are not doing this, they are robbing the United States of a critical soft power tool. Because many of those actions are sloppy, they are likely to end up costing U.S. taxpayers much more than an orderly reform process. In the absence of USAID leadership, vulnerable people will turn to others for help, not only China and Russia, but potentially violent extremist organizations. USAID food aid supports national security by maintaining a strong U.S.-flag merchant fleet, ensuring sealift capacity for military operations, and sustaining the domestic maritime industry. American Democracy On February 6, The New York Times reported Musk and his team tried to gain access to the Treasury's payment system in order to freeze USAID payments. The report details how career staff at the Treasury raised concerns about the legality of using the system to halt payments that had been authorized and certified by the agency. Personnel associated with DOGE eventually gained access to the sensitive payment system. Congress has lost control of the power of the purse and oversight of USAID through the actions of Elon Musk, DOGE, and the White House. Humanitarian Assistance In Somalia, with the purging of USAID staff, there is more than $400 million in USAID humanitarian funding that now lacks appropriate oversight, including for emergency food aid that is reaching over one million hungry people each month. In Bangladesh, food assistance for one million refugees is at a critical point, with full rations running out at the end of this month and a reduction of 50% for rations in March. By April, food assistance is likely to shut down if the freeze continues. That’s mothers, fathers, and young children without food to thrive. In South Sudan, there is approximately $200 million in emergency food aid (Title II) and $100 million in Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) funding on the way or sitting in Mombasa, Kenya, to feed an estimated five million people, where 60 percent of the population is extremely food insecure. One in four children under five is suffering from severe acute malnutrition. Health Cases of Ebola in Uganda are no longer being contained by American foreign aid and technical expertise. This disease can quickly spread to become another pandemic if USAID is not present. USAID was responsible for containing the 2013-2015 Ebola outbreak, preventing a global pandemic from occurring, and saving millions of lives. The freeze on USAID’s global health programs will shut down malaria spraying in multiple countries leaving close to 6 million people vulnerable to this disease. Bird flu, which has already killed an American in Louisiana, is no longer being monitored in 49 countries as a result of the stop work order. Without USAID, efforts to prevent this virus from mutating into a more dangerous strain will be significantly weakened. Without USAID’s health and nutrition assistance, approximately 4.5 million children under the age of five are facing acute malnutrition in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country facing growing conflict and instability.