Statement from Mercy Corps CEO Neal Keny-Guyer in Response to the President’s Budget Request

For a third year in a row, the Trump administration released a proposed foreign aid budget that ignores the breadth of global challenges — including the unprecedented number of complex conflicts, historic international refugee flows and a rapidly changing climate. Although global prosperity and stability directly advance U.S. interests and values, the White House insists on cutting foreign assistance funding in the FY 2020 Budget by approximately 24 percent. It is disheartening to yet again see the White House ignore the clear consensus view of the public, bipartisan Congressional leaders, business leaders, community leaders and military commanders — all of whom have expressed the importance of fully funding development and diplomacy.

Around the world, I have seen how even small U.S. government development and humanitarian relief programs return the investment by empowering communities to find their own solutions and building the resilience of the most disadvantaged. We urge Congress to reject this Administration’s request and ensure that the International Affairs budget is funded at no less than $60 billion in FY2020.