Transcripts For CSPAN3 USAID Administrator On Presidents 2021 Budget Request 20240713

The subcommittee on straight foreign operations and related programs will come to order. Administrator green. Thank you for joining us today. I really do want to thank you for your stewardship with u. S. Aid during very difficult times and for the dedication of our Development Professionals. U. S. Aid helps the world do you need a kleenex . We are all carrying them around. U. S. Aid helps the worlds most vulnerable assist in recovery from natural disasters and humanitarian crises, and supports countriess efforts to strengthen governance, rule of law, and human rights. This isnt just the right thing to do. It strengthens our National Security and advances american interests. And you certainly have your work cut out for you. There are more than 70 million refugees and displaced people around the world, which is fueled by conflict, natural rate does fasters, and climate change. Ebola continues to simmer in the democratic republic of congo while the Novel Coronavirus outbreak threatens to become a pandemic. Despite significant progress on our development priorities, we are currently off track to meet the Uns Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Our development and humanitarian efforts are our best hope to tackle these issues. This is why congress has disregarded this administrations last week budget requests, instead providing sufficient resources to effectively and efficiently fund some of our most critical Foreign Policy priorities. The administrations fiscal year 2021 budget request includes funding for several Development Initiatives that we support, such as womens Economic Empowerment, investments to strengthen emerging private sectors and Global Health security. However, the administration cannot be successful in these initiatives if we under more defined basics, which is exactly what the proposed 20 cut to our foreign assistance programs would do. For example, if enacted, this request would cut basic education by 66 and Family Planning by 59 . Now, the administration certainly cannot seriously believe that millions of women can achieve Economic Empowerment if they are unable to read, right, do math, or control the timing and number of children they have. Any benefit from an increase in Global Health security would surely be offset by the proposed 34 cut to all other Global Health programs. Instead of requesting funding and implementing policies to ensure u. S. Aid can be successful, the administration seems intent on putting every possible barrier in your way. This is certainly true of the expansion of the global gag rule, the kim casten determination against unfpa, an unfair stigmatization of multilaterals as wasteful and working against u. S. Interests. The administrations multiple policy reviews have also lead to program delays and suspension of assistance. The subcommittee has always believed that our National Security is stronger when defense, diplomacy and development are equally funded. Without robust funding for development and humanitarian programs, the u. S. Will fail to maintain our position as a leader on the global stage. This will not only harm the worlds most vulnerable, it puts u. S. Lives at risk, reduces our influence. We cannot and will not allow this to happen. So, again, i want to thank you for testifying today, and i look forward to your discussion and our discussions. And before we move to your testimony, let me turn to mr. Rogers, the Ranking Member, who is committed to these issues and has worked very hard as a partner. Please, go forward with your opening statement. Thank you. Thank you madam chair. And welcome, mister ambassador. We appreciate your being here to discuss the budget and your spending plans. And our review of your work at the agency. Let me start by once again acknowledging the good work that you are doing that usaid and the collaborative manner in which you do it. These are not easy times. To be engaged in international development. The challenging operating environments from insecurity continue to mount as to the needs of those we aim to help. I salute your dedicated cadre of Development Professionals that too often are working in or near very dangerous circumstances. Your leadership and experience, especially as having served as an ambassador, and coincidentally in this body, comes at a critical time because you are already keenly aware of the risks our Foreign Service officers face in carrying out their duties. In these uncertain times, i want you to know that i am grateful for your leadership at the usaid and you have my support for whatever that means. Turning to the matter at hand, the president s budget request for fiscal 21 is nearly a 20 cut from fiscal 20 budget enacted budget. I suspect this proposed cut will be handled in a manage in a manner similar to pray years. I look forward to working with the chairwoman in the weeks ahead on a bill that provides more appropriate levels of funding to address the serious global challenges that we are confronted with this year. However, there are a few notable improvements in parts of the budget that deserve mention, including prioritized funding for the endopacific strategy countering chinese, russian and iranian malign influence, and a focus on strengthened engagement with the private sector. I hope you address this copy us as we go along this morning as well as how you see the role of usaid in afghanistan as we enter this new chapter in our engagement there. I am also interested to hear more about how usaid has and will respond to the coronavirus out break. As you know, we have been working hard on a supplemental appropriations bill to help in this regard and i hope and trust we will pass that through the house this week. I was which chairman of the full chairman of the very Point Committee when we worked on the a ball outbreak in west africa and also when the zika hit. Having inaudible the supplementals to address those outbreaks through the congress, i knew, when i became chair of this subcommittee that i wanted to create a pod of funding that could be tapped quickly to address an emerging Health Threat abroad. That is how we ended up with the emergency reserves that you are able to draw from and last week for your initial response. I am sure that the months ahead will not be easy in combatting this current outbreak but i hope you will keep us informed and let us know what we can do to help in this global effort. There are more priorities that i will address when its time for questions. In closing, with this opening statement, let me once again thank you and the men and women of the usa i. D. , for your hardworking commitment to the service we thank you. Thank you, and i will be calling on members based on seniority of members that were present when the hearing was called to order. I will alternate between the majority and minority. Each members are asked to keep their questions to five minutes per round. But first, administrative green, will be happy to place your full testimony into the record, if you would like to proceed by summarizing your oral statement that would be fine. Or perceived as you wish, and i want to make sure you leave enough time to get everyones questions, thank you. Thank you madam chair Ranking Member rodgers and members of the subcommittee. I do welcome this opportunity to summarize my testimony, but also to express my appreciation for your ongoing support particularly for men and women and professionals of usaid around the world, as you know theyre working among trying circumstances. The president s budget requests approximately 19. 6 billion dollars for usaid with their leadership role and National Security imperatives on the world stage id like to begin by discussing some of the latest developments of some of our putin few more pressing issues like the drc the usaid continues to the government response of the ebola outbreak. There is solid progress to report. There are no new confirmed courses cases last week. The first time that has happened since the response. To be clear, the outbreak is not over. Ongoing security threats could still unravel the progress nonetheless, there is reason to be optimistic. Of course one of the administrations very highest priorities its taking on the threat posed by the coronavirus. Last month secretary pompeo announced that the u. S. Government will contribute up to 100 Million Dollars to help stem the spread of the disease internationally. That includes, 37 million as was referenced and for the usaid and other affected countries. Including Surveillance Lab testings public messaging campaigns. We are also setting up personal protective equipment to a number of countries. There is still much we dont know about the disease. It is worth noting that usaid has invested more than 1. 1 billion dollars in Global Health security since 2009. Those investments have helped improve the capacity to prevent and respond to emerging diseases and threats like the coronavirus. From natural crises to many crises, there is yemen. In many ways the Worlds Largest humanitarian disaster. It has forced us to plan for partial suspension of programs in the countrys north. The harassing aid workers, imposing numerous obstacles to service delivery. We cannot tolerate our assistance being impeded or averted. We must take action to end the interference, or else we will be forced to limit wearing what we provide. In northwest syria, recent operations by syrian and Russian Security forces, have displaced nearly 1 Million People from a glib in limbo. A recent Security Council decision means in effect, that un agencies can no longer use one of the only three entry points into the northeast eastern syria, dangerously constricting a humanitarian lifeline. On a brighter note, last october usaid signed its first Bilateral Agreement with venezuela and decades. It enables us to expand our support with independent media, Civil Society National Assembly and the government won guaido. It also allows us to provide Additional Support once a democratic transition occurs. Request for venezuela includes 205 Million Dollars from me as tfsas Global Health funds for that important work. We are all hopeful that we get to that day, when such funds can be expended and invested. And a related note i can want to take thank the subcommittee for their work in columbia. The visit by your staff to our mission was deeply appreciated by our teams there. In the sahel, security conditions continue to deteriorate. Un estimates and burkina faso, for example, 4000 people have been displaced every single day since the year began. Usaid is providing humanitarian assistance to those in need, trying to help stabilize violent effected various and also counter extremist messaging. I want to take a moment and highlight two successes as we talk about some of the challenges. There are great opportunities and progress that we can report on in india, we hope to soon welcome the establishment of a new u. S. India Development Foundation that will enable us to serve in a more catalytic role and help the government more effectively mobilize domestic resources towards areas of ongoing need. And albania there are similar progress. Minister eddie rahm and tell me less obedient doesnt need more money, he needs more Technical Assistance and knowledge as it takes on corruption. We hope to soon see a you as albania transparency academy, which will help foster a culture of transparency and accountability in the countrys governing institutions. Our ongoing work to bring transformation to the agency is becoming more tangible than ever. With your support, we have now legally established the bureaus resilience and Food Security, humanitarian assistance and conflict prevention and stabilization. We hope they will soon be joined by the proposed bureau for policy resources and performance. The concept known for which were still waiting congressional can currency. It is the most important remaining piece of our transformation, and i look forward to continuing to work with you to answer any questions that you might have. Religious freedom isnt merely in american value, as we all. No it is a human right. Sadly, religious plurality and the freedom to openly practice ones fate remains under threat and many countries. We are continuing to support communities in Northern Iraq and across the middle east as they recover from isis brutality. The request includes 150 Million Dollars to maintain and expand that work. We use those resources to assist communities of all faiths. Faith discrimination or persecution wherever it occurs. We are also committed to helping countries struggling to provide high quality education for their children and youth. Madam chair, given your announced retirement plans, i wanted to take a moment to offer a note of admiration. For your time in congress, youve promoted the transformative power of education. You have also paid special attention to children living and conflict in crisis situations and you have worked tirelessly to provide them with access to Educational Services your work has created tools and rallied resources that provide hope for generation at great risk. Youll be stepping away from congress, not yet, that your legacy will live on to the millions of people whose lives you have lifted. It is only one of the reasons you will always be my favorite jewish mother. Members, i appreciate your support, your guidance, your council, and madam chair, again it has been an honor to work here before. You thank you and i welcome your questions. Thank you very much mister ambassador. First of all, i appreciate you very youre very kind words. As you know, this has been, really, an opportunity to serve and to do many good things, and it has really been a special opportunity for me to work with you. We are fortunate to have a person with your integrity, your commitment, your knowledge in this position, and there are still many more months left. We can do a lot of good things together, so thank you again for your kind words. Now, i have many concerns. As does this committee. So much for the efforts. laughs so i will begin with afghanistan, because. It has been 17 years i believe, is that correct . And i am very concerned that the recently signed Peace Agreement with the taliban could undermine the more than 30 billion dollars the subcommittee has provided since 2002. To help promote the rights of women and girls, strengthen institutions, good governments, and increase access to quality education. Now, under the Peace Agreement, can you share with us what is usas role, well our programs continue, will there be any significant changes to usaid or presents and programming. I have a second part but i will let you respond to the first. Thank you madam chair. I cant tell you that i know all the terms of the Peace Agreement yet, and obviously we are at the front end of it i think secretary pompeo has put it very well. We are at the moment of opportunity for the people of afghanistan and their leaders. What i can tell you from the you as a ig perspective is that in addition to focusing on the commissions necessary for peace and applying the lessons that we have learned from these years, we are dedicated to implementing the goals in our country strategy, including womens empowerment and educational opportunity, particularly Higher Education opportunity. As we have spoken many times, the future of afghanistan, the sustainable Bright Future for afghanistan is dependent upon increasing the role of women in the economy, in community leadership, and obviously that is very hard to do if those Educational Opportunities go away. So we continue to be dedicated to those goals. Now, can you ensure us, or assure us, that the investments made to strengthen the rights of women and girls, and increase access to education can be maintained . For example, the subcommittee has demonstrated strong bipartisan support for the American University in afghanistan. Will our assist assistance to a you a f continue under the Peace Agreement . Let me break that apart into two pieces if i can first, in terms of overall the goals that we have shared, on womens empowerment and Educational Opportunities can. What i can guarantee for you as we will continue to pursue those goals. We can never guarantee the outcomes, we can guarantee the effort. With respect to auaf, as we have talked about before, auaf has been operating under an extended cooperative agreement. The terms of which run out in may however, they have been granted a no cost extension which takes them into the summer. They have been invited to compete for competitive funding, which is out there. It is procurement sensitive and im not even sure of all those who have applied, but i can tell you that the goals of Higher Education opportunity remain as important to us today as they ever have been. I just wonder if the administration in orchestrating these Peace Agreements is consulting with you at all . Are they looking for any assurance that there may be actions that have to be put in place to preserve the extraordinary progress that has been made . Have you been part of any kind of discussions . What i can tell you is that we have staff who have been assisting our special envoy, so we have certainly had the opportunity to express or to remind diplomatic representatives of the work we have all been doing, and i know in the brief conversations that i have had, that there is very much the sense that the work that we have been performing over the years has made a difference and is worth continuing to pursue. But precisely what it looks like in the months and years ahead, i do not know for certain. I do know that we are going to continue to pursue that stream strategy, those same goals that we have been talking about for some time. Thank you very much i look forward to continuing our dialog. I would like for the reassurance that these programs will continue. Mr. Rogers. Thank you. Columbia. Our anchor, best partner in the region, a secure and say and stable columbia is vital in fact for instance trump, just yesterday at the white house. If they need our help there is no doubt about it, theyre being swamped by a mass exodus from venezuela their neighbors. I am told that in four and a half million venezuelan refugees and migrants living abroad, including 1. 7 million in columbia alone are reported 2000 refugees crossing the border every day. Are those numbers accurate . As far as we know those numbers are accurate and they are projected to go to as high as 6 million by the end of this year. Well, the present it is almost desperate, inaudible in his request for help. Ongoing political, human rights, social economic developments in venezuela compel growing numbers of children, women, men to leave for neighboring countries including america and the caribbean and of course they share a very long border with columbia. These are extra help that we can get to them with this growing problem . Congressman rogers, i think you have put your finger on it very well. Because it is two different things. There is the support that we continue to provide for both venezuelans who are residing in columbia and have gone throughout the region as well as support for the Host Communities as they deal with the burden of those migrants who have come over. But separately, it is also important for us to deal with colombia as our close ally in their own development challenges. And so we have invested heavily in some programs that i know president decay is extraordinarily pleased with and supportive of for example, he often points to a land titling project we did. I used to be a real estate attorney. Nobody ever thanked me for doesnt work before. The work that we have done in a city of 1 Million People in colombia created the first ever fully titled, fully land tenured community. And that creates tremendous opportunities for Economic Empowerment, particularly for marginalized communities of women. But we are not only trying to help colombia deal with the costs of those who have fled their from venezuela, we are trying to help colombia as our Development Partners and diplomatic partners strengthened their economy, bring about peace and reconciliation, bring governance to largely ungovernable areas, so it is important on both fronts and it is work that we are absolutely dedicated to. And again, i want to thank the members of the committee for the great some point that you have shown and the special attention your staff who has traveled down to columbia, met with colombians as well as some of the venezuelans who have fled over. And we appreciate the support and. Counsel well, the colombian president duque says the very existence of the region inaudible is the if he overstating the problem . I think it is one of the most under appreciated challenges in our hemisphere when we talk about the challenges of displaced communities, i think most americans think of four corners of the world. But this is our neighborhood, and you are exactly right. The venezuelans who have fled, four and a half million plus on their way to six, many have gone through colombia. They are not just going to colombia, they are going to many other countries, peru and ecuador, in some cases up to the carolina. It imposes tremendous costs and it has an impact on the provision of social services, access to education, Food Security, and Economic Growth. So it is very important that we continue to focus on this region, both on the humanitarian site, but also looking for ways to build resilience in these communities. Because at this point we do not see that tight, if you will, of forced migrants for flowing down. It is two, three, three to 5000 a day at some point. And those are enormous costs. Which will impact. So we need to focus on them both. Thank you. Mr. Price. Thank you madam chairman. Good morning. Mr. Green, glad to see you. I appreciate your being here today. And i want to start by remarking that i feel we are in a particular position to appreciate your good work, to value your good work on our by partnership bipartisan house a partnership. Our mission is to work collaboratively to strengthen parliamentary institutions and develop democracy, as you know. We simply could not do what we do without the National Democratic institute, the International Republican institute. They are funded directly, of course, through the National Endowment for democracy. But they are often funded to the companies that we are working with through grants and cooperative agreements with usaid. When we are in these countries we also of course the broader evidence of your good work and your engagement. The contributions you make to almost l m countries. And as you might expect we may have some specific ideas about the treatment of these countries in your budget and will be wanting to work with you on that. We do look out for these countries and we value their transition to democracy and sometimes how fragile that can be. Speaking of which, i want to ask you about Central America. When a country is in bad shape, where citizens are free for their lives, it seems that it would be in our National Interest to try to address the root causes of this out migration. And to fund programs, often through your agency, that seek to do that. But that isnt what we have seen in this administration. Since march of 2019, this administration has cut or withheld almost all foreign assistance, including humanitarian assistance to the northern triangle countries, that would be el salvador, honduras and guatemala. Despite congress continuing to appropriate this funding. So obviously, one issue is that the merits of the case. The other is contravene aggregation ill intent. Its my understanding that of the 1. 6 billion congress has appropriated to this region since fiscal 2018, the administration has invested only 200 or 300 million, often accompanied, a im afraid well aware, by the president s punitive rhetoric. So i want to ask you about that. They have been, over the years, a lot of advocates, bipartisan, all over the ideological spectrum, most famously are supposed, general kelly when he was commander of southcom. There have been a lot of advocates for this kind of countries, this kind of home countries support, to address the conditions that often prompt out migration. So i want to ask you about that, of course. But i also want to ask you to take a few steps back and maybe this will help us understand what is going on here. What would you say more generally about the potential of foreign assistance in these situations . Foreign it can do some things, other things it cannot do. Humanitarian, development, and economic assistance, what is the potential . In Central America or anywhere else, to address the root causes of people fleeing the country . Out migration . So we are concerned about these cuts. Im very concerned about these cuts. But also concerned about the general proposition that we are overlooking a potential that foreign assistance gives us to deal with a Critical International issue. So thats what i invite you to reflect on. Thank you congressman. Very quickly, on hp, thank you. I think that the Hp Partnership is a very important one. I will say very quickly, just to plant a seed, we have a number of countries that are emerging into democracy and they often like a couple of things that we sometimes assume are there. Number one, transparency. They might not have an experience in transparency and i think we can help strengthen that much to there benefit. Secondly, separation of powers. You and i have spoken about this. There is not enough investment made in legislative oversight. State usaid, we tend to deal with the chief executive, the executive grant. Im a big fan of age deeply because its an Important Program in that area. Secondly, when it comes to displacement challenges, there are a couple of parts to it. Number one is recauses, you are correct. We have been working while we are in this pause from Development Assistance in the northern triangle, to develop methods for better calibrating the geographic sources from which out migration is coming, so that when we are able to get back to full work when the administration is satisfied that we have strong and willing partners in our host country governments, that we can better focus some of those programs. The other piece that you are focusing on, or that you are pointing to, i think is the challenge that is perhaps not addressed enough by all of us. I dont know that we have got all the answers. So as chairwoman nita lowey pointed out in the or Committee Opening comments she made, we have got 71 million displaced people in the world and we have a generation that is growing up displaced either in camps or in displaced villages, and i truly worry about their connectivity to the world around them. So we have to look at such things, obviously, as nutrition, health, education and how to provide education in these disparate settings. But also, more broadly, connectivity. How do we help young people connect to the world around them so that as they grow up, they are ready to contribute to a more stable, peaceful, prosperous world . Its a daunting challenge and i cant tell you ive got all the answers. But it is what is causing all of us to think a great deal and reflect upon what tools can be developed. So you are right. We have got not just a northern triangle but many places in the world, a couple of sets of challenges. Addressing the root causes that often drive people, which is often in security, lack of opportunity, oppression, conflict. But also those who are in motion, how do we help them so that we arent locked into cycles where people are become vulnerable to the worst kinds of exploitative forces in the years ahead . So that is something that is causing us to think of a great deal and reflect, and we look forward to working with you on, because i think it is a daunting generational challenge for us. Thank you. Thank you madam chairman. Thank you. Mr. Fortenberry. Think you madam chair, for holding this important hearing. Congressman green, ambassador green, i never know what to call you. Welcome to the hearing. Thank you for obviously what is an obviously long and distinguished degree and publish public service. I think at one of the best jobs in government. Its tough and difficult and sometimes hard to explain because theres obviously a lot of fragmentation. But theres a lot of variant variations of the types of problems that we have. The United Nations United States continues to leave the world in humanity relief and charitable generosity and you are at the point of that. So i am grateful for that. I want to point something out to you. A wrote to the General Accountability Office coming on about a year ago and asked them to basically do a man had been strategy for all of this Food Security and assistance programs that america has, that we are engaged with, in terms of multinational organizations. As well as touching upon the myriad of non governmental organizations that touch the spaces. You are quite aware, Food Security is the foundation for stabilization as well as human flourishing. So i would like you to address that question, how well Food Security or myriad of Important Programs inaudible such as food for peace, the variety of other outreach efforts such as you have through the micro types of programs that are out there are being fully integrated, socialized, and again as that foundational piece of that your of your work. So thats just a broader comment. Second, and i would like you to comment on it, but secondly, the same thing goes with the conservation and biodiversity. As we are moving forward in this century, emphasizing the need for Environmental Security is absolutely critical. A holistic approach that includes presence and things in place based strategy is absolutely my essential in my mind towards. Please address what we are doing. Theres a new idea floating out there that is tactile, its reels, individuals as so communities can embrace it, its planting of trees. As a way to stop deforestation and again provide stabilization for biodiversity and across the issue of how carbon in the atmosphere. Finally, if we have time, i want to talk a little bit about Northern Iraq and your efforts there. Any one of the topics youve raised i think might be the topic for good hearing. First off untreated purity, it allows me to point out that on this subcommittee, and the usaid we have the great privilege of working in an area in which every administration in modern times as created important tools. And feed the future which was created during the obama Administrator Administration is a marvelous tool. We are very excited about. It we have continue to prioritize investments and Food Security, to feed the future the global water strategy as well, nutrition priority countries and resilience focused countries. All of those tools come together in terms of how work we are thinking about it, in the transformation process, we have legally launched a new bureau for resilience and Food Security, recognizing that Food Security is not simply a matter of providing food steel dust. It is also building some of the resilience to help community withstand future shock. Plus, on top of it, the greatest opportunities in most parts of the world for Economic Growth or surging economically in the Food Insecurity area. If you dont get Food Insecurity right, it is very difficult to go very far into providing opportunities for young people. So, in the transformation process were elevating it and making sure that brazilians goes along with Food Security. Conservation, biodiversity, you and i assure a great passion. I am a big supporter of the car pay program, which is our longest and largest Biodiversity Program as well as the delta program. Not only is it important for the goal of pursuing bio diversity in and of itself which we elevate and our metrics that i also want to point out that those efforts that combatting law language trafficking particularly important right now. If you look at where, in recent years, the most dangerous infectious outbreaks come from almost all of it have some linkage tonight it causes tackling wildlife trafficking is not only a good conservation measure, it is a good Health Measure and it is increasingly important to again, its going to be elevated and prioritized in our work Going Forward because it is also a matter of health security. Miss franco. Thank you. Thank you mr. Green for being here. I want to add my compliment to you and your organization. Ive traveled all over the world and met with many of your workers and the ngos that you fund, i add the compliment. Thank you my job is usually to get out of their way quite frankly. Dont take my questions personally today. I think i will start with a story. And i want to ask you a question relative to that. I had a visitor in my office a couple months ago, and her name was the last doesnt matter what her name is. She was a mother of two children 31 years old from mozambique. Im not sure if i met her or somebody who knew, her but heres the story. She had lost her husband to aids in 2017 and turned to the Mozambique Association for Family Development for help when she discovered she had age she was hiv positive. The clinic set a routine for her, and she told me that if it wasnt for these visits she would not be alive. However, here is a however to this. Apparently, when there was a cut from this clinics money because of the expanded gag rule, it shut down. Basically, she had no place to go. So, my first question, because i think people dont understand this, and maybe you can explain it. I know that federal money is not allowed to use for abortions, so we wont argue, i dont agree with it but im not gonna argue with that. Today in the past, other administrations, republican and ministrations have had what is known as the gag rule which would not permit a family plan. It would affect organizations that did Family Planning. My understanding, is under the Trump Administration, with what i call its abortion obsession and its desire to placate very extreme right wing of americans who are obsessed with abortion, that are now the whole gag rule is now, applied to all health care money. So that its not just an family fleming but also in health care. So, if you can just explain that. Is if thats true, and what is the size of that amount of money that is being affected . Thank you congresswoman. So it does apply to basically all health care funds. But i think the important thing to remember, is it does not reduce Health Care Funding so the overall funding that is provided for our Global Health work is not reduced by the peel g age a. Okay, well it is reduced it is attempting to be reduced here in your budget by a very significant amount which i would hope you disagree, but i will not put you on the spot. The fact of the matter is, i guess the question is, is there any data now that you have that indicates whether or not all these ngos or these clinics that have been defunded, have been adequately replaced . Because i just gave you an example of a clinic in a small village that has been defunded, that was doing Oral Health Care for the village, it has been defunded. Have there been replacements . Let me answer that with a couple of points. First off, you began by referencing pep far and the important age where that is being done. Some of that obviously i will defer to ambassador berks for, but i know that she has said publicly that, under the budget request, all those who are on a parties, there are sufficient resources for that to continue. Secondly, the question you are opposing of all of the organizations for which beale g age a is applicable, the vast majority have agreed to the conditions that are at the heart of be elegy age a. It is honest to endeavor to make sure that there is a smooth trend transition to the continued effort of those. I know that there is an overdue report to you. And to this committee. It is overdue by a ways it is in the process. We make sure we report to you completely and accurately what the numbers are to help address your question. Were going to have a second round of questions. I yield back. I will ask mother questions later. Miss ruby. Good morning thank you madam thank you administrator green for your testimony before our testimony are commit community i know the chairman already asked about afghanistan, but it is very important to me as well and throughout my time in congress as you know, i have had the opportunity to visit afghanistan eight times and looking forward to my ninth trip coming up. The time that i have spent enough diana stand has been truly impactful for me both as a member of congress but personally as well, and the purpose is to spend time with their troops. We usually try to schedule this trip in and around mothers day to be with our female troops on that special day who are away from their families. We also have the unique opportunity to spend time with afghan people, and especially afghan women in various regions throughout the country, and whereas again, i know this has already been brought up in terms of the auaf auaf it as we look towards peace in afghanistan and the hope for of course a conflict for the future the pathway needs to be thoughtful and methodical. We cannot lose the gains that we have made, especially as it pertains to womens rights. So im going to give you another opportunity as it relates to usaid. What is the future of humanitarian aid to afghanistan look like, so not to repeat the questions that have already been asked but, looking at a long term strategy, towards ensuring stability in that region, and again, i think probably the best word that we can use as it relates to these incredible gains that have been made is that they are very fragile. So, i will let you adjust that. Thank you congresswoman. Thank you for the attention that you have paid and your travels. I think that secretary pompeo has put it pretty well. There are challenges obviously even with the signing of the peace deal progress. Has been made right now we have a real opportunity, and we have to call upon afghans to seize the opportunity, obviously. More specifically to your question, humanitarian assistance, we will continue to provide humanitarian assistance. I think we all recognize that humanitarian assistance is treatment at cure, so we are all hopeful for the day where its not necessary, it is necessary right now. We will continue provide that as we can. More importantly as the Development Assistance in helping secure lock in the tremendous progress that has been made in terms of womens empowerment. Economic empowerment but involving communities and Educational Opportunities. That is something that is very important to us and we will continue to work in that area. We have also been working in the region to help secure am oh use, to try to build some Regional Energy markets. There are real possibilities there. It is very hard for a country like afghanistan to really sees its future, with the limited electrification and energy that connectivity that is there, so that is something that is important to us as well. But we all want to see the success, and we all want to fill in the progress thats been made. Last year you gave us an overview of the current transformation project being undertaken it usaid and i understand one component of the transformation process sets would be to revalue way economic progress and how its measured so, as it relates to afghanistan or anywhere else, what are the markers that would be used to determine a country success. In other words, what kind of metrics is usaid, and you heard me weve talked about this one on one before. Used to make funding decisions. I think that is really important particularly as it relates to outcomes, not just in place. We can talk all day about what we are doing and what we are investing, but i think it is very important for us as we speak that to our constituents to be able to talk about outputs and my time is running out maybe i will say this for round two if you want to just put that in your back pocket and ill revisit this in the next round. I thank you. Mrs. May. Thank you madam chairman mr. Green thank you for holding this hearing thank you to administrator green for being here and for your work. There are currently more people who have been forcibly displaced than at any other time in our history. 17. 8 million according to unhcr. At least a whole generation of children have been born and will live there for many years and refugee camps. In light of this, i am particularly concerned to once again say that the president s budget includes plans to decouple refugee programming from the diplomatic efforts of the state department by transitioning almost all am are a money to the International Humanitarian assistance bureau. Even though this was expressly forbidden in the fiscal year 20 as pops appropriations. Two questions how do you envision the balance between a diplomatic and developmental roles required in u. S. Engagement on these refugee issues . And to, what is your ideal breakdown between pr am and a future i ate shade when it comes to the use of memory money . So, in places all around the world, we work hand and glove with the state department. There really isnt an issue. We each have rules to play. We each have capacities to play. Obviously state has the diplomatic lead and it should. In each place where we work, the chief admission is obviously state department and so, the goal for all of us is to make sure that there is integration, that it is seamless, that there isnt duplication. Our role is operational. Our role is to not only move money, but to measure results and to make sure that we are nimble enough for changing needs. So i dont really see an issue. It has worked quite well, and we continue to work on better integration. I will let you post some of this to the state department but i think both sides right now are comfortable with the approach that we are taking to make sure that there isnt either a seam, or and overlap. I think the challenges increasingly that what we are seeing our communities in motion and sometimes the distinction between internally displaced persons and refugees is a relatively artificial one. And its a moving target. So i think what we are most in age are trying to do is trying to appropriately posture for the terribly complicated nature of these quickly emerging challenges so that is sort of how we view it. Are there any risks to doing this . We were told during the rollout of the budget that inaudible to cope final colocate the departments . We are coal located in most places so i guess im not sure i see either an issue or a risk. Again, we have both our roles to play. And we are not in places without state Department Approval and we fall under the chief inaudible authority. Thank you. I wanted to follow up a little bit. We started talking about youth. Weather here in the u. S. Or abroad, young people have long been the forefront of building peace and their communities by creating youthled movements, you organizations, metrics to mitigate negative facts of conflict and to prevent recurring cycles of violence. Inclusive Peace Process is are proven to more politically address the root causes of violence and lead to more sustainable peace. Especially in countries in conflict, it will be the young people who bear the burden of sustaining the peace over generations. What kind of outreach is u. S. Aid doing to ensure that organizations led by and that serve young people are engaged in conflict Prevention Strategies . I think you put your finger on a really important topic and challenge and opportunity. So i have just returned from a visit to tunisia. My second time there personally, i was there in a previous capacity, but as we know, with young people in tunisia, that essentially led to the crafting of the most progressive constitution in the arab world. And so i took the opportunity to meet with youth representatives several years later and say okay, what do you think, and where are you . And it was great to see that they had not lost the dedication and enthusiasm. They saw that there were some practical challenges that needed to be worked on. My money is on them because that energy, i think, will carry tunisia forward. But its that kind of in fall of that i think its a good model for many places in the world. For most of the displaced challenges that we are talking about, its young people you are did on that we have to point to for the future. The other ones that, if we fail to provide them with tools and experience, they will be locked into cycles and we wont get to where we need to be. So i think you are its very important. Finally, something else, i dont think its perhaps often enough attention, if we talk about the challenges that we see from the chinese model for example, of development and assistance. I worry a great deal that young people may not even realize that their future is being watched. In terms of debt distress, but oftentimes in terms of loss of Natural Resources and biodiversity. So its important that we involve young people upfront early on so that they get to help realize their birthright and claim that future that you are pointing to. Thank you. I yield back. Thank you. We are going to begin a second round and we will continue as long as you are gracious enough to give us your time. Thank you. I would like to continue on the mexico city issue. It was february 2018 that the administration indicated that its six months assessment was too early to decker determine the policies impact and that a complete report would be provided by december. I am still waiting. For that assessment. Meanwhile, the administration has issued clarifications, quote, to the policy, that make it even more problematic for an overseas partners. So first of all, when can i expect this assessment . And in june, 2019, the lancet published a study on previous implementations of the Global Global gag rule and found that abortions went up by 40 in countries dependent on u. S. Aid health programming, while contraceptive use went down 12 . So how can the United States continue to implement a policy without knowing its effect . Thank you madam chair. First off, you are overdue for that assessment. The six month report that you pointed to, because it caught many programs or projects midstream, thats why we all felt it was too early to fully understand the impact of the new policy. The next report is overdue, and its in the inner range interagency and i will do my best to get it to you as soon as we have it available. You are certainly do that. With respect to the second part of your question, the administration is confident that we can continue to meet our Global Health goals. At the same time that we prevent taxpayer money from directly or indirectly supporting organizations that perform or actively promote abortion as a method of Family Planning. And again, the report is due to you but it hasnt reduced dollars and as far as i know we have not had material disruptions in services. Again, that report is due to. I know you are carrying out the policy and you probably didnt make the policy, but do you think those inaudible are aware that those who did are aware that abortions have gone up 40 . Im afraid i cannot answer as to what they might be aware of. Thank you. Lets talk a minute about the coronavirus. We are all closely watching the global spread of coronavirus. Disease outbreaks are becoming more frequent. The committee has tried to partner with the administration to ensure that there are funding and flexible authorities to robustly respond. Can you share with us what role if any usaid is currently playing in the Coronavirus Response and how have usaid investments better prepared countries to respond to such disease threats, and where the gaps remain . Thank you for the question. So as a general matter over the years, we have made a range of investments that i think can build the can pasty for surveillance, detection, and processing in many parts of the world. In particular, i would point to the University Networks that we have invested in that help on animal surveillance is. As we have discussed, one of the great challenges is seeing how many of these dangerous diseases are soonomic in origin. They originate from trafficked law wildlife. So thats something of attention or concern to us. But i do think as a general matter the investments that we have all made have built the capacity to detect and to treat. I also think that the public messaging networks that have been created are important. We oftentimes under appreciate how important those are. We see it, for example, in the ebola setting. So much of what we need to do in interventions and in the case of coronavirus, god willing eventually, a vaccine, require clear messaging to the public so that they are coming forward or that they take the appropriate precautions. Part of what we have invested in is that, making sure that we have those networks that are set up. You can see, i think, the success that we have had in the role that we have played in combatting to seek a virus, in h1n1 flew, in west africa a bullet and, knock on wood, the winding down of the current ebola outbreak. But in the case of the coronavirus, there is obviously a great deal that we dont know. And as we see outbreaks, large outbreaks occur outside of china, for example, in iran, that creates obviously, real challenges for all of us because it becomes a multi polar outbreak source. And so we are working very hard to make sure that we are able to provide peace but also boost the capacity of labs in various parts of the world so that we are better prepared. The other piece to it that i am that we will all be thinking about hopefully soon, are the secondary implications. So these outbreaks could destabilize health networks, Health Health systems. We are concerned that they may sit back Development Progress that has been made. The other area that we are concerned about are the risks that some of the countries where we know there is the outbreak are potentially under reporting and not living up to the International Health revelations. Those are challenges for us. So in these these are so in these early days we know that and these early days we know their number of challenges that theyre working closely with the state environment to make sure that but again, there is a lot we dont know. The Trump Administration very obviously as we all know, the highest prior highest priority is protecting americans here at home. I think you can see that in the early steps that the administration is taking, and the team that they have assembled. We look forward to continuing to support the work of the administration in this. Im glad to hear your involvement. If im not mistaken, in january 2019 when the task force was announced, it did not include usa, or the Defense Department witch of the two primary players in the Ebola Response in west africa. So, i think my time is almost up, but i am glad from your remarks that, you are being included in the discussion. To be to be clear we are not members of the White House Task force. Is that a mistake . So, we are not members of the White House Task force, but i can tell you that we are contributing making sure that our assets are brought to ground. The white house, understand when they create a task force that they leave a Critical Agency out of it. Or does it make any difference . Are you still putting in here to . Seventh i would never say doesnt make a difference. I will say that but you can correct them and say again we continue to. Two things, first off we are organizing ourselves and posturing ourselves so that we are better organized to be able to contribute and secondly, we continue to provide information to particularly the state departments and members of the task force. We worked pretty closely with cbc anyway. I have regular phone calls with doctorate field so, the information flows are solid, they are good. I am delighted, even though you were not made it a formal part im glad youre taking advantage of your expertise, thank. You mr. Rogers. The u. S. And the pacific strategy, and your efforts, our efforts to improve market access, remote fair, free and reciprocal trade, and helped countries that resist coercive economic practices. We have provided 2. 9 billion dollars from state and aid to endo pacific nations for development and economic proof. Since the start of the Trump Administration. But on the other hand there is china. Over the last 15 years, china has fueled one of the most dramatic and geographically farreaching surges in official peace time lending in history. Chinas message builtin Road Initiative symbolizes beijings new role as a provider of development and export credits and Development Finance of all sorts. Spanning roughly 80 countries. It can claim to cover more two thirds of the worlds population. It could include chinese investments approaching one trillion dollars. Seven times what the u. S. Spend under the martial plan. Seven times. It intends to strengthen hard infrastructure with new road and railways, soft infrastructure with trade and transportation agreements, even cultural ties. With University Scholarships and people to people exchanges. The most distinct the feature of the built and road, is its lack of transparency, few outside the Chinese Government and Development Agencies can do that landing, and the governments and state owned enterprising that do the borrowing know with the long terms are. By limiting outside scrutiny initiatives lack of transparency, will give Chinese Companies an edge in risky markets and it allows beijing to use large projects to exercise political influence. A unamerican type of program. Understanding that the u. S. Response has to come from different agencies lots of them what is a i. D. S road to counteract this china model . First they think its a general matter part of it is what were trying to do is help partner countries to help understand the bargain involved. In a very different models that are out there. What so the model that we offer our assistance partners as one of self reliance. We want to help countries undertake the reforms and make the commitments that are necessary to become self reliant. That is what we offer at the end of that journey together. China and other authoritarian suffer something very different. They want dependency. They want just the opposite of what it is that we offer. So our job, part of his part of it is to make clear the distinction. Secondly in more specific terms, we have some tools that particularly, in the indopacific area, that we have provided to partner countries, to help them objectively evaluate some of the deals that are being offered to them so that there is an objective understatement understanding of the consequences so it may be a cash fix upfront the long term consequences in terms of loss of assets and that the stress are significant. On top of that reference was made to the indicators that we use to guide investments and to also guide the diplomatic discussions that we have with our counterparts. In this years what we call road maps, we have provided a debt distress indicator. To help understand how close the country is coming to what the world bank would point to a significant that the stress, and make sure that that is out on the table and in public or the discussions that weve had. Further, u. S. A i. D. S role in all of this is to help take on the enabling environment. So what is it that stops American Companies from investing in these countries . Its usually not capital. Capital is there, capital is available. Its rule of law. Its regulatory predictability. Its the kind of transparency that you pointed to. So in the work that we do, we try to strengthen those aspects of governing institutions very confident that weve we are able to make those changes and reforms and strengthen that, American Business investment will take off, market based investments will take off, and we all know that market based economics are the key to realizing the future for many of these countries. And so those are the reforms that we undertake. Finally, in terms of the indopacific itself, very specifically, we are in increasing our presence. We are adding u. S. Direct tires. Im planning on heading to australia soon to do a Development Dialog with our friends in australia. We hope to have a Senior Development advisor there, which will help us as we coordinate investments and reforms in the Pacific Islands and in the region. So we are increasing our presence, doubling down on our enabling environment work, and also hopefully doing a better job in helping partner countries understand costs and the benefits of the various models. Thank you. Mr. Price. Thank you. Mister administrator, i want to first thank you for your answer to my question in the first round, which had to do with the cut off of funds to the Central American triangle countries that are designed to address the forces behind act migration. I want to give you a chance to say anything more you want to say about that, but then i do want to turn to another issue. But i do appreciate those reflections on the potential of foreign assistance to address the recauses of migration. Such aid is of course going to be limited. Even under the best conditions it will be limited, so it has to be targeted effectively. What i didnt hear you say, that it was helpful to cut it off completely almost completely, which is one of the administration has done in Central America. That is hard to see how that is constructive or helpful. And its also important, i think, to note how hard its going to be to started up again. I appreciate your anticipating that it will be started up again. But the implementers, mainly nonprofits, tell us that the cut off has prompted distrust in affected communities. It has prompted erosion of cooperative ties, and they are not going to be repaired overnight. So i appreciate your comments on the potential of such funding, and i am bound to observe that when you compare this funding to 13 billion dollars being diverted from u. S. Defense program to build a boulder border wall, that border wall does nothing to address what the Asylum Seekers who are, after all, turning themselves in, the money we are talking about for these home country efforts is far less than 10 of that mid garden wall funding. Now let me turn to a critical country in our hemisphere that i am sure we have a lot of discussion going on about it, what on earth we do about the current lack of a functioning government in haiti. What is the potential here . What is the ability of usaid and other donors to carry out programs in haiti. If we take a silver look at whats happening there, helping haiti promote citizen responsive governance, including our work at each cbp with the parliament, is just not feasible. In the current impasse. Both houses of the karla parliament, with the exception of a small fraction of the senate, have in fact lost their mandates. Because there have not been timely elections. So what is usaid doing to assess the problem, to fix the problem . No other country is in a position to take the lead in this haitian situation. Why . How do you assess the difficulties in governance . In basic governments, Holding Timely elections, other such functions . And what is your assessment of what we or anybody else can do about it . Thank you, congressman. I have made a couple of trips to haiti during my tenure. Most recently, just weeks ago. And it was obviously disturbing to see the violence that was taking place disrupting the ability for kids to go to school for weeks on end. The ability for Small Businesses to get parts necessary to move forward. Yeah, deeply disturbing. So a few thoughts. First, the good news is there are a number of heroes in haiti. Small organizations, many are faithbased, not necessarily all, but some of the hospitals that i have seen and Small Schools that i have seen, even under trying circumstances, creating opportunities. I want to do everything that i can to ensure that resources are available to build on this work, because right now with the dysfunction in the government, its the people, its the everyday families that are suffering terrible terribly. And i think we are all deeply worried about a lost generation in haiti. Secondly, there are seats for hope. I visited a small banana farm, if you will, where they were doing some mechanization. There was a wonderful cooperatives in which they were training every day patients to take on all the aspects of upgrading their operations so that the route can be exported into the International Stream of commerce, which is the future, to be able to export. The frustration of that they, as they got ready to show me the operation of the farm, and only one of the lights was working, because the violence had disrupted the truck traffic necessary to get the parts for the other lines. And so i saw both the hope of the future, and just the frustration of the president. I have met with president moise and i expressed my deep deep concern about the dysfunction in the government. And in the short term we are bond and determined to do some humanitarian assistance, treatment doctor. I cant guarantee we can get humanitarian assistance everywhere we would like to because of the security situation. But we want to build on some of this work. And finally i indicated to a number of people, the only way that you begin to restore peoples face in the government there if you need some kind of special prosecutor on corruption. And until people see a couple of the big guys using that term behind bars for corruption, i think its hard for people to have a lot of faith in their government. And so we are looking at the opportunities in ways that we can play a constructive role in that. He is our neighborhood. We are not going to give up, we refused to give up. Haiti matters to ups. Its a company it is a country of great interest, concern, there are so many linkages. But it is challenging work, to say the least. Thank you for those comments. And i couldnt agree more about the corruption issue and how central that is to building trust. Let me just say, and my time has expired but i will just make the comment that governance is basic to everything else. And i remember very well urging home secretary clinton after the earthquake that attention be made to the literal collapse of the not just the buildings that has the government, but the new york collapse of the government itself. And so i think you will have the support of this subcommittee as we address that aspect, that critical aspect of what we all agree is a devastating situation. Thank you. I would just like to take the privilege of the chair because i appreciate my colleagues remarks regarding haiti. This has been an obsession of mine. And most frustrating, because we cant seem to do anything. I hate to say it but when i look back and i was i think it was 19 at least 50, 60 years ago, with papa doc, i hate to say that, at least people werent getting killed on the street. I would really like to work with mr. Price and my other colleagues, with you. I recently met with the ambassador and before that, we have had other capable people from u. S. Aid, from the state Department Working on haiti. We dont have terrorists yet. Its right here is a neighbor, there are many things that are frustrating to me i wont say its the most, but it is among my top and i would like to work with you, and mr. Price and others, to say, im not sure if its money, focus, more people, but we have had the best people focus on haiti and we cant seem to make a change. People cannot live. The crimes everywhere. And yet, i had an experience where, within a group, where i was complaining about ied and one person raise their hand. Im part of a group, a medical group from heidi and were doing excellent things but its not all that but, we understand the huge challenge and i would like to say to myself, mr. Price and others, who really are desperate to try and find some solutions that work. We would like to work with you. Im not sure if it is money, money and focus. We tried everything. So, i just want to say, i agree with you my good friend mr. Price. I know many of us feel the same way. Madam chair i would like to say the committee has been very had helpful. Weve met with staff. Bipartisan meetings with staff before and after my recent trips. I think theres broad bipartisan support looking for answers and willing to try most anything. We look forward to continuing that conversation. We all recognize how important this is. Thank you. Miss roby. Thank you madam chair. Lets lets go back to the question where we left off. Under the transformation plan, what are the markers that would be used to determine a country success . In other words what metrics will usa i. D. Used to make future funding decisions . Thank you. What we try to measure, and i think you put your finger on it. We are not measuring inputs, not outputs, we are measuring outcomes. We have seven team, third Party Metrics that we use, that measure both the countrys capacity in each of the key areas that we work, and identified by our stakeholders, but also commitment. Our host Country Partners if theyre not willing to put their own skin in the game and undertake reforms, quite frankly we are largely wasting our time. So we try to do, is to plot where countries are. It is not perfect. There are no per trick perfect metrics out, there the try to use it to guide our discussions. In a perfect world, what we hope to do is to have our investments prioritized according to those metrics. I understand that there will always be super imposed directives in priorities, whether it comes from the administration or congressman, that is simply the way the process works. None of those, however is a problem in terms of the broadway that we proceed. The most important thing that we get from our metrics, not just how it guys our investments but how it guides our discussions. What i have found, when you sit down with your host Country Partners, and you have lack of a better turn, honest, adult conversations and say, look, we are not seeing we have all the answers, but this is what we see, and this is how we think we can be helpful. In almost every case i am aware, of the host country partner safe, great. Let us sit down and see what we can craft together. So we are interested in outcomes and instead of outputs and simply looking at the programs, but how they build the capacity of a country to eventually take these challenges on themselves. We add to it i think, a prioritizing of domestic resource mobilization, helping the more effectively in efficiently, capture their own revenues. Again, its their country. They need to put investments into these areas, otherwise they become for lack of a better term, independent, and no country wants to be that nor should want to be that. So we are really trying to move in a direction in which our host Country Partners see us as honest friends walking along a journey with them. Thank you and thank you for the work that you. Do madam chair i yield back. Thank you very much madam chair and thank you for being here good to see you. I apologize for being late but we were across the hall having a hearing on childhood poverty. Of course, i come from the state of california where, unfortunately, childhood poverty rates are the highest in the country if you can believe that from the golden state of california. My district is one of the highest so it is a moral disgrace and that is what we are dealing with. So thank you again let me ask you first of all and i will try to put all the questions. Together the budget cuts and hiv aids funding, you know this has been bipartisan, we are trying to achieve an aids Free Generation by 20 28th but youve cut it by 1. 5 below the 20 enacted amount. What can be the world what in the world could be the justification for this and also the global fund contributions, we have a 33 limit in terms of our share now its down in this budget to 25 . Of course thats going to affect not only our contribution to global funds but to operations throughout the world. Secondly, i wanted to ask you about, weve talked about a lot a little about this about gambia. We were there with congressman price and our House Democratic partnership and gambia. We recognize that they really have a new government, great possibilities. They need you as a ideas presence. We know there is a regional effort that we talked to many people there and i want, weve talked a little bit about this and i want to see some presents some presence of usaid gambia. I dont see anything in the budget creating that so i would like to touch you to talk a little bit about that if we do move ahead to try and ensure a presence of usaid in the gambia. Let me ask you about the administrations peace plan as it relates to unrest. The United States administration and it all humanitarian Development Assistance to the palestinians last year, and we know the that onerous had a 70 year u. S. Relationship with the United States. But now, not one cent of funding passes through the pa can you explain whats going to take place as the new peace plan as it relates to palestinian assistance and what is going to happen is it ruins to funding for schools and hospitals and humanitarian assistance . And as this administration intend to restore aid to the Palestinian People . Thank you very much. Thank you congresswoman a lot of topics to cover on how far and the global fund i think its some important to note that we remained the largest contributors as you know and terms of the specifics on the pet bar front earlier i was asked a question, and ambassador birch has indicated that under this budget, the resources are sufficient to continue all those who are on the bureau tees, well continue to receive a are tees, beyond that to be honest if i should defer to her as the leader of the pet farc program, one area that i think is exciting that you and i both think it is exciting is the huge commitment we have made to gandhi which i think provides some longterm answers on a number of Global Health fronts. This is the largest ever multi year commitment. We are very proud of that and i think it is something that we can celebrate. Secondly, on the gambia. We should we should reduced to 25 because that will be our leverage inability on the grill global front. Right and that is separate from columbia obviously. On the gambia, you and i have spoken, i share your concerns and so we are looking at that. Now, there are some potential restrictions because of trafficking in persons. This is something were looking at closely and again we have you and i have discussed it. I share your prioritizing, because we have real hope and moving away from an authoritarian past. We certainly do not want to lose it we know things dont get better we know things get worse so that is something we are looking. At id like to work with you and our chairman price and our chairwoman to see what we can do in this bill as it relates to gambia and usaid. Most certainly. Thank you. On unrwa that is in related to the state department, on the peace plan what i can say in terms of our West Bank Gaza presents, we have no plans to close it. We are trying to continue our presence there. The 45 local staff that are part of their presence are currently involved in helping falls in you and other areas and missions. Were hopeful for a day when the work can resume as part of the peace plan. Thank you. Mr. For new york. Thank you madam chair thank you madam chair. My childrens great great great great grandfather was haitian, and when i met with the haitian president he said welcome home. I missed the fullness of the discussion in this regard but clearly it is important a lot of members. Haitian culture, history is so inextricably intertwined with america. There are 11 million of people of haitian origin in the United States. Multiple School Groups Church Groups have connectedness to various projects there, and yet the problem is so vexing of governance, criminality, lack of seemingly sustainable economic dynamics. Madam madam chair for could be presumptuous and suggesting something, perhaps we should invite the ambassador here and minister mister chairman if you might be able to join in that conversation, just to start unpacking layer by layer, so that we have a huge amount of resources. There weve done so for very long time. It just deserves more than three minutes here. Perhaps i can talk to the chair afterward about that idea. I share your love of heidi first off. One of the things that always moved me, when i go to haiti, and you travel around and you see the buzz of activity. There is a joy on the street there it is amazing. Very much so, so the problem is not with the haitian people. As i point out, it is certainly, heidi has been struck by numerous natural disasters as we all know, but when people protest, they are not protesting the hurricanes. They are protesting an entirely unresponsive government. A government that refuses to get itself in an order to deliver the most basic of services. A quick story. My last trip down there, i was at a dinner with a number of haitian Business Leaders and in the middle of the dinner, one of the leaders got up and walked out, and then they leaned forward and said he had just gotten a phone call to see because his brotherinlaw got kidnapped. So the life that were seeing there, we cannot rest with that happening. I appreciate your comments and im sorry to expedite along here of the time is so short. If the chair would consider my request id love to talk to you about that. I think sometime sub type of working touch points there is some language that we have included that tries to get you to look more seriously at the border crisis issue in the dominican which is one of the underlying factors of the destruction of the economy. Lets put that on the site for another day. I want to go back to the food and security piece, and the General Accountability Office requests that i made the other important sheet Security Program food program can be possibly better integrated to ensure that we are a force multiplier to go in terms of stabilization and flourishing. I would appreciate it if chair lowey and Ranking Member rodgers would get because this. Its a letter that i sent to the government accountability. Office accepted without rejection. Thank you madam chairman. I want to address Northern Iraq very quickly. We have been there in the past judge a knot in report language, but in bill language, we were finally able to get what you and i have talked about in terms of security. Conceptually, that the ethnic religious Minority Community ought to be integrated into the National Security structures of the iraqi government. Its clear language. We are in the deadlock with the Defense Department now, want to be used to be aware of this. Can you give me an idea of where we are in terms of economic aid and where we are moving forward in the security component that will be implemented in solidarity and partnership with the iraqi government, but also with other international partners. How it