The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today announced that it has joined the Interfaith Working Group on Foreign Assistance, a network of Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist organizations to write to the House of Representatives and Senate to express their grave concerns over the sudden order to stop lifesaving foreign assistance work around the globe and the dismantling of USAID.
The letter reads in part:
“We recognize that all new administrations have the right to review ongoing programs against their policy goals and that such reviews are a standard part of any transition. However, ceasing almost all life-saving humanitarian, peacebuilding, health, and poverty-focused development assistance during such a review is unconscionable and menacing, and inflicts harm on innocent people. Such actions are not in keeping with our nation’s core values and the will of the American people.
“Members of Congress have always shared that moral compass. This includes Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who as a senator spoke strongly in support of U.S. foreign assistance, ‘Faced with historic deficits and a dangerous national debt, there has been increasing talk of reducing our foreign aid budget. But we need to remember that these international coalitions that we have the opportunity to lead are not just military ones, they can also be humanitarian ones. […] We need to continue this kind of foreign aid investment, but not just in PEPFAR, but in malaria control, vaccine programs and agriculture initiatives so that we can make similar strides in preventing hunger and establishing a healthier global community.’
“Congress’ investment in U.S. foreign assistance has been clear and committed. Our multi-faith community is also committed— committed to the moral obligation to provide food, water, medicine, emergency nutrition and so much more to those affected by poverty, conflict and marginalization around the world, especially children.
“We know the American public understands the importance of this work, too. Privately generated resources fuel faith-based organizations’ work around the world to assist the most vulnerable. But to be very clear, we cannot do this work alone. We cannot match the scope and scale of U.S. government funding, material support, and influence. For decades, faith-based organizations have worked side-by-side with implementers of U.S. government-funded programs, exemplifying public-private cooperation at its best, with genuinely lifesaving results.
“Today more newborns survive to take their first steps. More children survive beyond their critical fifth birthday than ever before. Life expectancy for people living with HIV is much longer and more productive. More people have safe water. More countries are coming out of poverty and becoming U.S. trading partners. The list of successes goes on and on. These partnerships between faith-based organizations and the U.S. government are crucial. But now—right now—we are fielding desperate requests from our local, on-the-ground operations.”
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com