▶ 0:08:13Good morning, folks. People of the Subcommittee on National Security, Department of State, and Related will come to order. Good morning. Let me first welcome everyone to the subcommittee's members uh day. We're thrilled to have you. Before we begin, I want to take a moment to welcome our new subcommittee ranking member. Uh she's a person that I've and I've known each other for longer than we'd care Yes, you're the ranking member, Lois.
▶ 0:08:40Uh we've known each other for, well, three decades, and she is a trusted friend, and while we certainly don't agree on everything, I can't think of a better partner and a better leader uh to have on this subcommittee. We also have several new members of the subcommittee who will add tremendously uh to the subcommittee with their expertise and including the vice chairman of the subcommittee. It's good to see you, sir. Always a pleasure. I'm really, really looking forward to the year ahead.
▶ 0:09:11I want to thank my colleagues testifying today. Thank you for taking your time out of your busy schedules to present your views and priorities for the fiscal year 2026 National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations This is the first of many budget and oversight hearings that we will uh have during fiscal year 2026 cycle. Uh Lois, it's I doesn't it feel like we just got rid of the 2025 cycle like yesterday, right?
▶ 0:09:37Uh it's a critical time, and there's so much work that needs to be done in the coming months. Uh I became chairman of the subcommittee in 2023, at the beginning of the last Congress. As I As I began to dig into the programs and their spending and uh what the Biden administration had done in areas of the it didn't take me long to find, frankly, a very troubling pattern.
▶ 0:09:59In almost every program, including those with long-standing bipartisan support, the Biden administration pushed and even mandated new, controversial, and divisive policies. You know, the sad part is I warned those officials privately and publicly, in every single hearing, in our markups, and in meetings, that they were really jeopardizing the very existence of those programs.
▶ 0:10:25I reminded them time and time again, I kept telling them that foreign aid is not a popular issue among the American public, especially when so many Americans were struggling with their own budgets under the previous administration of inflation, etc. I don't have to relitigate that.
▶ 0:10:40I warned them that forcing their climate agenda, their promoting censorship, and mandating DNA DIE in every would not only be an insult to the American taxpayer, but would also work against our national interests around the globe. also that it would erode bipartisan support for programs critical critical to our national security.
▶ 0:11:09And now we're seeing exactly what happens in response to extreme partisan agendas that the American people don't support and clearly expressed that last election. So, the question is, where do we go from here? I know my colleagues testifying today have recommendations to that end. My priority for the fiscal year 2026 House bill is to fund effective, accountable programs that support US national security. It's that simple.
▶ 0:11:37It's what I've been saying from day one, as I mentioned at the beginning. I take very seriously the member interest in our bill and would like to collaborate with each of you, each and every one of you, on shared priorities that meet the objectives that I've just laid out. Uh I am so grateful to all of you for being here, and now I yield to the distinguished ranking member, my good friend, also from the state of Florida, Lois Frankel, for her remarks. Thank you very much. Honored to be here.
▶ 0:12:05Of course, you did test our friendship with your opening remarks. But because of my great respect for you, I'm not going to debate them, and I'll just give my own. But thank you. Listen, this is a very good engaged committee, and I welcome our colleagues. And I will say this, we despite differences of opinion, I think everybody here understands the value of foreign assistance, and I know we're committed to working together. All right.
▶ 0:12:35So, uh but from my point of view, and I think many, we are at a crisis right now with our foreign policy and our humanitarian efforts. Uh number one, foreign assistance is is not a handout, it's a strategy at less than 1% of our federal budget, and it greatly advances our own security and And as I said, I think many of us in this room agree with that.
▶ 0:13:04But sadly, and and dangerously, and shockingly, this Trump administration's reckless dismantling of USAID, as well as other agencies under our jurisdiction without consulting Congress is not only illegal, it jeopardizes decades of progress and global development and American leadership.
▶ 0:13:27And I want to say this, every administration has the right, the responsibility to review government programs to ensure they serve the American people effectively, cuz we all want to make sure our tax dollars are spent in the most effective way. However, a responsible government doesn't take a sledgehammer to vital institutions and programs without truly assessing their or the consequences of cutting them.
▶ 0:13:50And I just just wholesale firing of people and cutting of programs and grants is Uh well, unfortunately, that's what we've witnessed. Uh the Trump administration has a unilateral effort to disband USAID, the Inter-American Foundation, the African Development Foundation, the US Institute of Peace, the US Agency of Global Media, and they're just they're knocking on people's doors every day.
▶ 0:14:20The the Dodge boys, they're in there they're probably someplace today. and shuttering of these agencies is is in direct violation of the requirements in the what we used to call the S-FOPs bill, which explicitly requires consultation with Congress before any effort to reorganize, redesign, or downsize.
▶ 0:14:43And this dismantling of USAID compromises our national security, it threatens our health, and weakens our And you know, all you had to do is uh put the TV on this weekend and see that what happened in Mar-a-Lago. Did I say that right?
▶ 0:15:05who was there in that crisis, that crisis where where at least 2,000 people are suspected to be trapped under the rubble? At you know, a year ago or even 3 months ago, we would expect us to see Americans on the ground immediately. But because of the cuts to key personnel, USA US has taken days to get on the ground. But here's what we saw.
▶ 0:15:35Who did we see there? We saw China, and we saw Russia, and that is just a view of the future when we have this void. That's who's going to move in. Now, with that said, I do look forward to working with you.
▶ 0:15:51And let's I hope we can really preserve our our role in the world and maintain our leadership, be humanitarians, develop where help developing countries where it's in our interest also, and also and keep our country secure. I yield back. Let me thank you, this distinguished ranking member. Without objection, the full written statements of all the members will be included in the record.
▶ 0:16:21In order to keep our schedule, I would I would ask that each member limit your oral testimony testimony to 5 minutes. Uh it's a it's a it's an honor and privilege now to recognize Mr. Meeks from the state of New York. Got that right? Which means which means you're a future Floridian, but I'm not we're not going to have that discussion now. Uh but again, Mr. Meeks is the is the distinguished ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee for your testimony. You're recognized, sir. Thank you, Chairman Diaz-Balart. Thank you, Ranking Member Frankel.
▶ 0:16:49Uh thank you for the opportunity to testify today's member hearing. I appreciate this opportunity to share my priorities for national security, Department of State, and related programs appropriations bill. If this were any other year, I would focus my testimony on the specific programs we have worked together to support. But this is no ordinary year.
▶ 0:17:11We are dealing with an administration that has shown an unprecedented and reckless disregard for the United States Congress's constitutional power. This includes our power of the purse and the clear guardrails we established through appropriations law, as well as other directions of congressional intent and authorizations of the executive agencies and programs.
▶ 0:17:35Within this subcommittee's jurisdiction, the most damaging example of the Trump Musk onslaught against our federal government and Congress's role is the dismantling of USAID. The president's sudden freeze of foreign assistance caused utter chaos. Food assistance Congress appropriated sat rotting on shelves.
▶ 0:17:57Clinics we funded sat closed and unable to distribute their stocks of life-saving medicines, leading to unnecessary deaths and babies born with HIV. And now, despite court orders challenging the legality of their actions, the administration boasts that 83% of foreign assistance programs are already shuttered, and what remains of USAID is now being folded into the State Department.
▶ 0:18:22Similarly, President Trump's disregarded existing statutes, terminated by decree, the US Agency for Global Media, resulting in grant terminations to its subsidiaries, including Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia. These broadcasters delivered trusted information to audiences in heavily censored countries, starved of independent media, and flooded with propaganda from our adversaries.
▶ 0:18:50And the most recent egregious flaunting of the law was Doji's hostile takeover of the US Institute of Peace, which Congress created as a non-partisan, independent, nonprofit organization. USIP has had broad bipartisan support, working successfully under seven administrations to prevent violent conflict and broker peace around the world.
▶ 0:19:16The Trump administration has done all this outside of the law, without consulting Congress, and in stark contradiction of the appropriations law and other bills we have passed that are now the law of the land.
▶ 0:19:30And regardless of whether we are Democrats or Republicans, we must, as members, stand up for our prerogatives as the legislative body of this democracy and a co-equal branch because this is ultimately about our ability to stand up for our constituents. And the programs this subcommittee funds are critical to our national security.
▶ 0:19:54They help ensure the United States can successfully achieve our foreign policy goals, compete with our rivals, and prevent regional crises from escalating into armed conflict. These programs allow us to respond to humanitarian emergencies and the development needs of our partners, preventing diseases from becoming pandemics that reach our shores.
▶ 0:20:14All these objectives and more are achieved through a well-sourced State Department and related agencies and programs with the support from Congress that they need to effectively wield our soft power. The world is far too small and interconnected for us to hide behind our borders, pull back our tools, and hope the next conflict or a epi- or epi- epidemic won't impact us here at home.
▶ 0:20:42This subcommittee has recognized the value of these efforts as evidenced by the strong bipartisan support for its work over many, many, many years. And of course, each administration has the right to review policy, and our job is not to defend the status quo over modernization. But President Trump and Elon Musk do not have the right to unilaterally eliminate programs that Congress has deemed essential.
▶ 0:21:09The legislative branch, after debate and deliberation and in consideration of executive executive's position, creates the body of the law the executive must indeed execute. That is the right way to ensure improvements and reforms. It is critically important that the next national security appropriations bill maintain and strengthen the the investments that safeguard our national security at no less than the than FY24 level.
▶ 0:21:38But whatever Congress ultimately decides, it is more essential that we ensure that FY26 law is implemented by the administration because in America, we believe in the rule of law, not of kings. Thank you, Mr. Meeks. Particularly by the way for your many years of work and leadership at the as a top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
▶ 0:22:05It is imperative that authorizers and appropriators work really closely Um and and I'm looking forward to doing so. So, if there any questions to the gentleman from the state of New York, we'll start and then we'll Thank you. No, go ahead. Thank you for being here.
▶ 0:22:25Just for our can you tell us what, if any, efforts have been made in the authorizing Foreign Affairs Committee in connection the reorganization? Have you all had any discussions at all? We've had one hearing at that time with no officials from the administration. It was all a private panel. So, we've not had any discussion.
▶ 0:22:51We've had one um I would guess meeting with Mr. Morocco, who at that time, you know, just talked about and it was something that was not really recorded or record. It wasn't an official hearing of that nature. Uh but recently, I have had a conversation with Secretary of State Rubio about a week ago.
▶ 0:23:17But you you expect your committee's going to be taking up some type of What Well, you do you going to take up a State Department reauthorization? Yes, I I'm sure we we need That's the part of our responsibilities and jurisdiction, so I'm sure that and I'm hopeful that we'll the appropriate individuals to come before the committee so that we can ask the appropriate questions. I'm I'm longing for that moment.
▶ 0:23:42Just one other question, which is It's It's like I know it's Some of it's crazy what's been going on, but what kind of feedback have you gotten uh folks overseas, our allies, and so forth? What's been the reaction?
▶ 0:24:00Uh number one, I can ambassadors after ambassadors from all over the world has come in to see me just saying that we're leaving them with no other choice but to look for alternatives to the United States of America. As we've seen with reference to our NATO allies, for and our European allies, they are now trying to figure out how they can do things without. We're not becoming We're not We're no longer will be the indispensable nation.
▶ 0:24:27We see folk because of the uncertainty that has now existed in our foreign service. As you've correctly stated, we look at what's taking place in Panama now, where we would generally be one of the first there to show who we are and what our values are. We're not there. And each place that we leave, we see China or Russia or even North Korea trying to move in. And then there's I can't tell you the number of emails that I've gotten from individuals who are now stuck in various places.
▶ 0:24:56One just the other day, an individual is now in Lebanon, and he's just there. No money now. Family's in Kenya. Been 25 years or, you know, been awarded various merits for the work that he's done, and and people left just stranded. So, it is hardships across the board that we've seen time and time again.
▶ 0:25:21So, that's just one example of the number of emails or texts or phone calls that I've received from some of our folks across the seas. Thank you. You're back. Thank you. Vice Chairman Edwards. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I appreciate you convening this meeting. These are important discussions. Mr. Meeks, thanks for taking time to visit with us this morning.
▶ 0:25:48I'm just are there any specific programs that you've run across that you think that this committee or anyone else should look at first? Because it's clearly there's been some dismantling. I believe that it's our job to come back and look at the merits of every one of those programs, not necessarily the And so, I'm I'm just curious, have you run across any specific programs that this committee should consider?
▶ 0:26:18Well, one I know that we should consider and continue, and there's been some question of whether it's not, you know, and the administration has said that they have been a pass and moved back PEPFAR, for That's a program where millions of lives have been saved. And though they are supposed to be not continue to receive funding, when I talked to them, a number of them talk about the money is still not flowing. There's a problem that's still happening there.
▶ 0:26:48When we talked to Mr. Morocco about that, you know, he said that he would check into it. But PEPFAR is one that jumps straight to my mind that is absolutely essential and very important for us to make sure that we continue to fund. I also Let me just think of another one real quick.
▶ 0:27:12Um But we look at what's taking place with reference to um the program. What I'm What I'm concerned about, and here, let me just put it in broader strokes. These health care contractors that we have going across the world, I'm concerned about another pandemic. I don't want that.
▶ 0:27:36We need to make sure that we're preserving and making sure that those contractors that are providing health care issues to people around the world, that's tremendously important. The other programs that I think that we dealing with agriculture, quite frankly. When I think about the work that some of the agricultural areas given to the World Food Organization, that's another important program that I think should not be need to make sure we continue to fund.
▶ 0:28:03World Food Organization, they help prevent starvation, no matter where it is, and move forward, and that has been dangerously cut and not not not able to move forward. There is um Look at another one off the top of my head. I mean, there's so many of them. Well, yeah. I mean, because that also affects us domestically. You know, it affects our economy.
▶ 0:28:28When you think about agriculture and the number of the foods that was just lost, um they, through the World Food Program, that puts another $4 billion in our economy that we're losing out on. So, it hurts internationally, but it also hurts domestically in that regards.
▶ 0:28:51uh I'd say those types of programs are those that we need to focus on to make sure that uh Gentlemen, you're back. Gentlemen, you're back. You You're back, sir. Yes, sir. Okay. Mr. Torres, you're recognized.
▶ 0:29:11Um thank you, um Chairman and Ranking Member Frankel for uh finally giving us an opportunity to bring about the outrage of what has happened to US aid and what is happening in the US government as a result of the last November's election.
▶ 0:29:34I know that it's early in the morning, but are we really going to continue to pretend business is as usual and pretend that nothing has happened and that no one has died as a result or has been hurt as a result of Trump's demise of US aid? I mean, I know that it's early in the morning.
▶ 0:29:58I have not had my cup of coffee unfortunately for all of us in this room, but it is unconscionable that we haven't had a single not one oversight meeting about the firing of thousands of employees that have helped to create and uh improve democracy around the globe.
▶ 0:30:23People that have protected the homeland by ensuring that we have programs and agreements with our closest partners, whether it's here in Latin America, in Europe, Africa, Asia, you name it. We have had people there. They have put their lives at risk to help America be at the top of the global economy and a beacon of democracy.
▶ 0:30:52And here we are 4 months into the day that we have taken an oath that we took an oath to defend our Constitution all enemies So, what are we doing here?
▶ 0:31:15Pretending that nothing has happened while the Trump administration's decisions are making our communities less safe now and in the long run, ending important programs to stop violence, drugs, and trafficking, and reduce terrorism, and maintain global leadership in the face of Russian and Chinese aggression directly keep our communities and America
▶ 0:31:45safe. The Trump administration's actions make our local communities more dangerous today and in the long term. And walking away from the fight with Russia and China, abandoning our allies, and leaving China to fill the gap erodes our global power making America weak and our communities less safe in the long run.
▶ 0:32:14Elon Musk has not been vetted by the Yet, Republicans have completely completely relinquished their power and mine in the minority.
▶ 0:32:34And not a single question not a single question and I know that I know that our moral compass is still exist. And I know Chairman that you, Mr.
▶ 0:32:50Edwards, um Sissone, um all of the members here have been committed to ensuring that we continue to be a global partner to our friends abroad. But while you are turning over complete power to the unelected richest man in the world I will not and my constituents demand answers.
▶ 0:33:21And I believe that it is our job to uphold agreements made and funding that was allocated not under Trump, but under the Biden administration, the last administration that led this country. Mr. Meeks, I have been to Sudan and South Sudan. I've seen firsthand the grim reality of children who have no food.
▶ 0:33:48Could you share with us a bit more about what impact assistant cuts will have on Sudan and places like Haiti like the DR?
▶ 0:34:52Thank you, Mr. Meeks, and thank you. Um I remind members of I'm not going to hold you strictly to it, but try to stick to the the 5 minutes. I I I do want to remind people that business as usual is what led us into a Europe war in Europe. Business as usual is what uh led us led Israel to be attacked by Hamas, by Hezbollah, even directly by Iran first time in history. Uh business as usual um led us to the Afghanistan fiasco and business as usual is what the American people voted against.
▶ 0:35:21Now, with that, let me recognize Mr. Meeks offered uh who again I'm honored to have you on the subcommittee, Thank you, Chair, and thank you for your leadership and ranking member, thank you so much. Good to see you. Mr. Meeks, I don't think we've had the pleasure of meeting. Uh good to see you. I understand you're the ranking member on Foreign Affairs. Is that correct? How long have you been on that committee?
▶ 0:35:42I've been on the committee for 26 How did these programs that we have so much consternation over which really uh led up to the decimation of USAID, whether you agree with it or not, how did those programs get authorized? United States Congress. Through Foreign Affairs? Through we are the authorization committee and you are the appropriate, yes.
▶ 0:36:09Right, but the the programs which were deemed frivolous, the the gender ideology programs, the ones that our chairman has spoken of how did those end up passing the authorization committee um to to be in place to begin with?
▶ 0:36:26Well, uh members of Congress, those on the committee, Democrats and Republicans, you know, we had individuals uh whether it was the Biden administration or the Bush administration before that, or the Clinton administration in my times here, uh we had dialogue, we had conversation. There was always room for reviewing and uh and holding accountable and folks would come in to testify. We want to make sure that the intent of what we of what we authorized was carried through.
▶ 0:36:52Uh and I would say that the intent of you know, is is there always opportunities to review and to go back and to change certain things to make sure that the intent of Congress is moving forward? Yes. So, there um um and and there's congressional notifications that are required. Right. Was there any talk while this was going through the process through these years, especially when the Democrats had control of the US House and had the gavels in that committee, was there any talk that you may be pushing it too far?
▶ 0:37:23That this may come back to bite us in the butt and we may lose everything if we push it too far. Well, we did the talk was and what we did was always try to make sure that uh we both sides, Democrats and Republicans, would have their view, uh would talk through it. There was compromise and we would then agree to what we think that would be beneficial for them coming as far as the United States uh committing to the rest of the world.
▶ 0:37:48Very proud of the fact USAID had said from the American people to the world because the USAID was the face of our soft power going around the world. And so, we generally in my 26 years and until recently, we worked in a bipartisan way on that committee uh trying to get to where we are.
▶ 0:38:08The what's shocking about this is, you know, without coming back to Congress uh without having a dialogue with us, it's just the abrupt cut uh by uh by this administration. Uh but we could have easily come back and talk about and review as we've done in years past. Well, I I I think that's a little too late now. it it seems to be that USAID is dead. It's going to relive again under the State Department. I think under a different name.
▶ 0:38:35I personally feel that if we are not investing in national security projects in other parts of the world and I can fit into that bucket, we probably shouldn't be spending taxpayer money on it. The average appropriation, I think, over the last couple of years has been some 40 billion dollars for USAID ID and a lot of projects fit into that.
▶ 0:38:55How would you suggest in the short time we have here that the State Department now take this and you will have some oversight in this as a ranking member, how do they redevelop and save the programs that are important for our national security? me just say I don't think the struggle is over yet because I believe the actions that the president has committed are illegal and we're in court.
▶ 0:39:14Uh and with the courts will have the final words on whether or not what was done was justified uh and whether the president had the power to do that uh because it does not strike the will and the agreement of Congress as us being an equal branch, co-equal branch of government uh where we had worked things out uh and there's been no coming back to us, no notifications which are required. Um But how do you suggest, sir, we don't have much time left. I'm going to stick within my 5 minutes.
▶ 0:39:40How do you suggest the State Department move forward if it is going to have under its umbrella the former USAID? How do we rebrand that? How do we move forward with the programs that are uh for our national security interests? that what we should be able to do is to go and look and not with a chainsaw, but to try to look to see where you can improve efficiency uh where you can look at where there may be some excess. Uh we can do that in a bipartisan way to make sure that that happens. And I think that that's what we continue.
▶ 0:40:09I look forward to reaching out and talking to Secretary Rubio, for example, as I said I did uh initially to see if we can move forward uh in that regard. I know he was uh basically unanimously uh selected to be the Secretary of State. I worked with him when he was a member of the Senate. I know that uh deep down he understands uh what USAID did because we've traveled to those areas and witnessed what they've done and what they mean to United States soft power. Well, thank you, sir. I really appreciate your testimony in coming here today.
▶ 0:40:37I too am a little bit troubled with how all this went down, but I do know my folks in the Fourth Congressional District of Missouri have had it with us spending taxpayer dollars on frivolous programs. I know that there's a lot of good, about 60% of it has to do with humanitarian health aid uh uh programs that I I think we need to continue in some form or fashion, but at least now we are talking about it. We are going to resolve this issue and hopefully we can come together on some answers that are meaningful for the American people.
▶ 0:41:06And thank you and with that I yield back. Thank you. Thank you. Uh Mr. Meeks again and we look forward to continuing to work with you. Uh thank you for uh your years of uh of work in all of these issues. And again, thank you for being here today. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh I now want to recognize uh the gentleman from the state of California, uh Mr. Costa. Mr. Costa and I worked together on a number of different issues over the years. Um and again, uh Mr. Costa, thank you for uh taking of uh your valuable time to spend this time with us this morning.
▶ 0:41:36Uh when when you're ready, uh you may start. We'll we will recognize you for 5 minutes. Thank you, Mr.
▶ 0:42:13sympathy. Um I served with Lincoln and um the three of us um uh obviously um worked together on a host of different areas and I know it's a difficult time for you and your And you have my uh my my thoughts and We are living in a similar moment, I believe, in world history uh requiring the United States to remain engaged uh around the world.
▶ 0:42:38Um and I think many of you recognize what we have been discussing so far this morning, and that is the exercise of smart power uh by the United States and advancing our national interests. Uh I think this appropriations bill makes it clear that the administration that this needs to be a priority.
▶ 0:42:56I am very concerned and alarmed about uh the withdrawal of not only USAID, but other areas because I think this unilateral withdrawal of support that we have um been, I think, very forceful with, creates a vacuum for our adversaries, and and Russia, North Korea, and others. I'm very concerned about that vacuum. As a result, I'm a cosponsor of the Protect US National Security Act, which prohibits the funds uh that abolish USAID that was created by the United States Congress.
▶ 0:43:27I urge this subcommittee to follow the example in its Article 1 Congress has not authorized uh the uh elimination of USAID. We can recreate it in different forms, as been discussed. That's totally appropriate, but I think our active role on the international stage allows us to build build and maintain strong relationships with our together which we can project smart power.
▶ 0:43:51I call it smart power to ensure the prosperity of Americans and our interests around the world, whether we're talking about Voice of America, its ancillary programs, Pet Farm, our focus on Ebola, uh the ag assistance. By the way, it's cost American farmers $2 in uh direct sales as a result of supporting USAID. Uh and I can tell you, in farm country, that's not appreciated. Let me give you some specific examples. Ukraine.
▶ 0:44:18Chief among the US national security priorities is a free and democratic Ukraine. Uh they have weakened and deterred Russia over the last 3 years. I was with a group of members of their parliament last night. They are valiantly fighting and dying for all of us to protect their democracy from autocrats and dictators and in essence protecting uh democracies throughout the We've provided assistance that has weakened and degraded Russia's military without putting any US troops in harm's way.
▶ 0:44:47The humanitarian economic assistance funding that falls under the jurisdiction of this subcommittee is therefore critical to the effort, I believe. Congress should robustly fund and require the administration continue assisting Ukraine in the defense of the dictator and war criminal Putin. He is a war criminal. Let's be sure about that. Modern-day Russia is a syndicate masquerading as a country with a mob boss called Putin. That is the bottom line.
▶ 0:45:13We must continue therefore our assistance uh to allow Ukraine to de-mine and documentation of human rights violation. They've kidnapped over 20,000 children. And our robust assistance for the Euro- Eurasia Central Asian program and the title to assist Ukraine, I think, and other democracies is critical. Armenia, a former republic Soviet republic surrounded by hostile neighbors. Armenia is seeking to break ties with Russia and be- come a pro-Western government.
▶ 0:45:42They've signed a strategic partnership with ship with the United States. This committee should continue to provide funding to advance that partnership with US and Armenian relationships. They include economic assistance, foreign military financing, robust support to support Armenian refugees that were removed from their their ancient homeland, Nagorno-Karabakh, otherwise referred to as Artsakh, who were forced to flee as a result of Azerbaijan's unprovoked military takeover.
▶ 0:46:09And therefore, uh I think it's important and rightly that this previous administration, I hope it continues to renew the waiver allowing US military assistance to Azerbaijan. Uh they do not deserve that support. Uh with my time uh going, I think our support for the European Union and NATO and our diplomatic alliances are critical.
▶ 0:46:34That transatlantic partnership for 80 years has resulted in the longest peacetime period in Europe up until Putin's invasion. Yes, his invasion on February 24th, 2022 on Ukraine. Uh the European Union Foundation, the diplomatic partnerships bolster US national security and economic prosperity.
▶ 0:46:53And let me close by saying our diplomatic programs, our programs under purview by this subcommittee, should be appropriately funded to advance these partnerships and continue the US coordination with both organizations. I think we all remember the uh joint um State of the Union address by the head of NATO a few years ago when he said it's nice to have friends. Yes, it's nice to have friends, and we are stronger when we work with our allies, not alone.
▶ 0:47:24Thank you for allowing me my testimony. I'll be happy to answer any questions you might have. Well, thank you um and thank you for those kind of words about about my my brother uh Lincoln. Uh the ranking member and I were talking and what we'll do is is we'll yield to other others who have questions first, and then we'll Anybody else uh have a question? Uh well, Mr. Costa, I I would Yes, please. Mr. Costa. Mr.
▶ 0:47:49Speaker and ranking member, you know, our constituents I mean, Speaker, I'm sorry. Today you're the Speaker. Maybe that would be better. that that problem. could be a better um accomplishment. Anyway, um our constituents truly have had it uh with the relinquishing of power in Congress. My colleague here um Mr.
▶ 0:48:16Costa, in California, the largest agriculture state in the nation, um we're not just the salad bowl, we also have dairy, we have um several specialty crops 300 commodities in California. Thank you for um assisting me in that.
▶ 0:48:38the border patrol came and raided farms in northern California or in Central Valley in Mr. David Valadao's district, I believe it was or your district. and a host of our districts in the valley, including mine. Some of those uh impacted had um ag visas.
▶ 0:49:03Um mixed-status families were impacted, and as a result, we have had a large number of uh farmhands not show up to work. And this is not limited to California, it's happening all over the country.
▶ 0:49:21When I talk about relinquishing our power, we need to be asking the the questions of how this administration is impacting not our foreign affairs, but in the homeland, the price of eggs and we can argue about the fact that the price of eggs started in the Biden administration, absolutely true.
▶ 0:49:45But since the Trump administration, we have not been able to provide the vaccines that are needed to ensure that our farm workers don't get infected by the bird flu and and that impact is what has caused our price our price of eggs to go continue to to rise.
▶ 0:50:12We have had to make an appeal for foreign egg assistance to the world. So now we have eggs from Turkey and South Korea. We are we are our the price of eggs are yes, they're going down a little bit because of this foreign assistance to the US that we're purchasing eggs from outside of our country.
▶ 0:50:41And yet zero transparency accountability on trade wars that this administration continues to peddle. In the most recent CR, you gave you've surrendered the power to the uh to the unchecked Trump administration of clawing back some of the trade wars that he has engaged in.
▶ 0:51:12So again, what are we doing here today if not checking the box of transparency and accountability as to what is happening in the administration and why is Elon Trump allowed to continue to unravel the programs that feed America, that helps sustain our farmers.
▶ 0:51:36I don't even want to get into crop insurance and the cost of that rising as a result of no workers and ag products rotting in the fields. If I might comment my friend and colleague because of your time is limited, I think that frankly the the tariffs are are having real impact on American agriculture. They're taxed not only on consumers but producers and agricultural producers.
▶ 0:52:05There's 44% of California's agriculture is exported. Um and I remember that President Trump famously exalting the the the great achievement of USMCA 7 years ago. By the way, it's up for review next year. And yet we're imposing these tariffs on our biggest trading partners, Canada and Mexico. The mass deportation, I've never seen the fear like I've seen the fear in the last 3 months.
▶ 0:52:31Uh the reality is and not just in California but about a million and a half people are engaged uh that are undocumented in California agriculture, a million and a half. These are the some of the hardest working people you'll ever meet in your lives. These are skilled jobs, whether they're working in dairies, whether they're working in citrus, you go down the road.
▶ 0:52:51And so the impacts of the potential loss of this workforce combined with uh the other factors of um the tariffs, I think pose a a significant problem for American agriculture and let me close on that note but also to say that um I I think that this is something that we've got to work on. There's a possibility for immigration reform here with the modernization of the farm workers legislation and for dreamers. I'm going to yield back.
▶ 0:53:22Thank you. Thank you, gentlelady. And and I would be remiss by the way if I didn't also mention I I did not mention the person testifying now is also on the Foreign Affairs Committee. Um but I but I particularly want to thank you for your leadership on issues dealing with Europe. You and I have dealt with our European uh friends for many many years together. I want to thank you for your leadership and again, thank you for coming by today. Well, thank you and your leadership as well and the transatlantic partnership was very valued and uh we need to continue to maintain that partnership.
▶ 0:53:52It is vital. Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. Thank you. Great. Oh, wait, the ranking member has a testimony so let me keep you there for a few minutes. Thank you so much for being here. Two questions. First of just with Armenia and Azerbaijan, there was a treaty, right? Is that Yes, there was a a treaty that I'm sorry. Is it effective?
▶ 0:54:13No, it it because Azerbaijan has not complied with the treaty and Russia uh along with France and ourselves as the guarantors of that treaty have Russia's obviously gone AWOL. Uh their focus is Ukraine and uh the notion that they might lose uh another former satellite of the Soviet Union, i.e. Armenia, is uh absolutely repugnant to Putin the war criminal.
▶ 0:54:42So he's obviously not uh inclined to support Armenia's uh pro-Western government. So what I'm going to I'm going to bounce to Ukraine. Maybe I'll get back to Armenia but I'm I'm not sure you can or you want to comment on this but most of our funding for Ukraine has come from supplementals. I mean Yes.
▶ 0:55:10Have you given any analysis or thought to what that I mean the likelihood of doing a supplemental would be what? Zero? A supplemental for Huh? A supplemental for Ukraine? Yeah. Well. Yeah, try to It's uh tough. I mean just to I mean we our funding is in the millions but the supplemental was in the And by the way, it's about equal proportion of what Europe has provided Ukraine as well.
▶ 0:55:40Both economic, humanitarian and military aid. What kind of support will Ukraine going forward still need? Well, I think right now we're at a fork in the road so to speak in terms of what administration's trying to negotiate in terms of a ceasefire that could lead to a peace agreement.
▶ 0:56:00But I can tell you under the current terms that Putin has laid out, it would be unacceptable for any Ukrainian government whether it's Zelenskyy or or or some other Ukrainian government. They're not going to demilitarize and leave themselves vulnerable.
▶ 0:56:14By the way, Putin has signed three agreements with Ukraine in in 1994 when Ukraine gave up their nuclear again in in 2000 and and I think it was uh four and then in 2018 after uh Russia took over Crimea and into the Donbas region, Putin has not kept any of his agreements over that uh 30-year time period.
▶ 0:56:39So if I'm in Ukraine and I'm in the Ukrainian government, I I'm going to want Russia's I I I need to have the United States and Europe to be a of any peace agreement. Without that, uh to demilitarize, I would be giving my country up to Russia.
▶ 0:57:00Yeah, I'm very concerned about us what's happened to this really the people in I I we haven't really had an an opportunity to flush out all these cuts and so forth the people have been traumatized, women especially uh sexual assaults. Of course they've lost their spouses, many of them. You've had children kidnapped. 20,000 children. How many? 20,000 plus.
▶ 0:57:29me, I I I'm not sure but maybe someone can help me with that is I I do think that some of that USA has been cut off that was helping uh with the humanitarian assistance. No, it there's been a halt in in some of that funding and humanitarian assistance and also uh there's been a threat to withdraw military assistance and there's been a pause in some of that assistance that uh the Ukrainian parliamentary members were sharing
▶ 0:57:59with me last night and they're here this week and I hope you'll take the time to meet with them because they are passionate about their desire uh and and what they've done to Russia in the last 3 years is truly in our interest and in our allies' interest as well. Has Ukraine been able to take up some of these public services at their government? Are they able to pay for their own public services now? Yes, I mean they had modest growth in their economy last year.
▶ 0:58:28Uh they're exporting Odessa, uh the major port on the Black Sea is open. And uh you know, Ukraine has been historically the breadbasket of uh the former Soviet Union and still has its own larger than the state of Texas. It still has significant significant agricultural production uh besides rare minerals and besides a whole lot of other valuable assets, which is why Putin wants to take the country back.
▶ 0:58:57He doesn't view it as an independent country but a part of Mother Russia. And and that's a And I really I don't see who we'll ever get agreement with. Sorry, yeah. If Ukraine goes down, what in your opinion what's next in that region? I think Poland now is going to have 5% of their GDP in defense.
▶ 0:59:18You see Romania, you see the Baltic states, you see Eastern European countries that have benefited from the fall of the Iron Curtain and free of the Soviet Union uh greatly alarmed about their own security and and they are attempting to take actions to protect their security given the nature of the threat of Russia. And if Ukraine falls, Katie bar the door.
▶ 0:59:44We are I would hope we would you know honor Article 5 as NATO partners. And Poland and Romania and the Baltic states are NATO partners. Okay. Thank thank you so much. Thank you Mr. Castro. Thank you. We've taken a lot of your time but we appreciate your input. We appreciate you being here and again thank you so much for being here. It's a privilege now to recognize Ms. Kelly from the state of Illinois.
▶ 1:00:10Thank you for your patience and more importantly thank you for taking your time to to spend it with us this morning. We we we uh we're anxious to hear what you have to tell us. One of my priorities for the FY 26 National Security and Department of State funding bill.
▶ 1:00:33It is a true honor for me to continue the legacy of Representative Barbara Lee's leadership in advancing the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS relief otherwise known as mission. Since President George W. Bush with the great work and support of Barbara Lee and the CBC launched PEPFAR in 2003. Bipartisan support has been crucial in reauthorizing PEPFAR and replenishing Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria.
▶ 1:01:04I am working daily to ensure communities worldwide can access PEPFAR's life-saving services. Since its inception, PEPFAR has saved over 26 million lives and prevented millions of HIV infections while the Global Fund has saved 65 million lives and reduced the combined death rate from AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria by 61%.
▶ 1:01:29According to UNAIDS, we are 5 years away from ending the HIV AIDS pandemic and transitioning towards country ownership of HIV programs. PEPFAR has significantly reduced mortality rates, improved maternal and infant health, enhanced global health security, and fostered economic growth.
▶ 1:01:50Despite making up less than 0.1% of the US spending, Global HIV funding is one of the most successful US foreign policy programs. In just 1 year, PEPFAR provided HIV testing services to 71 million individuals and the Global Fund supported 25 million people on antiretroviral therapy.
▶ 1:02:15PEPFAR's Orphans and Vulnerable Children's program has prevented 8.3 million children from becoming orphaned and helped 7.8 million babies be born HIV free. Over the past 5 years alone, it has protected 10.5 million girls from exploitation, trafficking, and abuse through screening and preventative services.
▶ 1:02:38Similarly, in the countries where it invests, the Global Fund provides medications for 84% of all HIV positive mothers keeping them alive and babies from infection. PEPFAR is among the most impactful programs for children and we must retain it in its current form to continue saving lives and catalyze investments from other donors. We must stay focused on ending HIV AIDS pandemic by 2030.
▶ 1:03:07However, challenges have arisen in 2025 following Executive when the dismantling of USAID and US foreign assistance by Elon Musk and Doge disrupted PEPFAR's effort. At that time, PEPFAR was supporting 20.6 million people including 566,000 children with HIV.
▶ 1:03:30While Secretary Rubio authorized a waiver to restart some life-saving HIV services, many remain suspended including Orphans and Vulnerable Children's programs. The millions of children dropped from OBC are at risk of hazardous labor, sex trafficking, or death. For the limited programs that received a waiver, accessing funding remains difficult forcing NGOs to lay off over half of their staff and weakening local economies and health care systems.
▶ 1:04:00To ensure PEPFAR remains active and effective, I urge that the Global Health Programs account be funded at the FY24 enacted level of 60 billion with PEPFAR receiving 6.5 billion and 2 billion allocated to the Global Fund's first year replenishment.
▶ 1:04:17I urge this committee to allocate 10% of PEPFAR's bilateral funding for OBC just as Congress has done in every PEPFAR HIV AIDS is a constant threat to global health leaving millions vulnerable to other diseases. We cannot sustain progress and the epidemic if we leave communities behind. As of March 25, 2025, the clock ran out and PEPFAR's authorization expired.
▶ 1:04:45I look forward to working with this committee to reauthorize PEPFAR and continue appropriating essential fundings. And thank you for your ongoing support of PEPFAR and Global Fund work and I'm almost out of time but just quickly, I traveled to Latin America with Norma Torres and we saw the great work of USAID and we went to Peru where they saved little kids from men coming from the United States and Europe.
▶ 1:05:13We saw them in the hotel that came to have sex with 12 and 13-year-olds and I just met with Latin American countries, Canada, Mexico and they feel like there's certainly a realignment of support. I yield back. Thank you very much uh Congresswoman Kelly for your testimony particular about you mentioned a lot of the success of PEPFAR and I I couldn't agree with you more.
▶ 1:05:39In fact, next week we're having a hearing subcommittee hearing to review the successes, the challenges, and and and you know, to to talk specifically about about PEPFAR that you just uh so eloquently just spoke about.
▶ 1:05:54Now unfortunately, during the previous administration, we uncovered a violation of the Helms-Burton Amendment in PEPFAR which by the way is the first instance since the program was funded founded in And I think there was rather extensive outrage and I would argue in a bipartisan outrage because it was a violation of law. Funds that were meant to save lives were being used for abortions.
▶ 1:06:19Obviously, that's something that's that's troubling but we're going to make sure that we continue to have strong oversight and uh again, I just wanted to mention that we do we are this is a subcommittee that that understands that program pretty well and we're going to continue to look at it. Thank you so much for your testimony on that today. Do we have any questions for that? Yes, Ms. Torres. I'm sorry. Thank you, Chairman. Um you're absolutely correct.
▶ 1:06:44Violation of the law should be and should continue to be a bipartisan concern and agreement that we will uphold the law. The rule of law is what maintains our Constitution. It's how we um continue to abide by our oath that we take um every 2 years as we are um newly elected or reelected.
▶ 1:07:10Um Kelly, that that trip that we went on um heartbreaking. Um Mr. Chairman, we went um a community even the hotel where we stayed at. I've felt the need to sleep with my hoodie on and my boots on fully clothed um like I did at that hotel.
▶ 1:07:40As I looked outside my window um was a very small community center where they treated children that had been Many um of them were raped by American men. including infants. Um It was unconscionable what we saw there.
▶ 1:08:03One police officer who we assisted through USAID because had a cell phone and that's how she maintained evidence. By the use of her cell phone, she had no camera and on that trip um we were able to get USAID to immediately send her a camera so her personal cell phone would not have to have those horrific images of babies and young um
▶ 1:08:33girls and and boys uh that had been of um of rape. In Sierra Leone, I visited a very very small village um on a trip that I went with CARE is an a global organization that we work with um to ensure that in this little village, we had less than a handful of women who
▶ 1:09:05were taking care of probably 100 children under the age of whose parents had perished with AIDS or the war. And these are children who were being who were being loved and cared for by these women who had almost nothing themselves.
▶ 1:09:34But their care and their love was preventing these young children from joining a terrorist organization that would ultimately see their way or try to see their way to an American Embassy or um to our homeland to do us harm. So these are the high stakes of not having oversight.
▶ 1:10:00And thank you, chairman, um for your last words that we are going to have another oversight uh meeting next week. I would welcome all of that. Look, if there is a demise of an agency that needs to happen, um I'm not opposed to having oversight and I'm not opposed to um having those tough conversations. We need to have them, absolutely.
▶ 1:10:28But it has to be in an orderly way that we are standing up for the rule of law, that we are standing up for our democracy, and um we are protecting our equal power um as a branch of government. With that, I'll yield back. And you know, I I also encourage That's why I'm so I I encourage members to travel whenever possible to go see not only what we're doing, but also just to kind of see what's going on in the world.
▶ 1:10:57I think it's an important uh part of what we do. And so, uh uh any further questions, uh Madam Ranking Member? Yes. Thank you. Thank you, Representative Kelly.
▶ 1:11:14You know, I think I when we talk about PEPFAR, the and then uh I think we also have to understand that what the an absence of PEPFAR or or or a demotion of PEPFAR would mean to the entire healthcare system because it's not just people who have AIDS. What happens when people get sick, right? Puts a huge strain on the healthcare system.
▶ 1:11:42What I'd like to ask you to do is is related to people who live here cuz you know, you hear the the saying that we're just one flight away, right, from a pandemic. But could you relate how compromising the health systems overseas, how it affects people here? Well, I think we just had an example of that uh with COVID that we were one flight away, and then look what happened in this country.
▶ 1:12:08And the bottom line is even though we live in uh different countries, we're all on one planet. And um what happens in Africa and in Latin America and in, you know, you name it, Europe, China does affect the United States of America because we travel to those countries and then uh people from there travel to us.
▶ 1:12:31I was in uh Cape Town, South Africa, and they talked about how so many lives have been saved because of, you know, what we did, but so many Americans were there also just on vacation. So, you know, we're all on this planet together. We might be in different countries, but we do affect each other, and that does lead to global health, global expense, uh all of that.
▶ 1:12:58Uh you know, it's just very, very important that we we do have to be allies and help each other. Right. And and and when we when we we can the health systems or the health of people over around the world, it also can compromise our trading partners, right? Whatever our security we just shared the story of when we went to Peru. Those are men coming from the United States and Europe sleeping with these kids. These kids could have HIV AIDS, who knows?
▶ 1:13:27And then coming back to uh the United States of America. It's all connected. Um I mean, USAID, I have 4,500 farms in my district. My farmers are not happy with USAID or the tariffs. I And we are big in corn and soybean, and they are very concerned about what's going on. My biggest employer is Ford. Very concerned about what's going on. It's all connected.
▶ 1:13:53So, just uh a comment on the uh violation of Is it the Helms Amendment? The Helms Amendment. Just So, for the uh you know, the the PEPFAR is a multi-million dollar operation. There was a one clinic where apparently there was an abortion done. I'm aware. Yeah. The it That That's one It was about a It was It cost about $4,000. They analyzed, and that money was paid back. Right.
▶ 1:14:24Just so make you feel better. The money back, uh really, when you think about the the millions of people who've been saved and taken care of, No comparison. No comparison. But anyway, thank you so Thank you. Thank the Ranking Member. now, let me just members uh and and thank you. Thank you for being here. We look forward to continuing work with you. Due to uh to uh last-minute scheduling changes, Mr.
▶ 1:14:49McGovern, obviously the Ranking distinguished Ranking Member of the Rules Committee, and Titus, the co-chair of the House Democracy Partner, unfortunately were not able to be here this morning to present their testimony. We understand how schedules are in this place. So, without objection, their full written uh testimony uh will be entered in the record. And unless I have further questions, comments, uh the Sub- the Subcommittee on National Security, State, and Related Programs stands adjourned. Thank you very much.