Why We Must Focus on Foreign Aid This November
A perspective from Calli Merron
According to Oxfam, half a million people around the world could be pushed into poverty due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Along with this, Yemen is experiencing a humanitarian disaster, with about 80% of the population of 28.5 million in need of humanitarian assistance, and this statistic will only be exacerbated by Coronavirus. These problems did not appear overnight, and therefore in November we must vote for representatives who will fight for foreign aid, future pandemic preparedness, and global poverty prevention. In addition, there are actions that Congress can take now, such as passing the Global Health Security Act or the proposed $12 billion emergency supplement to the International Affairs budget.
President Trump’s proposed budget for the 2021 fiscal year includes a 21% reduction in the foreign affairs budget. This takes away the already minimal foreign aid (less than 1% of the federal budget) given to people around the world facing extreme poverty. Although voting in November does not affect this proposed cut directly, it would help mitigate the effects that this reduction causes. We cannot beat Coronavirus at home if we do not also help to fight it in places around the world with less resources than we have. Therefore, I urge you as voters, to pay attention to the Congressional race in NC-04, as Representative David Price is a strong advocate for protecting the International Affairs budget, as well as the Senate race between Senator Thom Tillis and Cal Cunningham.
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I agree. The situation in Yemen is dire, and the rest of the world isn’t doing that much better either. This is not the time to be reducing foreign aid. We risk millions of lives if we do not act as soon as possible.
Besides, trying to be fiscally responsible by cutting the less than 1% we spend on foreign aid is pointless. We’ve known for decades that the best way to guarantee our security and prosperity at home is to make sure people are not suffering abroad. Even accounting for that “America first” mindset—so much of our economic activity is a result of the foreign aid we have extended in the past, turning the world’s poor into consumers for American exports. There’s literally no reason why foreign aid should be seen as a problem.
If you’re interested in learning more about this, I recommend you visit the Borgen Project’s website. We’re the nonprofit organization pushing Congress to take measures to protect the International Affairs Budget. If you want to donate to the cause, visit https://borgenproject.org/teya-khalil/.