Call Your Senator

Join the ONE campaign, and call the Senate to discourage harmful cuts from being made to foreign assistance programs. These are vital to our national security and to humanitarian assistance programs around the world.

Utah: Mike Lee (202) 224-5444 and Orin Hatch (202) 224-5251
CA: Barbara Boxer (202) 224-3553 and Dianne Feinstein (202) 224-3841
ID: Mike Crapo (202) 224-6142 and James Risch (202) 224-2752
NV: Harry Reid (202) 224-3542 and John Ensign (202) 224-6244
DC: Psyche

The ONE campaign works for promoting transparency, evaluation and accountability in funding for international development programs. Much of its efforts are to help secure funding for AIDS and Malaria programs in Sub-saharan Africa. I've worked with them for about a year now. I think that in this case the Congress is entirely justified in its attempts to want to reign in the budget--that is are most significant long-term security risk.

However, I believe that sharp cuts to our foreign assistance programs would put the well-being of millions who rely on these programs for life-saving drug treatments and vaccines. Research has shown that sudden cuts to these programs can cause instability and conflict--the kinds of conflict that often spur terrorism and cause massive social costs. It is thus in our own best interest to protect our national security by continuing these programs, and also in the best interest of those who live in poverty as well. Furthermore, these programs represent less than 0.7% of the annual budget. To cut these programs, but not touch entitlement spending like social security and medicare is preposterous. Those represent that massive spending commitments that is jeopardizing the future of our nation.

For more information on the ONE campaign, check out www.one.org.