Washington, DC – In a letter sent to Congress yesterday, leading anti-hunger, anti-poverty, environmental, faith-based, gender equality, global health, humanitarian aid, human rights, peacebuilding and refugee agencies urged Members to “oppose the rescission of any foreign assistance funds related to urgent human needs, including food, medical and humanitarian aid, and to global stability and resilience, such as peacebuilding, poverty-focused development assistance, climate resilience and good governance.”
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The letter warns that “providing Congressional approval for these cuts will result in otherwise preventable deaths, the spread of infectious diseases and antibiotic resistance, and increased global poverty, instability and violence.” While reminding Congress that this rescission package “defies the long-held values of the United States and the current views of its people” and that “Americans are generous.”
The letter is signed by 78 groups, including the Alliance of Baptists, Alliance to End Hunger, American Public Health Association, the Episcopal Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Friends Committee on National Legislation, HIAS, Latin America Working Group, Oxfam America, Presbyterian Church (USA) Office of Public Witness, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, United Methodist Church General Board of Church and Society, and many more.
“As an organization grounded in the Quaker belief in the inherent dignity and worth of each person, FCNL strongly opposes the cruel cuts to foreign assistance requested in the White House’s rescission package,” says Ursala Knudsen-Latta, legislative director, Friends Committee on National Legislation. “This rescission package is diametrically opposed to Christ’s call to love thy neighbor, without exceptions. FCNL strongly urges Congress to assert its constitutional authority and to oppose the rescission of any foreign assistance funds.”
“As the wealthiest and most powerful country in the world, the United States has a moral imperative to protect human dignity and make things better for as many people as possible based on Jesus’ principle that ‘to whom much has been given, much is required’ (Luke 12:48),” says Rev. Adam Russell Taylor, president, Sojourners. “These massive cuts to foreign assistance are foreign policy malpractice, deeply short-sighted economically, and actively undermine our national security — not to mention a direct assault on the many commands from the Christian faith to love and protect the most vulnerable.”
“This rescissions package would cut bipartisan programs that tackle disease, conflict, and corruption abroad before they reach Americans here at home. Lawmakers know better than to cherry-pick anecdotes that make up just a fraction of the total funding at issue,” says Brian Volsky, policy director, Foreign Policy for America.
“This rescission package doesn’t just reduce funding—it unravels decades of bipartisan U.S. investment in the United Nations and the global partnerships that have long advanced peace, health, and security. Congress must reject these cuts and reaffirm America’s commitment to global leadership,” says Rachel Pittman, executive director, UNA-USA.
“Everyone deserves access to quality health care and the power to make decisions about their own bodies, lives, and futures — no matter who they are or where they live. The Trump administration’s request to cut billions of dollars in foreign aid will undoubtedly make the world less safe,” says Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Action Fund. “This administration continues to play politics with people’s lives by attacking essential sexual and reproductive health care, at home and abroad, including by targeting and egregiously misrepresenting international family planning and reproductive health programs that save and improve lives. Elected officials should not be interfering in personal medical decisions in this country or anywhere in the world.”
“The rescission package will undermine peacebuilding and conflict prevention efforts around the world. Withdrawing resources for some UN peacekeeping missions and cutting funding for the US Institute for Peace and other important initiatives will contribute to greater needs to respond to future crises,” says Jordan Street, head of US/UN Program, Saferworld. “Taken with the plans for State Department reorganization, the US Government will have less capacity to respond. This is occurring as violent conflicts around the world have worsened. Well-documented evidence shows that peacebuilding and conflict prevention efforts are a smart investment. Now is not the time to decrease funding; instead, the US Government should commit much-needed funding and political will to support ongoing initiatives.”
“The White House recissions package, if enacted, will abandon millions of displaced women and girls around the world to violence, famine, and death,” says Melanie Nezer, vice president advocacy and external relations, Women’s Refugee Commission. “The President seeks to eliminate lifesaving global family planning and reproductive health programs, which will lead to 34,000 more pregnancy-related deaths each year; rescind $800 million from migration and refugee assistance, when 123 million people are forcibly displaced globally, including from Sudan, Syria, and Ukraine; and eliminate funding for organizations such as UNFPA, UNICEF, UNDP, and UNRWA, which provide irreplaceable, lifesaving assistance to innocent people forcibly displaced by conflict and crisis. Congress must reject this recissions package in its entirety.”
“This rescissions package signals an abdication of U.S. human rights and humanitarian leadership and defies the bipartisan will of U.S. Congressional members and the voters who elected them,” says Uzra Zeya, president and CEO, Human Rights First. “Abandoning courageous human rights defenders and vulnerable populations fleeing persecution and armed conflict will make Americans less safe and fuel instability and injustice that endanger U.S. national security and prosperity for years to come.”
“The administration’s proposal to decimate U.S. foreign assistance will have life-and-death consequences for countless people experiencing conflict, crisis, and forced displacement. It will make our world less stable, and all of us less secure,” says Noah Gottschalk, vice president of international policy and advocacy, HIAS. “Fortunately, Congress now has the opportunity to reject this cruel and senseless proposal and restore our longstanding, bipartisan commitment to supporting vulnerable people around the globe.”
“The rescissions package proposal on family planning and reproductive health funding is a direct attack on women’s health and well-being. These programs, rooted in American values, save lives, expand access to care, and support the health and futures of women and communities in the United States and around the world.” says Nabeeha Kazi Hutchins, president and CEO, PAI, “Eliminating them would threaten progress and erode America’s credibility and global health leadership. Congress must reject this package and uphold its responsibility to spend funds as intended—supporting the health, dignity, and potential of communities everywhere.”
“The proposed U.S. rescissions package, with cuts to critical foreign aid programs, condemns vulnerable people to increased suffering; hunger, illness, political and environmental instability, and death will result,” says Megeen White, associate director, National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd. “The Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd is present in over 65 countries today. We recognize the dignity of each person and collaborate to help bring about change in whatever condemns others to live a marginalized life. We see how U.S. financial aid combined with local partners helps to foster health, growth, stability and dignity. As one of the richest nations on earth, it is unconscionable that we would even consider these rescissions and not live up to our responsibility to support those in need.”
Read the letter and see the full list of signers here.
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