WASHINGTON—Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ranking Member of the State Department and USAID Management Subcommittee, and Tim Kaine (D-VA), Ranking Member of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, issued the following statement on the Trump Administration’s decision to put top U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) officials on leave:
“By removing top leadership of the U.S. Agency for International Development, our national security interests will be severely undermined and our country less safe. These apolitical, non-partisan public servants deliver important aid and assistance programs in service of U.S. foreign policy interests, including life-saving healthcare and emergency assistance response. This irresponsible action sends a message that the United States is retreating from these core priorities and only serves to further embolden our adversaries to fill the leadership void that stems from the chaos and confusion that is inherent with this reckless and callous decision. We will continue to stand up for our merit-based civil service, the Foreign Service and the entire federal workforce, including everyone at USAID and the State Department.”
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