WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement after reports that President Trump will nominate former Congressman Mark Green to lead the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
“I am encouraged by reports that President Trump will nominate Ambassador Mark Green to serve as the Administrator for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Ambassador Green has a record of addressing development and governance issues, from his service as the U.S. Ambassador to Tanzania and as a Member of Congress, to his leadership of organizations including the International Republic Institute, Initiative for Global Development, and U.S. Global Leadership Coalition.
“Leadership from someone like Ambassador Green is critical for USAID, but there’s no way Ambassador Green, or anyone for that matter, could effectively execute the mission of USAID under the proposed cuts and changes that President Trump is proposing for this critical agency. Those cuts, proposed by President Trump’s initial FY 2018 budget would devastate the United States’ ability to conduct diplomacy and development and harm our national interests. USAID has addressed some of the most important development issues around the world for decades, and the Trump Administration should continue to support USAID’s mission.
“As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I look forward to questioning Ambassador Green in a thorough nomination hearing about whether or not he discussed with the Trump Administration USAID funding, the value of USAID missions around the world, and the negative consequences of potentially merging USAID into the State Department.”
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