Devex: What would deep cuts to U.S. foreign aid look like?
“For U.S. aid advocates, last month’s news that the Donald Trump administration will seek massive cuts to U.S. foreign affairs funding came as an unwelcome, though not unexpected, blow. The intervening days have seen a flurry of speculation and warnings about what cuts of the magnitude President Trump is proposing — up to 37 percent — would mean for U.S. global development programs and the populations they serve. … If an event Monday at the Center for Global Development was any indication, deep cuts to foreign aid spending will likely also bring about tense discussions about whether some cuts are warranted and how they should be done. … One question loomed large: will dramatic cuts finally lead to foreign aid reform? Although contentious, the conversation found agreement that foreign aid policy is guided by outdated legislation in great need of updating. The U.S. Foreign Assistance Act was passed in 1961 and has been added to over the years, but has not been overhauled…” (Igoe/Saldinger, 3/15).