Strengthening the Effectiveness of U.S. Foreign Assistance

Foreign assistance is an important tool of U.S. foreign policy and diplomacy.  I believe that our approach to foreign assistance should be smart and strategic, and this assistance should strengthen our foreign policy objectives. 

As a member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, I have been working to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our foreign assistance.  I have offered amendments to improve foreign assistance reform in the State Department, and have worked to reprioritize State Department funding to address our most pressing strategic needs. 

I have examined requests for State Department operations and foreign assistance carefully, and I believe that the costs and benefits of programs should be well-document and justified.  Moreover, I support fair competition for U.S. companies and organizations to receive grants and contracts to administer assistance.  To this end, I have worked with the Millennium Challenge Corporation to improve their procurement guidelines and ensure that state-owned companies from countries such as China do not unfairly compete for contracts. 

I look forward to utilizing my position in the Foreign Relations Committee to improve our foreign assistance, streamline the costs and bureaucracy associated with foreign aid, and ultimately strengthen America’s leadership in the world.