By Patricia Zengerle
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Trump administration’s dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development has targeted a huge range of programs for cuts, from a few thousand dollars for an interpreter in Ukraine to multimillion-dollar efforts to fight diseases like malaria in Myanmar.
Reuters reviewed a copy of a 368-page document that showed the most extensive list to date of the thousands of USAID programs and contracts that have been canceled as President Donald Trump on January 20 announced a sweeping freeze on almost all U.S. foreign aid to ensure the funding was in line with his “America First” policy.
Lawmakers obtained the list, shared with members of Congress through a USAID whistleblower, as Pete Marocco, the administration official overseeing the cuts, met for the first time this week with members of congressional committees to answer questions on the freeze.
The lengthy list of programs from across the globe illustrates the far-reaching impact of Washington’s cuts, which decimated USAID operations around the world and jeopardized the delivery of life-saving food and medical aid.
The Trump administration has said that in just six weeks they have saved American taxpayers tens of billions of dollars through rapid-fire moves to cancel contracts, fire workers and root out fraud and waste in the government, although they have offered little evidence to support that assertion.
One eliminated USAID program provided support for Myanmar’s efforts to eradicate malaria, another contract paid an interpreter in Ukraine. Others were intended to help control HIV in the Dominican Republic or boost fisheries in Ghana.
Critics have said the deep cuts in funding by the United States, the world’s largest single donor, undermine American leadership and leave a vacuum for adversaries like Russia and China to fill.
CONGRESS WANTS MORE INFORMATION
Members of Congress, including some of Trump’s fellow Republicans, have sought more information on the aid cuts but received few answers when Marocco, director of the State Department’s Office of Foreign Assistance, spent an hour on Wednesday answering questions from the members of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee.
He held a similar session on Thursday with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Several lawmakers walked out of both meetings frustrated with what they described as Marocco’s failure to answer their questions thoroughly and furious over how foreign aid is being slashed. They said Marocco alleged that foreign aid programs were riddled with fraud, but provided little evidence.
“Tearing this whole system down is doing massive damage to humanitarian concerns around the world, in terms of disease, in terms of nutrition, in terms of clean water. And it’s doing massive damage to U.S. interests in terms of our soft power, our relationships, our leadership on issues, including democracy around the world,” U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley said after the meeting.
“You’re burning down the village right now because you found a few termites in a post,” the Oregon Democrat told reporters.
The State Department declined comment on Marocco’s meetings, citing a policy of not commenting on communications with Congress. Marocco left both sessions through side doors, without talking to reporters.
Critics also say it is illegal for the administration to freeze aid and cut USAID without notifying and consulting Congress. Some also say Trump’s actions violate the Constitution, which gives Congress, not the White House, the authority to decide how to spend government money and which programs to fund.
(Reporting by Patricia ZengerleEditing by Humeyra Pamuk and Bill Berkrot)
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