Lowey Statement on USAID 2015 Budget Request

April 8, 2014
Press Release
Lowey Statement on USAID 2015 Budget Request

I am very pleased you are at the helm of USAID and appreciate your leadership, as well as the tireless efforts of your colleagues at USAID.  The strength of USAID is, and always has been, its dedicated public servants from the top down.  As a result of the continued generosity of the American people, USAID remains on the frontlines helping reduce poverty, hunger, and disease while making targeted investments to advance democracy, education, and health. 

These programs are cost-effective investments that tackle the root causes of conflict and extremism, and help save American lives by ensuring that a military response is used as the last resort. With so many global hotspots and the need for U.S. leadership greater than ever, the modest investments we make in USAID’s budget are fundamental to building a better, safer world.  USAID’s mission is therefore critical to our own national security--forging stable, peaceful, and ultimately self-sufficient international partners.  Development is as important to our nation’s foreign policy as diplomacy and defense.  It is also vital to building new markets for U.S. goods and services and creating good jobs and opportunities for those here at home.

These efforts require sustained funding, and I hope to learn how this year’s budget request supports our goals of ending extreme poverty and promoting free and peaceful societies. I also hope you will address how this year’s budget attempts to respond to today’s difficult challenges, particularly the crises in Central African Republic, Syria, South Sudan, and Ukraine.

I would like to raise a number of additional issues.

First, I was disappointed to hear that the FY 2015 budget request again underfunds basic education.  Education is the essential foundation for health, economic development, gender equality and long-term security.  With the growing “Youth Bulge” in the developing world, children must be given the opportunity to become productive contributors to their societies – and access to education is the first, vital step in this process.   I know we both agree that basic education is the key to our success in every other important development goal.  Therefore, I must ask why the Administration is not investing more resources in this sector.  How is USAID partnering with the Global Partnership for Education at the country level and at the global strategic level?  I understand the difficulties of tradeoffs and competing priorities; nevertheless I expect to see a much higher level of commitment than the Administration has demonstrated to date.

Second, climate change is a significant priority in this budget, though this initiative is primarily funded through climate funds at the Department of Treasury.  Successful programs have maximum impact when efforts are well coordinated, so I hope you will share USAID’s plans to coordinate with multilateral funds and the State Department. 

Third, there is irrefutable evidence that international family planning programs lead to fewer unwanted pregnancies, fewer abortions, and fewer maternal and infant deaths.  When women have knowledge and access to contraceptive methods, they will have healthier pregnancies and infants, contribute to their family and communities’ economic stability, and their children are more likely to go to school.  Family planning programs save lives – period.  We know there is room for improvement in contraceptive technology and uninterrupted access for women living in underserved remote areas.  Throughout the years, USAID has played an important role in the development of new contraceptive methods, especially those that can be used in low-resource countries.  Does this year’s budget support additional research in this area?  By impeding access to family planning, the Global Gag Rule harms women’s health and weakens efforts to reduce maternal deaths worldwide.  Unfortunately, I expect the House Republican leadership to try again this year to codify the Mexico City Policy and ban funding for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). 

Fourth, you recently rolled out the Global Development Lab and have requested $151.3 million for this initiative.  I think this is an exciting idea with great potential, but I do have a few concerns.  Is there “buy-in” from all the stake holders at USAID?  How will the Lab leverage and coordinate investments with the other technical offices and initiatives such as the Food Security, Power Africa and Global Health?  These offices also have resident scientists, engineers and physicians with years of experience and knowledge in research and technology.  I recall that it took the Department of Defense’s DARPA years to find partners.  How will you work with private partners to produce cutting-edge research that will lead to tangible results? Can you give us examples of such innovations and how they will have a day-to-day impact on the developing world?

Fifth, the budget requests $1 billion in USAID funding – Development Assistance and ESF – for food security and agricultural development in support of the “Feed the Future” strategy.  I hope you will address how USAID is coordinating with other private and multilateral efforts in this arena.  Will current Millennium Challenge Corporation investments in agriculture be adjusted to ensure that the core principles of this initiative are incorporated in their programs?  How does this request promote public-private partnerships in the 19 focus countries?  What new countries would this budget request support?

Sixth, in my years on this subcommittee I have seen firsthand how electric shortages remain an impediment to economic growth.  Power Africa is a presidential initiative in the FY 2015 budget that envisions doubling the access to electricity in sub-Saharan Africa. I hope you will elaborate on how this year’s funding will support the goals of Power Africa, help promote a regional power policy, and facilitate private investments into sub-Saharan Africa.

Seventh, reports indicate that there is a shortage of 7.2 million frontline health workers - doctors, nurses and midwives – worldwide.  The regions with the most severe shortages also suffer from high child and maternal mortality as well as disease prevalence. How does this year’s request strengthen our commitment – as well as that of our partners – to addressing the need for skilled and equipped health workers to reach the most vulnerable communities?

Eighth, the Development Leadership Initiative of 2008 sought to double the size of the USAID Foreign Service to 2,400. I am disappointed that we have not yet accomplished this objective, which would allow USAID to decrease its reliance on contractors, reduce the size of contracts and grants, and increase direct oversight of these grants and contracts - leading to better performance and outcomes throughout the Agency.   I understand USAID has lost many seasoned foreign and civil service staff to retirement, so I hope you will describe how USAID will maintain sufficient technical and managerial expertise to carry out the Administration’s and Congress’ programmatic priorities going forward.

Ninth, it has been over four years since the devastating earthquake struck Haiti.  President Martelly was in Washington earlier this year asking for our continued assistance to his country.  Please elaborate on our long-term reconstruction and development efforts, particularly as we approach the 5th anniversary of the earthquake.

Lastly, I was very pleased to see the Obama Administration affirm that “gay rights are human rights and human rights are gay rights.”  Yet the increase in discriminatory and draconian legislation against LGBT persons around the world is appalling.  What is the public health impact of such laws and please describe USAID’s efforts to promote rights for gays and lesbians abroad.

Thank you again for your remarkable efforts on behalf of our nation.  I look forward to hearing your testimony.

113th Congress