For Immediate Release: 
May 1, 2025

[email protected] 

CONGRESSWOMAN MAXINE WATERS DENOUNCES PLANS TO DOWNSIZE THE STATE DEPARTMENT AND WITHDRAW FROM WORLD LEADERSHIP, ESPECIALLY IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA  

“This is not reform, it’s retreat!” 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-43), Ranking Member of the Committee on Financial Services, released a statement in response to Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s announcement of a restructuring of the State Department, which includes the elimination of 132 bureaus and offices and which follows the dismantling of USAID. Her statement follows:

“Secretary of State Marco Rubio's recent announcement about significantly cutting back the U.S. State Department’s presence around the world is a shortsighted abandonment of our nation’s global leadership, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. By eliminating the Bureau of African Affairs after dismantling USAID programs, we jeopardize our diplomatic ties and public presence in one of the world’s most vibrant regions and also create serious vulnerabilities in our national security.

“The United States has invested in African peace-building efforts, humanitarian assistance, and global health initiatives for decades with bipartisan support, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but also because it serves our national interest. What Secretary Rubio is suggesting would undo decades of progress and send a clear message to the world that the U.S. is no longer a dependable partner in global development and diplomacy.

“Recent cuts to programs like PEPFAR, which saved millions of lives, tell our strategic partners and allies we are retreating from the world stage. This sudden abandonment of global leadership creates a void that is likely to be filled by bad actors, including China and Russia. 

“This Administration is dismantling our soft power, sidelining diplomatic expertise, and attempting to silence the voices of global health, development, and human rights advocates in the United States and around the world. This is not reform, it’s retreat! Congress cannot be complicit and stand idly by. We need congressional oversight and public opposition to uphold America’s long-defined values on the world stage. 

“I will continue to fight – along with my colleagues in Congress, the diplomatic community, human rights advocates, and the American public – to stop these reckless cuts and reaffirm our nation’s commitment to principled, proactive global leadership.” 

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