Sen. Chris Coons:
So there’s three issues here. That first one I think should be shared by every member of Congress.
We have a fundamental constitutional role, the power of the purse, and the funding that’s been shut down abruptly is funding that was already appropriated by Congress, already signed into law by the former president, and was already being spent by nonprofits around the world.
That should unite Congress in saying, you can’t do this and cut off funding this abruptly. The second question, and you referenced Senator Curtis, is whether the things that AID does around the world help make us safer and stronger and more secure.
I heard a quote from Secretary Rubio in El Salvador today supporting that concept, that, with some reforms, a majority of what is done today in humanitarian relief, in promoting security and stability, in promoting our global public health is worth continuing.
Then there’s others who are saying it should all be shut down. I think that creates a huge opening for China and other adversaries of ours around the world. The United States has been present in 100 countries for decades since President Kennedy created this agency doing good work, helping promote democracy, delivering on stability.
And that has built great relationships for the United States. That opening will be filled by China and by extremists and terrorists. We should not give them that opportunity.
