Hi Friend -
At this moment of enormous disruption for America's role in the world, I've shared various thoughts and analysis over the past few months. Today, I am excited to share this Fox News exclusive featuring USGLC's just released Blueprint: "America Needs to 'Reform, Not Retreat' from Global Assistance Programs, Foreign Policy Organization Says."
USGLC is presenting our Blueprint for America to Win in the World with 10 forward-looking recommendations for Congress and the Administration to ensure U.S. international assistance programs deliver for the American people.
* We offer a range of winning ideas to outcompete our rivals - China, Russia, Iran, North Korea - and keep our economy #1.
* Actionable ideas include: unleash the private sector; improve burden-sharing with partner nations; deliver global health programs that keep us safe; ensure all U.S. assistance has just one brand--the American flag so recipients know it's 'from the American people'; and more.
The Blueprint is already receiving great reception from Republican and Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill and I hope you'll help us spread the word by sharing our posts on X, IG, LinkedIn, or Facebook.
USGLC has long advocated for smart reforms to make assistance programs more transparent, accountable, and cost-effective. But let's be clear, reform alone is not enough. We need strategic investments in the people and programs that stop preventable deaths, keep threats from reaching our shores, and help us outcompete China and maintain our economic edge.
>> Download the full report at USGLC.org/Blueprint2025
Read on for The Global Gab, where we share the Blueprint's highlights, preview the budget battles in Congress, and more. Let me know which recommendation in the Blueprint you like best.
Many thanks,
Liz
Liz Schrayer, USGLC
THE GLOBAL GAB
May 8th, 2025
A BLUEPRINT FOR AMERICA TO WIN IN THE WORLD. The world is entering a new era, where growing threats, geopolitical rivalries, and worsening humanitarian disasters pose grave challenges to American interests at home and abroad. To meet the moment, the United States is poised to return to a Peace Through Strength approach - leveraging international assistance and diplomacy, alongside defense, as essential tools for navigating the complexities of today's world and promoting America's national security, economic prosperity, and values.
USGLC's Blueprint outlines ten practical recommendations that Congress and the Trump Administration can implement to ensure U.S. international assistance delivers for the American people and makes our nation stronger, safer, and more prosperous.
Here are the highlights but read the full report for details of winning ideas at USGLC.org/Blueprint2025
* #1: Unleash the Private Sector: Maximize America's impact by leveraging the private sector to scale their most transformative ideas to drive growth and compete with China.
* #2: Promote Burden-Sharing: Urge donor countries to increase their commitments for partnerships that maximize U.S. investments and reinforce America's global leadership.
* #3: Expand Winning Compact Models: Build win-win partnerships that deliver tangible results for America, our partners, and hold countries accountable.
* #4: Align International Assistance with Strategic Interests: Focus international assistance on U.S. foreign policy priorities to make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous.
* #5: Bolster Global Health Capacity and Biosecurity Preparedness: Invest in proven models like PEPFAR, GAVI, & the Global Fund, and halt deadly diseases before they reach our shores.
* #6: Prioritize Life-Saving Humanitarian Assistance: Lead with speed, strength, and strategic action to save lives, advance U.S. interests, and build goodwill.
* #7: Target the Drivers of Instability: Make Americans safer and prioritize international development programs to prevent today's crises from becoming tomorrow's conflicts.
* #8: Focus on Strategic Regional Priorities: Pursue a coordinated effort to counter rivals in emerging economies, focusing on economic security and prosperity.
* #9: Up Our Tech Game, Drive Accountability and Transparency: Leverage evidence and data to drive effective programs and harness AI to predict crises and respond quickly.
* #10: One Brand: Team USA: Don't let our rivals own the narrative. Brand U.S. international assistance with our flag and clarity that international assistance is "from the American people" to show our leadership and impact.
The Blueprint recognizes that for these reforms to be successful, we must back up America's team with the resources and capacity required to match the scale of threats to make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous.
>> Full text of the Blueprint here
BUDGET BATTLES. Last Friday, the administration released its Fiscal Year 2026 "skinny" budget request to Congress, proposing a deep and disproportionate 48% cut to international assistance and diplomacy--on top of a request to rescind (cancel) an additional $21.6 billion previously appropriated by Congress. Adjusting for inflation, this would shrink our investments in these critical national security tools by 84% to the lowest level since World War II. Expect a full debate as the budget discussions move to Congress.
* Specifically, the request includes a total of $9.6 billion for State Department and U.S. international affairs agencies and programs - $51.6 billion (84%) below the FY25 enacted level of $61.2 billion. This would include:
* Cutting global health by 62% (-$6.2 billion)
* Cutting development and economic assistance by 68% (-$6 billion)
* Cutting humanitarian assistance by 54% (-$4.7 billion)
* Cutting contributions to international organizations by 87% (-$1.7 billion)
* Eliminating Food for Peace (-$1.6 billion)
* It would also include several other significant changes:
* Increases funding for the Development Finance Corporation by $2.8 billion
* Consolidates funding humanitarian assistance into a new account
* Consolidates funding for development and economic assistance into a new America First Opportunity (AFO) Fund
* Funding levels for smaller agencies like the Millennium Challenge Corporation, Peace Corps, Export-Import Bank, and the U.S. Trade and Development Agency are unclear.
* The budget materials released by the Administration today provide no details on how the proposed $21.6 billion in rescissions of prior-year appropriations would be allocated.
* Congress ultimately has the constitutional "power of the purse" and with the House and Senate back in session, the budget debates are in full swing.
USGLC HOSTS LOCAL TOWNHALLS. Over April congressional recess, when many policymakers shied away from face-to-face events with their constituents, USGLC was proud to host a series of town halls across the country with leading policymakers and over a thousand of their constituents--veterans, small business owners, farmers, and faith leaders--for impressive discussions on how U.S. international assistance helps America win.
* In Oklahoma City, we hosted Senator James Lankford (R-OK);
* In Tempe, AZ we hosted Congressman Greg Stanton (D-AZ-04);
* In Salt Lake City, UT we hosted Senator John Curtis (R-UT) with participation from Congressman Burgess Owens (R-UT); and
* In Mitchell, South Dakota we hosted Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD) for our fifth annual Heartland Summit.
>> In the next Global Gab, we will provide a full readout of these amazing conversations.
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