Boise City Wire

U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led a roundtable discussion with Democratic Senators and experts on the national security implications of stopping U.S. foreign assistance and dismantling USAID.

Senator Shaheen expressed concerns over ongoing contract terminations: “Billions of dollars in contracts are being terminated as we speak with no regard for our national safety. There’s been no consultation with DOD or the intelligence community, no consideration for whether China is gaining influence in a given country. Taken together this seems like illegal impoundment. It does not make us safer, it does not more secure and it does not make us more prosperous. And it definitely does not put Americans first. It increases the chances of terror attacks, it increases the number of people coming to our borders, it leaves us vulnerable to deadly diseases and it gives our most powerful adversaries an opening to exploit."

Shaheen questioned how halting U.S. foreign aid affects efforts against Mexican drug cartels and irregular migration at the southern border. Panelists warned of a "narrow, but closing window" to reverse damage to global life-saving programs that also benefit Americans.

Participants included prominent Democratic Senators such as Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Chris Coons (D-DE), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), and Andy Kim (D-NJ).

Panelists featured Bruce Swartz from the Department of Justice, Sarah Charles from USAID, Jeremy Konyndyk from Refugees International, and Cindy Dyer from the Department of State.