Urge the Senate to maintain vital investments for US humanitarian and development programs
Last week, The Trump Administration and House Republicans used a rarely used process called rescissions to try to claw back U.S. foreign assistance funding that Congress has already provided, jeopardizing both current and future humanitarian and development programs.
The cuts would send more than $8 billion of assistance intended to help local farmers grow nutritious food, improve water infrastructure and sanitation access, respond to disasters and crises and build resilience within communities to withstand the next shock back to the Treasury, rather than use it to alleviate suffering and save lives.
There could not be a worse time to cut aid as global humanitarian needs have more than doubled over the last six years, and the connections between crises overseas and security in the U.S. are clearer than ever.
These funds would continue life-saving programs such as food aid, HIV prevention, clean water piping, basic education, and shelter for refugees fleeing violence.
There is a short window to defeat this effort. Now is the time for the Senate to reject the rescissions request and defend U.S. global leadership and foreign assistance investments.
Mercy Corps is committed to continuing to support the urgent needs of families facing unimaginable challenges like war, disaster, poverty, and hunger. But your voice is needed now to convince your Senators to reject the Administration’s attempt to further cut US funding available for humanitarian and development response.
Here is the letter we will send to Congress on your behalf:
Dear Senator,
As your constituent and supporter of Mercy Corps, I ask you to reject the Administration’s proposed rescission package, which includes more than $8 billion cuts to vital US foreign assistance funding already provided by Congress.
The proposed cuts would make the U.S. weaker, less safe and less prosperous while also devastating communities around the world. There could not be a worse time to cut aid as global humanitarian needs have more than doubled over the last six years, and the connections between crises overseas and security in the U.S. have never been clearer.
This package is a profound departure from the longstanding bipartisan support for humanitarian and development programs and turns its back on critical and impactful soft power tools that the Administration has repeatedly stated they want to continue.
This is funding that Congress appropriated, through their Constitutional power of the purse, demonstrating its longstanding commitment to US global leadership. Yet the Administration is intent on “clawing back” this funding and devastating the US’s ability to take action.
The package would rescind:
- Life saving humanitarian response - designed to provide emergency food aid, shelter, and clean water and help refugees displaced by conflict around the world meet their basic needs. Including:
- 25% of FY25 funds from Migration and Refugee Assistance
- 12.4% of FY25 funds from International Disaster Assistance
- Economic stability and development support – designed to build long term community resilience and reduce poverty, including basic education and job training programs, agriculture development and nutrition support through Feed the Future, and global water security and sanitation through the Global Water Strategy. Including:
- 64% of FY25 funds for Development Assistance
- 47% of FY25 funds for Economic Support Fund
- 78.2% of FY25 funds for the Complex Criss Fund
- Global health programs - supporting maternal and child health, vaccines and infectious disease like TB and Malaria, malnutrition treatment and HIV prevention and treatment programs. Including:
- 12.5% of FY25 funds from Global Health Programs
- 6.7% of FY25 funds from The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)
There are no guarantees which of these cuts or what programs or projects will be protected. The Administration’s request does not specify which programs within each broad category would be targeted or preserved. Rather, it asks members to rescind funding that could be used for a variety of programs in a variety of regions around the world, including life-saving programs.
This package undercuts Congressional authority, and if passed, will be followed by subsequent, additional rescission packages that will implicate even more federal funding, both domestic and global. Funding adjustments happen every year through the normal appropriations process and can provide more detail on Congressional intent.
The Senate must reject the rescission package and exercise its authority to direct spending and ensure that funds it provides reach those people most in need, while remaining accountable to the American people.
Thank you for your attention to this important issue.
Sincerely,