Today, Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) —speaking for over 20 hours on Senate floor—engaged in an exchange with Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) on the consequences of defunding development and diplomacy. Coons referenced General James Mattis, who as U.S. Central Command Commander, stated before the Senate Armed Services Committee, that “If you don’t fund the State Department fully, then I need to buy more ammunition.” In response to Sen. Coons, Sen. Booker emphasized that international assistance combats terrorism and promotes democracy, but cutting it opens the door to adversaries like China: “They show up and they leverage influence.”
USAID helped spread sustainable development which contributed to our national interest by: 1) Strengthening the economies of struggling poor nations to improve lives and reduce economic migration; 2) Preventing nations from becoming failed states and breeding extremism; and 3) Expanding markets for American exports.
Messy, high touch, foreign assistance by development professionals is in the national interest and a source of power, stability, and opportunity. South Korea was a recipient, and is now one of our great trade partners and foreign investors in the USA.
Senator Booker embarrasses himself again
President, DACOR and DACOR Bacon House Foundation
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