[Senate Hearing 117-255]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


                                                        S. Hrg. 117-255

                     REVIEW OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2022 
                          USAID BUDGET REQUEST

=======================================================================

                                HEARING

                               BEFORE THE

                     COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS
                          UNITED STATES SENATE

                    ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS

                             FIRST SESSION
                               __________

                             JULY 14, 2021

                               __________

       Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Relations

[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]


                  Available via http://www.govinfo.gov

                               __________

                    U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE                    
47-551 PDF                 WASHINGTON : 2022                     
          
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                 COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS        

             ROBERT MENENDEZ, New Jersey, Chairman        
BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, Maryland         JAMES E. RISCH, Idaho
JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire        MARCO RUBIO, Florida
CHRISTOPHER A. COONS, Delaware       RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin
CHRISTOPHER MURPHY, Connecticut      MITT ROMNEY, Utah
TIM KAINE, Virginia                  ROB PORTMAN, Ohio
EDWARD J. MARKEY, Massachusetts      RAND PAUL, Kentucky
JEFF MERKLEY, Oregon                 TODD YOUNG, Indiana
CORY A. BOOKER, New Jersey           JOHN BARRASSO, Wyoming
BRIAN SCHATZ, Hawaii                 TED CRUZ, Texas
CHRIS VAN HOLLEN, Maryland           MIKE ROUNDS, South Dakota
                                     BILL HAGERTY, Tennessee
                 Damian Murphy, Staff Director        
        Christopher M. Socha, Republican Staff Director        
                    John Dutton, Chief Clerk        



                              (ii)        


                         C  O  N  T  E  N  T  S

                              ----------                              
                                                                   Page

Menendez, Hon. Robert, U.S. Senator From New Jersey..............     1

Risch, Hon. James E., U.S. Senator From Idaho....................     3

Power, Hon. Samantha, Administrator, U.S. Agency for 
  International 
  Development, Washington, DC....................................     5
    Prepared Statement...........................................     6

              Additional Material Submitted for the Record

Responses of Samantha Power to Questions Submitted by Senator 
  Robert Menendez................................................    44

Responses of Samantha Power to Questions Submitted by Senator 
  James Risch....................................................    60

Responses of Samantha Power to Questions Submitted by Senator 
  Benjamin Cardin................................................    75

Responses of Samantha Power to Questions Submitted by Senator Tim 
  Kaine..........................................................    79

Responses of Samantha Power to Questions Submitted by Senator 
  Edward J. Markey...............................................    81

Responses of Samantha Power to Questions Submitted by Senator 
  Marco Rubio....................................................    84

Responses of Samantha Power to Questions Submitted by Senator 
  Jeanne Shaheen.................................................    90

Responses of Samantha Power to Questions Submitted by Senator 
  Todd Young.....................................................    91

                                 (iii)


 
                    REVIEW OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2022 
                          USAID BUDGET REQUEST

                              ----------                              


                                   WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 2021

                                       U.S. Senate,
                            Committee on Foreign Relations,
                                                    Washington, DC.
    The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:34 a.m. in 
room SH-216, Hon. Robert Menendez, chairman of the committee, 
presiding.
    Present: Senators Menendez [presiding], Cardin, Shaheen, 
Coons, Murphy, Kaine, Markey, Merkley, Van Hollen, Risch, 
Johnson, Romney, Paul, Young, and Cruz.

          OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. ROBERT MENENDEZ, 
                  U.S. SENATOR FROM NEW JERSEY

    The Chairman. This hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations 
Committee will come to order.
    Administrator Power, thank you for coming before the 
committee to testify on the Administration's proposed budget 
for USAID. We look forward to your testimony and getting a 
better understanding of your vision for operationalizing the 
budget request.
    Let me start by saying that for the first time in a few 
years I am pleased to see the budget restores the principles of 
defense, diplomacy, and development, the three D's, as equal 
elements critically important to the success of U.S. foreign 
policy.
    As we know, foreign assistance, development aid, and 
humanitarian relief are not charity programs. USAID programs 
around the world are concrete manifestations of American values 
and the partnership of the American people.
    AID personnel in the field work in tandem with local 
partners and communities building sustainable programs to 
promote health programs, private sector development, governance 
reforms, and desperately needed relief.
    This work lifts people out of poverty, improves lives, and 
also helps build societies' resiliency to predatory economic 
practices masquerading as development.
    The Biden budget requests increase for development 
assistance of the Economic Support Fund, the Asian, Eastern 
European and Central Asia program, and other demonstrate a 
renewed seriousness and interest in international cooperation.
    The budget request for programs that support democracy 
promotion, improve food security, build resilience capacities, 
address the climate crisis, and promote equitable and inclusive 
economic growth will be critical to realigning U.S. foreign 
policies with that of our allies and addressing the needs of 
vulnerable and fragile countries.
    Under President Biden's leadership, the United States is 
gradually gaining control of COVID-19. However, the disease is 
surging around the world. Deadly third waves in Latin America, 
Africa, and Asia have cost thousands of lives, overwhelmed 
fragile health systems, and disrupted livelihoods.
    We know all too well that other countries' ability to 
combat these kinds of deadly and contagious viruses directly 
impacts the health and safety of all Americans.
    USAID is playing a critical role in the U.S. overseas 
response in combating new and emerging variants that threaten 
our fragile progress and the livelihoods of Americans.
    I look forward to discussing USAID's plans for supporting 
global vaccine distribution, advancing the global health 
security agenda, and strengthening pandemic preparedness.
    Finally, there are regional challenges that have never been 
greater, and I look forward to understanding how you are 
positioning USAID to address ongoing crises.
    In Latin America and the Caribbean, we are witnessing 
severe challenges to democratic governance, and the pandemic is 
exacerbating the region's social and economic inequality, 
driving people to new levels of desperation for fundamental 
rights and freedoms.
    In recent weeks, we have seen the assassination of Haitian 
President Moise, the unprecedented mobilization of thousands of 
Cubans demanding their freedom, the consolidation of the 
region's third dictatorship in Nicaragua, and a contested 
election in Peru, and the Administration is rightly 
prioritizing efforts to address the drivers of migration from 
El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, starting with 
strengthening democratic institutions and good governance, 
growing economic opportunity, and improving public safety. 
These crises pose risks to the stability of the hemisphere.
    Afghanistan's rapid deterioration poses a serious national 
security risk. Many of our Afghan partners who champion 
democracy and human rights are unable to apply for the Special 
Immigrant Visa program or other existing channels to protect 
Afghan allies.
    I urge you to accelerate your plans to address the 
potentially life-threatening situation these individuals face 
with the current U.S. withdrawal from the country.
    How we withdraw and what political arrangement is left in 
our wake matters deeply not just for U.S. interests, but also 
for the lives of these brave Afghan partners.
    Africa is facing numerous security and development 
challenges: the protracted conflict in Ethiopia, a fragile 
transition in Sudan, coups in Mali and Chad that are 
diminishing efforts to counter extremism in the Sahel, and 
Nigeria, the so-called anchor state in West Africa, is beset by 
terrorism, conflict, and democratic backsliding.
    In the Middle East, we have to find ways to elevate USAID's 
role in helping promote good governance and private sector 
development in places where we have been more focused on 
military engagement.
    So I know how deeply inspired you are to ensure that USAID 
is leading the efforts to both prepare for the challenges ahead 
and to heal the wounds and sufferings of those affected in this 
complex world.
    We have full confidence in your ability and look forward to 
hearing your vision for executing and communicating USAID'S 
strategic vision for this year and beyond.
    You are running an immensely valuable institution, and I 
want to know what you are doing to empower and inspire the best 
from the people at USAID.
    Again, with our appreciation for your work and for 
appearing before the committee, I turn to the distinguished 
ranking member, Senator Risch.

               STATEMENT OF HON. JAMES E. RISCH, 
                    U.S. SENATOR FROM IDAHO

    Senator Risch. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you, 
Administrator Power, for being here today.
    This is, truly, an important moment for U.S. foreign 
assistance. Thanks to American ingenuity and swift vaccine 
rollout, our country is finally opening back up for business, 
and yet many countries around the world are still struggling to 
combat COVID-19.
    We have known since the beginning of this pandemic we will 
never be fully secure at home if we allow this disease to run 
rampant abroad.
    Carefully planned and appropriately targeted U.S. foreign 
assistance can help other countries get a handle on their 
COVID-19 outbreaks and counter the second order impacts of the 
pandemic.
    Congress has appropriated billions of dollars to USAID to 
this end. However, emergencies like these present numerous 
opportunities for fraud, waste, and abuse of taxpayer dollars.
    I am interested to hear from you how USAID plans to use 
these resources while guarding against their misuse.
    Ms. Power, you and I have discussed the fact that Chairman 
Menendez and I recently introduced a bill intended to overhaul 
the U.S. global health security architecture. This bill would 
place the State Department firmly at the center of our global 
health security efforts by providing sorely needed foreign 
policy and aid coherence.
    It would also recognize and enshrine USAID's role as a 
prime implementer of U.S. global health security assistance. I 
hope to hear your thoughts on this legislation.
    Regarding Asia, I believe that advancing an effective 
strategy to compete with the People's Republic of China must be 
the United States' top policy priority.
    I expect that we will hear today about how the proposed 
USAID budget would address this strategic imperative and also 
how it would bolster U.S. engagement in the Indo-Pacific region 
as a whole.
    USAID should prioritize countering malign foreign influence 
by authoritarian nations. This objective is also a key priority 
in the Strategic Competition Act legislation Senator Menendez 
and I authored, which recently passed our committee.
    I look forward to hearing the specifics of what USAID plans 
to do to counter this type of influence and where it plans to 
prioritize programming, both in terms of geography and issue 
areas.
    It is notable that this malign influence is exercised not 
just through governments, but also through multilateral 
institutions. The PRC's ability to co-opt and manipulate the 
international COVID-19 response through the World Health 
Organization, and now through COVAX, is appalling.
    I hope to hear how USAID and you, as our representative to 
COVAX, will shed light on the irony that China has contributed 
nothing to COVAX and yet now stands to profit from it when, 
indeed, they started this whole mess in the first place.
    Turning to Afghanistan, since the withdrawal announcement, 
the Taliban have ramped up their attacks on government-held 
areas and now control almost a third of all districts.
    I am deeply concerned that the Administration's foreign 
assistance plans for Afghanistan do not reflect the reality on 
the ground. In truth, we will have a hard time implementing aid 
programs and providing the necessary oversight of taxpayer 
dollars given the increased instability in Afghanistan.
    I have appreciated the Administration's consultations with 
Congress on assistance to the Palestinian people, but as long 
as the Palestinian Authority continues its despicable pay for 
slay program, we will scrutinize every dollar to ensure it is 
compliant with the Taylor Force Act and other laws.
    The Administration can secure secession of the pay for slay 
before opening the floodgates of assistance.
    In recent years, the United States has committed more than 
$1 billion to support Sudan's fragile democratic transition. We 
must be good stewards of this assistance.
    While I recognize the need to live up to commitments under 
the Abraham Accords, including for wheat purchases, this must 
not come at the expense of commitments to democracy and human 
rights.
    My staff recently returned from Ethiopia where they saw 
firsthand the efforts of USAID to help mitigate the suffering 
of people in Tigray and other parts of the country. USAID 
leadership should follow the ``do no harm'' principle 
delivering assistance, while leaving the politics of the U.S.-
Ethiopia bilateral relationship to the diplomats.
    I am concerned by the proliferation of political crisis in 
the Western Hemisphere demanding immediate and substantive 
attention from the United States. We were all appalled by last 
week's assassination of Haiti's president and the attack on his 
wife and urge USAID to work with like-minded partners to help 
restore democratic order and self-reliance.
    The United States has spent close to $3.6 billion in 
foreign aid to northern Central America without much success in 
improving governance, conditions, or reducing the illegal 
migration from the region.
    Before committing additional substantial U.S. funds, the 
Administration should describe how it will hold the governments 
in this region accountable for their commitments to improve 
governance and protect would-be refugees arriving at their 
borders.
    Likewise, the United States is the largest provider of 
foreign assistance to help Venezuela's neighbors manage the 
humanitarian crisis unleashed by the Maduro regime and its 
allies in Cuba, China, and Russia.
    USAID must make absolutely certain that our humanitarian 
efforts do not legitimize the Maduro regime in any way, or its 
foreign allies, for that matter.
    Thank you for being here today.
    With that, Mr. Chairman, I will yield back.
    The Chairman. Thank you, Senator Risch.
    All right. Madam Administrator, your full statement will be 
included in the record, without objection. I would urge you to 
summarize it in about 5 minutes or so we can have a discussion 
with you.
    With that, the floor is yours.

STATEMENT OF THE HONORABLE SAMANTHA POWER, ADMINISTRATOR, U.S. 
      AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, WASHINGTON, DC

    Ms. Power. Thank you, Chairman Menendez, Ranking Member 
Risch, and esteemed members of the committee. Thank you also to 
your staff, who are such great partners to USAID.
    Last month, I traveled to Honduras, Guatemala, and El 
Salvador to hear directly from the people impacted by the 
cycles of poverty, violence, climate shocks, and corruption, 
and I traveled to assess and expand the impact U.S. assistance 
was having on their lives.
    What I saw there was a local reflection of global trends, 
people that continue to lose loved ones and suffer through 
lockdowns due to a still raging COVID-19 pandemic that has 
already left 4 million people dead around the world, families 
that have been traumatized by more frequent and intense 
hurricanes and rare weather events, many in need of urgent 
humanitarian assistance, and, as you indicated, everyday 
citizens who are angered by poor governance, autocratic 
behavior, and corruption that limits opportunity, investment, 
prosperity, and personal freedom.
    These various challenges are combining in volatile ways, 
culminating in frustration that drives people to the streets, 
as we have just seen this week in Cuba, rage that spills over 
into deadly conflict, as we have seen in Burma and the Tigray 
region of Ethiopia, and despair that causes people to flee 
their communities, as we have seen in Central America and 
across the world with a level of mass displacement not seen 
since World War II.
    These are not positive developments, it is safe to say, but 
as an American, I am very glad that USAID is uniquely 
positioned to confront them, and I am immensely grateful to you 
for sustaining support for the agency's vital programming.
    Your continued bipartisan support for USAID saves and 
improves millions of lives each day, while enhancing U.S. 
national and economic security as we emerge from a once-in-a-
century pandemic and as we confront the inroads that China has 
made in different parts of the world by increasingly using its 
financial power as leverage to advance its interest.
    The FY22 budget request of $27.7 billion for foreign 
assistance funding fully or partially implemented by USAID will 
help us address urgent priorities and allow the United States 
to lead the world in providing development and humanitarian 
assistance to promote security and improved economic 
conditions.
    It will also allow the United States to lead on the global 
stage and to leverage our activities to inspire our allies and 
our private sector partners to contribute more, but in order 
for us to get the most out of our programs, we know we must 
also make ourselves a more capable and nimble agency at a time 
of heightened need, and to do this we need to increase local 
partnerships and address staff shortfalls.
    Lasting solutions to development challenges require local 
organizations that have the insights to develop tailored 
solutions and the credibility to implement them. Yet, in FY 
2020, USAID obligated approximately 5.6 percent to local 
partners around the world.
    To engage authentically with local partners and to move 
toward a more locally-led development approach is staff, time, 
and resource intensive, but it is also vital to our long-term 
success to sustainable development.
    I look forward to engaging with you in the near future 
about how we can pursue flexible solutions that allow us to 
increase our level of local partnership while still carefully, 
vigilantly, protecting taxpayer dollars.
    This budget that we are proposing will also help us build 
institutional capacity commensurate with USAID's role as a 
national security agency.
    Over the last two decades, the funding levels and 
complexity of our programs has expanded at a rate that 
significantly outpaces our staffing.
    Each USAID contracting officer, for instance, has managed 
over $65 million annually over the past 4 years, more than four 
times the workload of their colleagues at the Department of 
Defense, who manage an average of about $15 million.
    Moving forward, we are seeking not a return to the previous 
status quo, but to work with members of Congress to increase 
our number of direct hires while maintaining a strong focus on 
creating a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive agency.
    With your support, USAID will move aggressively to tackle 
the world's toughest challenges in order to build a more stable 
and prosperous future for us all.
    I look forward to our continued partnership and here today 
to answering your questions.
    [The prepared statement of Ms. Power follows:]

                  Prepared Statement of Samantha Power

                              introduction
    Thank you Chairman Menendez, Ranking Member Risch, and 
distinguished Members of the Committee. I am grateful for the 
opportunity to discuss the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 President's budget 
request for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
    The global challenges we face today have become more complex and 
numerous, casting a large shadow over our lives. A persistent pandemic 
has left over 4 million dead, swelled the ranks of the extreme poor for 
the first time since the late 1990's, and exposed the pervasive 
inequities that continue to fray societies across the globe. 
Authoritarian regimes like China and Russia are acting more 
aggressively by the day, exploiting not only the COVID-19 emergency, 
but vulnerabilities in our democracies. A rapidly changing climate is 
sending fiercer storms our way and inflicting droughts, deep freezes, 
and wildfires upon communities. Mass displacement is at its highest 
since World War II. And every day, it seems as though new horrific 
crises emerge, such as that in Ethiopia's Tigray region, where 
Ethiopians are facing both conflict and the worst food insecurity the 
country has seen since the 1980's famine killed over 1 million people.
    These are not positive developments, but as an American, I am very 
glad that USAID is uniquely positioned to confront them, and I am 
immensely grateful to you for sustaining support for the Agency's vital 
programming. Your continued bipartisan support for USAID saves and 
improves millions of lives each day, while enhancing U.S. national and 
economic security. When we fight the COVID-19 pandemic abroad, we help 
stem the rise of variants that can possibly lead to new outbreaks at 
home. When incomes rise in the developing world, those countries become 
more self-reliant and less dependent on U.S. or other donor support. 
When the U.S. delivers aid to those affected by natural disasters and 
humanitarian crises, we demonstrate the best of American values and 
build the type of goodwill that inspires action and cooperation from 
our allies.
    As we emerge from a once-in-a-century pandemic and confront the 
already substantial inroads that China has made in different parts of 
the world, the FY 2022 budget request of $27.7 billion for foreign 
assistance funding accounts fully or partially implemented by USAID 
will help us address urgent priorities, and allow the United States to 
lead the world in providing development and humanitarian assistance to 
promote peace and security, effective and accountable democratic 
governance, and improved economic conditions. The budget request will 
provide USAID with critical resources to combat the COVID-19 pandemic 
abroad, address the drivers of violent extremism and the root causes of 
conflict and migration, build resilience to extreme weather patterns 
caused by a rapidly changing climate, defend democratic institutions 
and fight corruption, help support civil society and independent media, 
and meet the needs of some of the most vulnerable populations.
    In order for us to get the most out of our programs, we know we 
must make ourselves a more capable and nimble Agency at a time of 
heightened need. Collaborating with local actors to address local 
priorities in the world's poorest countries remains fundamental to 
USAID's mission. USAID assistance and development expertise can provide 
local leaders, entrepreneurs, civil society, and all people the tools 
to take the lead in their own country's development. We have long 
advocated an inclusive approach to development and moving forward we 
will double down to seek to ensure that marginalized populations can 
reap the benefits of our programming. The President's FY 2022 budget 
request strengthens the Agency's ability to respond to short-term 
shocks, while allowing us to deepen investments that will help us 
secure a more stable and prosperous future.
                  usaid as a national security agency
    USAID seeks to make the world safer, healthier, more democratic, 
and more prosperous. The Agency was created as a tool to promote peace 
and prosperity following the devastating impacts of World War II. We 
are facing a wide range of threats today, be they from autocratic 
nations attempting to subvert liberal and democratic norms, pandemics 
that upend the global economy, displacement of tens of millions of 
people due to natural and manmade disasters, or existential threats to 
our environment that jeopardize our future on Earth. USAID has a 
central role to play in tackling each of these challenges.
    Development has often taken a backseat to defense and diplomacy as 
a means of advancing U.S. national security objectives. But President 
Biden made clear that defense, diplomacy, and development are all vital 
components of our foreign policy, as reflected by his decision to 
elevate the USAID Administrator to become a standing member of the 
National Security Council. I take that responsibility seriously and 
will continue to advocate tirelessly for development and humanitarian 
goals at the National Security Council.
    As the world's premier global development agency, USAID is uniquely 
placed to address the world's toughest problems, catalyze our partners, 
and strengthen our global standing at a time when China increasingly 
uses its financial power as leverage to advance its interests.
       ending covid-19 and strengthening global health leadership
    The COVID-19 pandemic threatens to wipe away decades of development 
progress. Extreme poverty has increased for the first time in almost 25 
years, and it could take many years to recover from the health, 
economic, and education impacts. In order to keep Americans safe, 
mitigate the risk of new variants, and rebuild our economy, we must 
fight the pandemic everywhere. Our global health leadership is evident 
in USAID's response to emergency requests for support in partner 
countries such as India and Nepal, where USAID stepped up to deliver 
life-saving personal protective equipment, oxygen, and medicines to 
communities battling a ferocious second wave of the virus. With your 
support, we will continue to meet people around the world in their hour 
of dire need. Millions of lives hang in the balance, and USAID support 
can mean the difference between life and death.
    The U.S. is also rallying other countries to bring about the 
vaccination of the world. President Biden's recent commitment to 
deliver 500 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine by June 2022 is the 
largest-ever by a single country and is a historic pledge to 
supercharge the global fight against the pandemic. This is on top of 
the 80 million surplus U.S. doses that the Administration has been 
distributing in recent weeks. As part of this work, USAID has re-
engaged with our multilateral partners including the World Health 
Organization and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. As USAID teams help 
strengthen cold chains and health systems, we are coordinating our 
vaccine supply efforts with the COVAX initiative to provide doses to 
countries in need and working as a government to increase the overall 
vaccine supply.
    Even as we move quickly to support vaccine uptake and provide 
additional crucial support to countries battling the pandemic, USAID 
works with other USG partners on preventing child and maternal deaths, 
controlling the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and combating infectious diseases 
like malaria and tuberculosis, while building resilient health systems 
and advancing global health security to prevent the next pandemic. 
While COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on many global health 
outcomes, the tuberculosis (TB) response has been particularly hard 
hit. As a result of the pandemic, an additional 6.3 million people are 
projected to be stricken with TB, and an additional 1.4 million people 
are expected to die from the disease between 2020 and 2025.
    Nutrition gains have also been set back, with an estimated 2.5 
million additional children expected to experience stunting by next 
year. In addition, over 6 million women experienced disruptions to 
family planning services. And 164 million treatments for neglected 
tropical diseases--three quarters of the normal total--went unprovided 
in 2020. Postponed immunization campaigns are putting around 228 
million people, mostly children, at risk for diseases such as measles, 
yellow fever and polio. Because services have been redirected, in many 
countries around the world, people are dying at higher rates of these 
preventable illnesses than they are of COVID-19 itself.
    The FY 2022 budget request includes $3.9 billion to strengthen 
USAID's role in global health activities, expand the number of 
countries we work in, and work to retain the hard-fought gains made 
over the last 60 years. Last year, as we supported our partners who 
were trying to stem the spread of the COVID-19 virus, together with 
international partners we nonetheless managed to achieve historic 
successes in global health, including certifying the Africa region as 
wild polio-free, providing 80 million people with mosquito nets in an 
effort to prevent malaria, and launching innovative programs designed 
to deliver quality, evidence-based voluntary family planning and 
reproductive health care as well as maternal, newborn, and child health 
services in USAID partner countries. For every dollar invested by 
USAID, we have worked with partners to secure $26 in donated medicines 
for neglected tropical diseases, yielding a total of $26 billion for 
mass treatment campaigns to date.
                        combating climate change
    Climate change is the greatest common threat the world faces today, 
setting back progress on core priorities, from food insecurity to 
displacement to the rise of zoonotic diseases. We must move far more 
aggressively to address this threat, including helping communities 
anticipate, respond and recover from increasingly intense shocks. 
President Biden has called the climate crisis ``the number one issue 
facing humanity.'' It is a crisis that does not recognize national 
borders. Just as we have witnessed storms that increase in frequency 
and intensity in Asia each year, we have seen wildfires in California 
eight times larger than they were 50 years ago. The same extreme 
weather patterns that lead to recurrent droughts in sub-Saharan Africa 
that displace people from their homes also caused the anomalous deep 
freezes in Texas in February 2021 that cut power for millions and left 
more than 20 people dead.
    Since 2000, climate-related disasters have affected almost 4 
billion people globally, costing an estimated $2.2 trillion. Without 
urgent action, climate change could push an additional 100 million 
people into extreme poverty by 2030. That's why President Biden 
rejoined the Paris Agreement on the first day of his Presidency and 
committed to tripling the U.S. Government's funding for climate 
adaptation by 2024. The U.S. is leading by example, announcing a bold 
commitment to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 50-52 percent 
from 2005 levels by the end of this decade. However, approximately 85 
percent of global carbon emissions come from outside the United States, 
with about two-thirds of these emissions coming from developing 
countries. The FY 2022 budget request includes more than $600 million 
to enable State and USAID to work with partner countries to set and 
pursue ambitious goals toward net-zero emissions, expand critical 
renewable energy infrastructure, adapt in a manner that mitigates the 
deadly effects of rising seas and extreme weather events, and improve 
the management of carbon-rich forests and landscapes. In addition, as 
announced during the Climate Leaders' Summit, USAID plans to mobilize 
$3.5 billion in private investment for climate, working in 
collaboration with the U.S. International Development Finance 
Corporation (DFC) and partner governments to use innovative solutions 
to procure and fund green energy projects. We are also working with the 
InterAmerican Development Bank, the DFC, several pension funds, and 
venture capital firms on Natural Climate Solutions to conserve, 
restore, and reforest 20 million hectares by 2025. The request will 
support USAID's plans to double private investment in adaptation in 20 
of the most vulnerable countries and accelerate the transition to net-
zero emissions in at least 20 partner countries.
    USAID works with and in countries that are most at risk of climate 
change. Our programs support countries as they seek to anticipate and 
manage climate-related disaster risks and adapt to climate change. From 
working with NASA to provide satellite information that helps 
governments and farmers make decisions on water resources, food 
security and disaster preparedness, to developing and improving 
agricultural insurance, microfinance and other tools that empower 
people to manage weather and climate risks, our programs are building 
resilience to climate change. Concurrently we are supporting countries 
to rapidly reduce their emissions, and increase carbon storage, all 
while helping them secure a clean energy future, develop their 
economies sustainably, and protect their forests, coastlines, and 
watersheds.
    USAID is also in the process of developing a new Agency-wide 
Climate Strategy to ramp up climate change mitigation and adaptation 
efforts, and further integrate climate change considerations into our 
assistance programs across all sectors. Ensuring that women and girls 
can meaningfully lead on addressing climate change is key to this work. 
Research shows that climate change adaptation, mitigation, and 
resilience building is more effective when women are involved. As the 
burden of climate events falls disproportionately on the backs of low-
income, Indigenous, and marginalized communities, we will also seek to 
target our assistance to strengthen the resilience of these 
populations.
          bolstering democracy and countering authoritarianism
    As is well known, the cause of democracy is currently on its back 
heel in many parts of the world. Amid the 15-year democratic decline 
globally documented by Freedom House, nine more countries slipped into 
a state of autocracy in the last 5 years alone, representing more than 
300 million people. Authoritarians are using the COVID-19 pandemic as a 
further excuse to curb individual freedoms and tighten their grip on 
power. As we have seen in Uganda, Russia and other contexts, 
authoritarian regimes in particular have used COVID-19 as justification 
to target LGBTQI+ persons. The pandemic has also tested the ability of 
fragile democracies that are trying to respond to and maintain public 
confidence in their institutions. The People's Republic of China 
increasingly supplies technological surveillance tools to other 
nations, and uses its financial leverage to sway their actions. As 
countries grow more repressive, they become more inclined in turn to 
support China's initiatives on the global stage, including those to 
weaken human rights norms, in ways that are detrimental to U.S. 
interests.
    Yet for all of this, other trends and events should motivate us to 
step up to do more to meet this challenge. Mass pro-democracy 
demonstrations reached an all-time high of 37 in 2019, higher than 
during the Arab Spring or the end of the Cold War. And as the 2018 
women-led revolution in Sudan shows, no matter how tight a dictator's 
grip on power may seem in a given moment, the will of the people can 
suddenly assert itself--and prevail. Although the country's democratic 
transition remains tenuous, Sudan's Civilian-Led Transitional 
Government is ushering in reforms in an effort to take the country down 
the path to democracy.
    The FY 2022 budget includes a request for $2.8 billion in foreign 
assistance across USAID and the State Department to meet this moment. 
First, we need to bolster our ``Rapid Response'' capacity to quickly 
seize on opportunities to support democracy throughout the world when 
there is a political opening of the sort that occurred in Sudan, or an 
attempt to roll back democratic progress as in Myanmar. Second, 
corruption is the Achilles' heel of many illiberal regimes, and USAID 
will use our programmatic assistance, and our voice to support 
reformers, independent media, and civil society actors fighting 
corruption and promoting accountability. The President's budget request 
of $50 million to fight corruption aligns with President Biden's 
National Security Study Memorandum identifying corruption as a core 
United States national security interest. Third, we will help countries 
fight misinformation and disinformation, increasingly used by malign 
actors to stoke public anger against democratically-elected officials 
and civil society. Fourth, we will work to support activists and 
citizens subjected to digital repression by regimes that are becoming 
increasingly sophisticated at surveilling and censoring their 
populations, including across borders. By the same token, we will 
continue to provide support for governments to align regulatory 
frameworks for emerging technologies with democratic values. Finally, 
in the service of these goals, we will work to support independent and 
public interest media, helping journalists and whistleblowers withstand 
government repression, legal harassment, disinformation, and attacks on 
media outlets' financial viability. This work includes protecting the 
human rights of at-risk groups, such as LGBTQI+ persons in line with 
the President's Memorandum to Advance the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ 
Persons Around the World. USAID is in particular focused on combatting 
rising violence targeting transgender persons through supporting a 
Global Barometer on Transgender Rights and expanding livelihood 
opportunities.
    President Biden pledged to host an international Summit for 
Democracy so that democratic governments can align to confront 
authoritarianism, fight corruption, and promote respect for human 
rights. This Summit is an opportunity to elevate support for democracy 
as a cornerstone of our foreign policy, in concert with our allies and 
partners.
          addressing irregular migration from central america
    For far too long, Central Americans have been entrenched in cycles 
of poverty, violence, and corruption. El Salvador, Guatemala, and 
Honduras are home to some of the world's most dangerous cities, riven 
by criminal gangs, extortion, and gender-based violence, all of which 
persist and flourish due to lack of rule of law and pervasive 
corruption throughout national and municipal authorities. Weak 
governance and endemic corruption undermine social and economic 
progress, and troubling recent developments, such as the Salvadoran 
legislature's dismissal of the Attorney General and the magistrates of 
the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court, illustrate democratic 
institutions are under pressure. The grim circumstances these countries 
face are compounded by the increased frequency of extreme weather 
events, particularly in regions reliant on subsistence farming. Last 
year, the powerful, back-to-back storms of Hurricanes Eta and Iota 
brought heavy rains and severe flooding, affecting millions of people. 
The COVID-19 pandemic has also had far-reaching impacts, not only on 
health, but in undermining food systems, food security, and economic 
prosperity in the region and COVID-related lockdowns have yielded 
increasing rates of domestic and other gender-based violence. These 
compounding factors are contributing to the increases in Central 
Americans who are abandoning their homes to embark on the dangerous 
journey toward the U.S. southern border in a desperate search for a 
better life. Without reliable harvests, sustainable sources of income, 
and guarantees of physical safety, many see migration as their only 
option to survive and provide a future for their children. Those who 
attempt the journey and are returned are met with insufficient support 
to reintegrate in their communities.
    The President's FY 2022 budget request includes $861 million across 
State and USAID, as a first step toward a 4-year $4 billion commitment, 
to support opportunities for families in El Salvador, Guatemala, and 
Honduras to feed their children and build stable and secure lives at 
home so they do not feel compelled to migrate irregularly to the United 
States. This approach includes a greater emphasis on building economic 
resilience, an emphasis on data-based evaluation to identify and 
address conditions in emigration hot spots, and a recognition that 
improved local governance free from corruption is needed to unlock 
improvements in living conditions and economic opportunity. At the 
direction of President Biden, USAID is aggressively ramping up programs 
in all three countries. USAID's programs can improve incentives for 
individuals to stay in their local communities. Through whole-of-
government initiatives like Feed the Future, we are addressing the root 
causes of poverty and hunger. Increased agricultural incomes and 
greater resilience for smallholder farmers, for example, improves food 
systems and expands economic opportunity.
    Like you, though, we recognize that ultimately political will from 
the region's leaders will be the best predictor of whether economic and 
security conditions in the region improve. In the wake of challenges to 
democratic institutions in the region, we are speaking out in defense 
of the rule of law. We are deepening our support for local actors 
fighting corruption as well as those holding governments accountable 
both for their performance and for their infringements or attacks on 
democratic norms. USAID is working with civil society, U.S. and local 
private sector partners, faith-based groups, and reform-minded 
officials in local governments to multiply our impact in addressing the 
interrelated economic, governance, and security conditions that 
contribute to an individual's decision to migrate.
                   bolstering humanitarian assistance
    Even as the world races to address the COVID-19 pandemic, we must 
still grapple with other emergent and protracted crises. Political 
conflicts are becoming more intense, hunger is on the rise, severe and 
frequent weather events and natural disasters are exacerbating chronic 
vulnerabilities, all of which are taking a heavy toll on civilians and 
leading to situations of protracted displacement. As of April 2021, the 
United Nations World Food Program estimates that 296 million people in 
the 35 countries where it works are without sufficient food--111 
million more people than in April 2020. And more than 34 million people 
are currently on the very edge of famine and risk starvation, up from 
27 million people in 2019. The United States is the world's largest 
donor globally for humanitarian assistance, and we will continue to use 
our contributions to get other countries to step up to do more. For 
example, we are working with Gulf donor nations to strengthen the 
ability of communities in Bangladesh to withstand the impact of 
cyclones. We also significantly scaled up humanitarian assistance in 
the Northern Triangle countries, and urged the United Nations to 
release a Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP), and are actively engaging 
with other donors to shore up commitments to the response. For example, 
on June 10, the European Union announced $22.3 million in new funding 
assistance to Mexico and Central America, and other donors, including 
Canada, Germany, Sweden, and South Korea, have signaled interest in 
supporting the HRP.
    In the Tigray region of Ethiopia, the scale of humanitarian need is 
staggering and sobering. After more than 8 months of hostilities 
between multiple armed actors, approximately 5.2 million people are in 
need of food assistance, out of a total population of around 6 million. 
As soon as the conflict in Tigray started, USAID immediately began 
providing life-saving aid. The United States is the largest donor of 
humanitarian aid to the Tigray response, providing more than $488 
million in food, nutrition services, agricultural supplies, safe 
drinking water, shelter, health care, and essential services to protect 
the most vulnerable.
    Our Disaster Assistance Response Team, or DART, which deployed in 
March, has been focused on rapidly scaling up our life-saving efforts 
to reach even more people, but it will not be enough if the current 
trajectory continues. I want to be crystal clear--we expect widespread 
famine in Ethiopia this year. This is a man-made catastrophe, and it 
needs to end. The Government of Ethiopia and all armed actors need to 
immediately allow for unimpeded humanitarian access into and throughout 
Tigray. Aid operations also depend on fuel, electricity, 
telecommunications, and banking services which need to be restored and 
maintained. I ask for your support to use your voice in the days and 
weeks to come as we find ways to support the people of Tigray, hold 
accountable those who have harmed civilians, and press for an end to 
the violence and suffering.
    Around the world, USAID's dedicated teams and partners continue to 
respond to other grim man-made crises with untold levels of suffering. 
In Yemen, by most metrics the world's largest humanitarian emergency 
after more than 6 years of war, two of every three people, or 20.7 
million people, need humanitarian assistance this year. The UN projects 
that nearly one in two Yemeni children under 5 years of age will be 
acutely malnourished this year. Our brave relief agency partners 
surmount numerous obstacles every day to deliver lifesaving assistance 
to millions of people, but in many places, they cannot access 
populations in need due to cynical intransigence from those who control 
the territory, and they do not have enough money--despite generous 
contributions from the United States and other donors, the UN appeal 
for Yemen is only a third filled this year. Of course, we at USAID 
continue to do all we can to support U.S. Special Envoy Lenderking in 
his efforts to bring about the political solution that alone will end 
the war.
    In addition to Tigray and Yemen, our DARTs are also responding in 
places like Syria, where we are seeing heightened humanitarian needs 
due to the ongoing conflict, economic crisis, and COVID-19 outbreak 
there. Our humanitarian experts also remain on standby to respond to 
unexpected natural disasters such as earthquakes, typhoons, hurricanes, 
floods, and even volcano eruptions like those we have seen recently in 
the Democratic Republic of Congo and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
    This has been a year like no other that came before, but we expect 
continued, deepening need well into the upcoming year. The FY 2022 
budget request includes $6.3 billion in humanitarian assistance 
administered by USAID that will allow the Agency to address 
unprecedented humanitarian needs. We will also invest in resilience and 
risk reduction efforts that reduce the economic and human cost of 
disasters. Studies show that every dollar spent on adaptation and 
resilience can save as much as $3 in humanitarian aid. Over the past 
decade, we made substantial investments in early warning systems and 
emergency response in Central America. This meant that when storms Iota 
and Eta ripped through the region in November of 2020, the number of 
people killed was in the low hundreds; in 1998, a storm of similar size 
and trajectory killed 10,000 people. Helping people affected by natural 
disasters and humanitarian emergencies reflects our values as 
Americans, demonstrates our global leadership, and makes the world a 
safer place.
                       expanding economic growth
    The COVID-19 pandemic has deepened development challenges, exposed 
inequities, and erased years of progress on poverty reduction through 
its impact on the global economy. Global gross domestic product shrank 
by 4.4 percent, the worst decline since the Great Depression, according 
to the International Monetary Fund. Despite the bleak economic outlook, 
there are opportunities to recover and accelerate reforms so that the 
U.S. can revive relationships with our trading partners.
    USAID assistance will support economic recovery with a laser focus 
on job creation, strengthening small and medium businesses, and 
reducing the time and cost to import and export goods. At the beginning 
of this year, USAID launched its new Economic Growth Policy, which 
confirmed and elevated the need for inclusive, sustainable, and 
resilient growth as central to sustainable development and poverty 
reduction. This is needed now more than ever to address the devastating 
and ongoing secondary impacts of COVID-19 on the global economy. In 
particular, the new policy strengthens our focus on engaging with the 
private sector and improving the conditions for foreign investment in 
emerging markets, which in turn creates local jobs and market 
opportunities for American companies and investors. Our work will also 
create market pressures on governments to reduce corruption, enforce 
the rule of law, and ensure access to economic opportunities for all, 
especially women. This effort is a driving force behind our request for 
the Gender Equity and Equality Action Fund, which will work to empower 
women economically, while also preventing and responding to gender-
based violence and supporting marginalized populations.
    The FY 2022 budget request increases our inclusive economic growth 
programming to $4.9 billion globally across State and USAID, bolstering 
our work to create conditions for more favorable investment climates. 
We are also stressing the importance of economic analysis for 
increasing our impact per taxpayer dollar spent. The request also funds 
economic growth programs that are essential for sustainable development 
in developing countries, which generate the public resources 
governments need to invest in education, health, rural roads, as well 
as digital and other infrastructure. The Agency needs to adapt its 
systems, processes, and procedures to support full engagement with the 
private sector. In particular, we must upgrade our hiring, data, 
relationship management, professional development and procurement 
systems to engage the private sector at scale.
                        investing in our people
    None of our work is possible without the dedication of our staff 
across the world. This last year has demonstrated their strength and 
provided lessons on what we need to do to meet the challenges and 
opportunities that we will face in the future. The COVID-19 pandemic 
has not only had an impact on the work we do overseas and the 
communities in which we work, but also on the lives of our dedicated 
USAID teams. Many of our staff have been working diligently to provide 
life-saving aid to communities around the world, even while their loved 
ones battle and succumb to COVID-19. Moving forward, we are seeking not 
a return to the previous status quo, but to a more dynamic work 
environment that better supports our staff. The FY 2022 budget request 
includes $1.9 billion to invest in our people and ensure a diverse, 
equitable, and inclusive workforce, and we will utilize these funds to 
strengthen the Agency to maximize our impact and build institutional 
capacity commensurate with USAID's role as a national security agency.
    With your support, we are also increasing the size and agility of 
the career workforce to better advance U.S. national security 
priorities. Since last year, we have hired approximately 500 career 
employees and are working to reach our target levels of 1,850 Foreign 
Service and 1,600 Civil Service employees this year. However, it is not 
enough just to recruit talent, we must nurture and develop it. We will 
work to empower and support our Foreign Service Nationals, local 
country employees of USAID who represent the heart and soul of our 
workforce. And we will also build on the successes of our Staff Care 
employee assistance programs as we continue to invest in our employees' 
physical and mental well-being.
    Underpinning all of our efforts will be a strong focus on creating 
a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive USAID. On my first day as 
Administrator, I signed into action our Agency's new Diversity, Equity, 
and Inclusion strategy, designed to help us create a workplace that 
lives up to our ideals. The strategy outlines concrete steps the Agency 
will take to ensure we are creating a workforce that better reflects 
America, including the expansion of initiatives to create paid 
internship and fellowship opportunities as well as strategic outreach 
efforts to Minority Serving Institutions. The requested funding will 
fund new recruitment and training programs to develop a global 
workforce that reflects our nation; and it will help us implement 
comprehensive training, career mobility, and advancement programs to 
help retain diverse employees in entry-level positions and strengthen 
the Agency's culture of inclusion, equity, and access. It will also 
help us address Government Accountability Office recommendations to 
enhance data collection and reporting efforts, and strengthen our 
ability to disaggregate workforce data across various demographic 
categories.
                     advancing peace and stability
    The number of flashpoints in the world right now is striking, from 
raids killing dozens of people in the Sahel, to an ISIS-offshoot group 
storming a city in northern Mozambique, to armies in the Caucasus 
standing off, to long-standing conflicts in the Middle East boiling 
over. Violent extremist groups like Boko Haram in West Africa are 
taking advantage of conflict and instability to recruit and expand 
their ranks. Our military alone cannot solve these challenges; USAID 
assistance is a much more cost-effective way to advance peace and 
security. As former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said, 
``Development is a lot cheaper than sending soldiers.'' We will use our 
resources to support civilian efforts to erode the appeal of extremist 
groups like ISIS, Boko Haram, and Al-Qaeda, and help our partners 
become prosperous and peaceful nations.
    The FY 2022 request expands resources for our newly-established 
Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Stabilization. I share the concerns 
many of you have about the rise in conflicts, and accompanying risk of 
increasing mass atrocities, in many of the countries where USAID works. 
Even more alarming is the risk of violence spreading into places we 
previously considered safe from these threats, such as coastal West 
Africa. This budget request includes funds which will allow USAID to 
work toward preventing violence from spreading across West Africa, 
applying non-military solutions to counter the recruitment and advance 
of violent extremist organizations, and bringing stability to areas in 
crisis. This budget also gives USAID the chance to effectively deploy 
resources in conflict prevention and stabilization to implement the 
Global Fragility Act in select countries and in coordination across 
diplomacy, development, and defense efforts. Whether through flexible, 
small grants mechanisms targeting the grassroots, implementing the 
Women, Peace and Security Strategy, or leveraging political openings to 
build peaceful, prosperous societies in countries like Sudan, USAID 
will continue to work with interagency partners to build peace and 
stability and create paths to resilience.
                               conclusion
    The challenges I have described here don't just threaten countries 
far from our shores--they impact our national security and prosperity 
directly, here at home. The steps we take to combat COVID-19, climate 
change, hunger, conflict, and other ills abroad, make us safer, while 
demonstrating compassion and cooperation with people all over the 
world.
    With your support, USAID will move aggressively to tackle these 
challenges in order to build a more stable and prosperous future for 
all of us. Thank you.

    The Chairman. Thank you, Madam Administrator.
    We will start a round the questions. First, let me say I 
know that you mentioned to the ranking member and I before we 
started the hearing that we have three highly qualified USAID 
nominees that are pending with completed files, and I also 
believe that we need to get them out of the committee and, 
hopefully, confirmed prior to the August recess so you can do 
the work we want you to do.
    I am prepared to notice a hearing for the two deputy 
nominees next Thursday, and we will be working with the ranking 
member to, hopefully, get an agreement so that we are in a good 
place so that we can try to move those nominees ahead.
    Under the previous administration, USAID was frequently 
absent from budget planning and decision-making processes 
affecting the agency. How were you and the agency involved in 
the development of the FY22 budget that we are discussing 
today?
    Ms. Power. Well, sir, I was not present from the creation, 
personally, just because of my own confirmation schedule.
    In terms of my own personal involvement, I came in after 
the top-line levels had been assessed, but the agency was very 
much involved working, of course, with the State Department.
    Many of the accounts that are in the proposal are only 
partially managed by USAID. There is a division of labor 
entailed, a natural synergy at its best, with the State 
Department, and then, of course, working with OMB to make sure 
that we are prioritizing the President's priorities and so I 
believe the involvement was intense and iterative.
    The Chairman. Now, let me turn to the COVID issue. The U.S. 
is gradually gaining control of COVID-19, but the disease 
continues to surge worldwide. Most people on the planet are 
still waiting for vaccinations.
    The U.S. has made a range of announcements to support 
access, including vaccine donations to specific countries and 
support for sharing intellectual property.
    What additional steps can we take right now to accelerate 
the rollout of vaccines worldwide? For example, the President's 
vaccine donation announcement is significant, but there is 
still considerable need and demand for other means of 
mitigating the spread of COVID and the therapies for treating 
the sick.
    How does the 500-million-dose donation fit into the 
Administration's broader global cooperation strategy to beat 
COVID?
    Ms. Power. Thank you so much. There are a number of 
different elements, as you say, to the broader strategy and 
vaccines, of course, rightly, make global headlines. I believe 
the 500 million purchase of the Pfizer doses is absolutely 
critical.
    That will be dispensed by June of next year with 200 
million distributed this year and 300 million the first part of 
next year, alongside the 80 million surplus doses.
    As you note, donating doses and getting shots in arms are 
two very different things, and so USAID, with our 80 missions 
around the world, is involved in enhancing vaccine readiness to 
make sure that the cold chains are in place in order to work 
with our partners UNICEF, PAHO, and others, as well as health 
ministries to make sure that the countries that receive the 
vaccines put them to good use, vaccinated health workers 
providing second shots for those who did not have second shots 
delivered because the India doses were pulled back because of 
India's own crisis.
    So vaccine readiness is key and the ARP money has been 
vital to USAID's ability to support our partners. As you note 
though, vaccines, because of the supply issues around the 
world, are only going to reach a small share of the world's 
population in the next calendar year.
    Therefore, whether it comes to PPE or oxygen or other forms 
of health support that went by the wayside because of the 
attention to COVID or the shattering of health systems brought 
about by the arrival of COVID, U.S. funding for those health 
systems and those other dimensions of the COVID response is 
also critical.
    Again, the ARP made generous funds----
    The Chairman. Yes. Let me ask you, you mentioned the ARP 
funds. You notified Congress on $115 million in ARP funds for 
accelerating vaccine distribution, and the President's 
announcement in Cornwall to purchase 500 million doses, which 
spurred matching commitments from G-7 partners, is this $115 
million the amount necessary to fulfill the entire 500 million 
dose commitment?
    Ms. Power. You would know better than I. It was before my 
time, but that when the ARP was passed, again, so generously 
here on Capitol Hill, it was not envisaged as the means to 
cover vaccine purchases.
    So, the second $2 billion that was allocated for COVAX went 
toward the Pfizer purchases and much of the ARP money that we 
had intended to invest in health systems has also----
    The Chairman. So the answer is no, that is not enough?
    Ms. Power. There are lots of demands on the ARP. Thank you.
    The Chairman. How is this procurement going to be 
distributed? Is it going to go to COVAX? Will we, through 
USAID, distribute doses bilaterally? If so, how are you 
prioritizing bilateral distribution?
    Ms. Power. I think it is a both/and scenario. The terms of 
the Pfizer deal, as you may know, are for COVAX countries, so 
for low income and lower middle income countries.
    The 80 million surplus doses that we are providing 
bilaterally have more flexibility. They are not subject to 
those terms, and so that is where you are seeing the kinds of 
doses we were just talking about to Latin America and to our 
partners in Indonesia, Vietnam, et cetera, just in the last few 
days.
    The Chairman. Well, I would just close on this.
    Look, I am all for COVAX, but I think the United States 
should be more robustly engaged in the bilateral distribution 
of the vaccines.
    China is all over the Western Hemisphere and other places 
in the world. So I go to the Dominican Republic, speak to the 
President, who tells me, I really want to work with the 
Americans, but China is here offering it to me. I cannot get it 
from the United States.
    This is a country in a time in which the Western Hemisphere 
is moving all in the wrong direction in terms of democracy and 
human rights that both observes that, that is in the midst of 
doing things.
    They have about 60 percent of their hospital beds are being 
used by Haitians and he is taking care of them. He has 150,000 
Venezuelans that have fled to the country. He has given them 
working papers. It is those type of actions that we want to 
support, but when he is faced in terms of life and death 
decisions between let us choose the Chinese vaccine or let me 
at least buy American vaccines and I cannot get them, then 
there is another dimension in addition to doing the right thing 
on vaccination that has a force multiplier in terms of our 
diplomacy and our interests. I just hope that the 
Administration will look at that.
    Senator Risch.
    Senator Risch. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Let me start there.
    I was just astounded the other day when COVAX said they 
were going to buy the Chinese vaccine. I assume you saw that 
release. Have you discussed that with the other people at 
COVAX?
    Ms. Power. Yes, Senator.
    Senator Risch. Do they appreciate the irony of this where 
China started this and refused to participate in COVAX, and 
will not contribute money, will not contribute vaccines, but 
then COVAX is turning around and actually paying them for their 
vaccines.
    I mean, this is odd. It is strange, to say the least.
    Ms. Power. If I may just make a couple points here.
    First of all, it is appalling that Beijing chose to make a 
profit on those vaccines rather than to contribute financially 
to COVAX or to donate its state-owned doses to COVAX to reach 
people in their hour of desperate need. There is no other way 
around it. It is appalling.
    From the standpoint of COVAX and why that transaction went 
forward, it is the case, as you know, Senator, that the supply 
for this third quarter of this year is not available, 
fundamentally, and the Delta variant is raging, because, as I 
indicated earlier, India pulled back the Serum Institute of 
India doses that COVAX had expected to provide, for example, 
second shots and to reach health workers.
    Hundreds of millions of doses that COVAX had expected to be 
able to distribute never arrived. The U.S., as you know, 
through Pfizer is moving to address the supply issue, but that 
will not really kick in until August and then into the later 
part of this year, and even that will only scratch the surface 
in terms of the global need.
    So I think what you are looking at is a raging pandemic, a 
supply challenge that the U.S. and Europe will be addressing, 
and you will see other pharmaceutical companies also have their 
drugs probably licensed toward the end of this year, but in 
that hour of relative desperation, it felt it needed to bring 
vaccines online as quickly as possible, particularly, again, to 
get those second shots and those health care workers reached. 
That is no excuse for what China did in that context.
    Senator Risch. I appreciate that. From your position at 
COVAX, what are you finding as far as the other countries' 
acceptance of the Chinese vaccine?
    I mean, here in the U.S. we see even slight ineffectiveness 
is greeted with real disdain, and as we read what is going on 
with the Chinese vaccine, it seems to be pretty low quality 
compared to what we are producing.
    What is happening there? What are the countries saying 
about getting the Chinese vaccine?
    Ms. Power. Well, as you know, different studies have 
yielded different research findings as it relates to a number 
of the vaccines on the global market, including the two Chinese 
vaccines in question.
    It was licensed to be used and, again, because it is not a 
question of choosing COVAX, choosing between Sinovax or 
Sinopharm, and Moderna--I think it is obvious what the choice 
would be if that were the choice--it is choosing one of these 
Chinese vaccines or not having supply in this period.
    So, I think, and just to come back to the chairman's point, 
across our hemisphere and around the world, people's very 
strong preference appears to be for a U.S.-manufactured 
vaccines, particularly mRNA vaccines, like Moderna and Pfizer. 
So once that supply becomes available, I think it is going to 
be very clear choice.
    Let me just say one more thing, if I could--sorry--which is 
to the branding point about COVAX because I think this is 
implicit in what you are saying, and the chairman raised it.
    When COVAX doses are donated by--because of the generosity 
of the American taxpayer and because of the generosity of the 
U.S. Government, those are branded with the American flag. 
Those are not branded just simply as COVAX, as an international 
organization.
    Our ambassadors are there to meet the planes when they 
land. We are very aware of what China is using its vaccines and 
people's desperation to extract and we do not ask for anything 
in return, unlike our Chinese counterparts, but we are intent, 
certainly, on making it known when it is our vaccines that are 
arriving of the higher quality that we know them to be.
    Senator Risch. Thank you, Ms. Power. My time is up. I am 
not going to ask another question, but one area I wanted to go 
into and I will just underscore for you that assistance to the 
Palestinians are going to be very closely scrutinized by some 
of us here.
    I know there are people in the House of Representatives 
that have a different view of this than we do, but as long as 
they have the pay for slay program, we are going to look at 
every penny that is spent with the Palestinians.
    Thank you, Mr. Chair.
    The Chairman. Thank you.
    Senator Cardin.
    Senator Cardin. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Ambassador Power, welcome. Nice to have you here. Thank you 
for what you are doing.
    Last week, I was in Bulgaria and, as you are aware, the 
Biden administration recently imposed Magnitsky sanctions in 
Bulgaria against former corrupt officials. I thought I would be 
attacked on the use of those sanctions when I visited.
    Instead, we were heroes. The Bulgarian Government and 
people look at this as an opportunity to really deal with a 
systemic corruption problem that they have.
    You indicate in your statement that corruption is the 
Achilles' heel of many illiberal regimes, and I agree 
completely with you on those statements.
    Our committee has passed legislation that would build up 
the strength of our missions in understanding the circumstances 
in the countries in which they represent the United States with 
tools to help deal with the corruption in these countries.
    So my question to you is, you talk about rapid response in 
your statement, and when there is an opportunity we have to be 
able to move quickly.
    Can you just share with me your strategies on how you are 
going to use the tools that you have at your disposal to deal 
with the widespread corruptions that we are finding in so many 
countries that is really fueling autocratic regimes and attacks 
against their own country?
    Ms. Power. Thank you, Senator.
    In President Biden, you have found a true partner in 
combating crime and corruption in so far as he is the first 
American president to have issued a presidential memorandum 
declaring the fight against corruption in our national security 
interests.
    I just this month have created at USAID the first ever 
Anti-Corruption Task Force and it will entail, in answer to 
your question, a combination--and it is reflected in the 2022 
budget request as well--but a combination of providing support, 
for example, to civil society and independent media actors who 
are exposing corruption and malfeasance.
    It is also going to entail mainstreaming the anti-
corruption fight across USAID programming areas, and I do not 
mean simply for the purpose that we would all share, which is 
to avoid fraud, waste, and abuse. Absolutely. We are already 
all over that, but actually just looking at where corrupt 
actors can be found and where our leverage can be used in other 
sectors to shine a light on what is the Achilles' heel, I 
think, to these illiberal forces.
    So some of this is about using our platform and our voice 
and our spotlight, and some of it is about working with the 
Treasury Department, Justice Department, on some of the 
accountability tools that that you have been so critical in 
putting in place.
    I really think that we have lined up the moons here and all 
of the elements to have the most aggressive anti-corruption 
plank to our foreign policy in American history.
    Senator Cardin. Let me make a suggestion. We use the two 
branches of government, I think, effectively to deal with the 
global challenge of trafficking in persons with the legislation 
that was passed by Congress with the focus in the State 
Department in regards to trafficking and the accountability 
issues.
    I think we have made tremendous progress globally on that 
issue. We can do the same with corruption. The legislation that 
we are passing here will give you additional tools and 
expectations in our relations with other countries, and it 
strengthens America's position when we work together.
    I would just urge you to work with us on that legislation. 
Let us get it to the finish line, and that will give you some 
additional ability to work in-country to get changes.
    I want to touch on the other issue that you mentioned in 
that statement in the same area and that is that the cause of 
democracy is currently on its back heels in many parts of the 
world. Then you cite the Freedom House study that shows a 
decline of democratic states.
    When you look at the percentage of resources that are 
devoted to democracy building, it is not a large sum of your 
budget. I noticed that you have requested additional funds, and 
we appreciate that, but it seems to me you have limited funds 
to deal with a huge problem and I would just welcome your 
thoughts as to how we can effectively promote democratic 
institutions.
    Ms. Power. I think there is a broader and deeper question 
even at the heart of your inquiry, Senator, which is, are we 
looking with fresh eyes at the standoff between democracies and 
authoritarian forces or autocratic forces around the world.
    I think each administration looks at the democracy funding 
and programming of the administration before it and looks to 
see should it be adjusted in this way or that way.
    I really hope that the President's democracies summit, 
which I know many of you are providing input on, provides an 
occasion to give the kind of fresh look at the resources 
required to meet this moment with China trying to pull 
countries into the autocratic and authoritarian column every 
single day using the tools of suppression and technological 
surveillance to do so, and then when a country has turned more 
autocratic, then calling on that country to vote with China in 
the U.N. to undermine human rights and democratic norms.
    I think there really is a question about whether we are 
resourced and thinking sufficiently ambitiously because we know 
they are, and so I welcome going deeper on that conversation.
    We have requested a modest increase. We are doing a soup to 
nuts look at our programming, including in consultation with 
many of you, but ideas welcome because this is not an 
afterthought for Beijing. This is the point.
    Senator Cardin. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    The Chairman. Senator Johnson.
    Senator Johnson. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Administrator Power, welcome. I want to concentrate a 
little bit on Central America. I know you recently made a trip 
to the Northern Triangle countries.
    We have a crisis on our border. I know many members are in 
a state of denial, but we have been apprehending about 6,000 
people per day over the last 3 months--the human depredation, 
human traffickers, the open lanes for additional human 
trafficking and drug smuggling. It is a crisis on our border.
    I know that the Vice President went down to Central America 
looking for root causes. I just want to ask you, did you 
discover or did you come to any conclusions in terms of what 
the root cause of that out migration is?
    Ms. Power. I know you know because I know how carefully you 
are tracking this--but a complicated stew of forces.
    Some communities you meet with people where gang violence 
where, literally, there would be bodies on the streets because 
of gang violence, where our programs attempt to reduce the 
number of homicides, knowing that that would be a reason--I 
cannot even imagine being a mother and handing one's child over 
to a coyote, but it is a level of desperation sometimes around 
physical security.
    Senator Johnson. Can I----
    Ms. Power. That is acute, and the economic, of course, is 
the main, especially in the wake of COVID.
    Senator Johnson. Let me just, quick, interject and I want 
to let you finish answering the question.
    When you mentioned gangs, one fact that is really not very 
widely known, of the unaccompanied children that are coming 
into this country being apprehended, 70 percent are males. 
Seventy percent are 15, 16 or 17.
    That would be the prime age for recruitment into gangs, 
things like MS-13. That is not a fact that we are focusing on 
very much when we are talking about the crisis, but go on. You 
were talking about the gangs in Central America.
    Ms. Power. Well, just offering that as one source. I 
actually keep a handy chart, and I am sure you have seen some 
like it, but we actually have crunched the data.
    You do not need to see the specifics, but just in looking 
at any country of the three, looking in which areas is it by 
virtue of--is it some hurricane aftershock, but in which 
countries when we look at intention to migration surveys, is it 
unemployment or economic--perceived economic despair, in what 
cases, again, is it a spike in homicides.
    So it is very important that we tailor our programming per 
community in accordance with what those actual causes are, 
which also fluctuate, of course, with time.
    Senator Johnson. I was asking for a root cause. I have my 
own ideas on this. Let me just kind of throw something at you.
    When I went down there in 2015, I was surprised at the 
reaction we got from the presence of both Honduras and 
Guatemala when they said, we are dealing with corruption and 
impunity. Corruption, I understand. I think we were talking 
about that earlier.
    Impunity, what do you mean by that? Well, impunity springs 
from the fact that you have the drug cartels that are 
untouchable. I mean, literally untouchable.
    That then spreads over the rest of society where you end up 
with the gang activity and you end up with the extortionists 
shooting a cab driver, burning his cab if they do not hand over 
the ransom.
    The drug cartels exist in Central America because we shut 
down to a great extent the drug trafficking through the 
Caribbean and redirected it through Central America. The drug 
cartels exist because of America's insatiable demand for drugs.
    So if you are looking for a root cause of all the problems 
in Central America, almost all of them, it is America's 
insatiable demand for drugs.
    So if we are not willing to recognize that fact, we are not 
addressing the root cause, and quite honestly, we do not stand 
any chance whatsoever wiping out those drug cartels. They are 
just endemic. The communities rely on the profits of the drug 
cartels.
    So we have to keep that in mind. So when you are proposing 
$860 million for Central America, where is that going to go? 
How does that not just go down a hole and completely wasted if 
we are not willing to recognize what the true root cause is?
    My final point is when I was down there the presidents of 
both Honduras and Guatemala begged our delegation, please fix 
your laws. This is not helpful to us to lose our future.
    I saw a recent interview with the new president of El 
Salvador making the same point. This is not as successful 
economic model for Central America to lose all of our people.
    I would just encourage this administration and you, as you 
are looking at how you design these programs, please recognize 
the true root cause, which is America's insatiable demand for 
drugs, recognize that our open border, our pull factors, is not 
helpful.
    It is destructive to Central America. If we really want to 
help them out, we need to secure our border. We need to stop 
that flow of their citizens.
    The Chairman. Thank you.
    Senator Coons.
    Senator Coons. Thank you, Chairman Menendez, Ranking Member 
Risch, and, in particular, Administrator Power. Thank you for 
your testimony and for your continued service to our nation.
    I am pleased to see the Biden administration's budget 
request for USAID includes investments to address the ongoing 
COVID-19 global pandemic and to bolster our ongoing role in 
global health, foreign assistance in the Indo-Pacific 
specifically to counter China's influence there and in other 
regions of the world, and demonstrates our commitment to 
fighting climate change.
    I look forward to working with you to improve the 
effectiveness of USAID. Like Senator Johnson, as he was just 
describing, I, too, have just returned from Guatemala and have 
a number of questions about how we are going to effectively 
deliver assistance in a way that will bend the curve of a 
number of challenging developments there.
    I visited a shelter for trafficked youth, as did you in 
your recent trip, and one of the inspiring aspects of that 
visit was that it was a locally developed and run program.
    Our assistance to that particular initiative did not 
require funding to go through a governmental agency. It goes 
directly to an NGO.
    So, Administrator, I would be interested in hearing what 
you think is a possible strategy for increasing the 
localization of our assistance programs, devoting a larger 
share of development assistance funds to supporting initiatives 
implemented by local partners and what role additional staff 
would have in making that possible.
    I might, and perhaps this is motivated by that trip, 
recommend piloting that in a region, for example, Central 
America, where we lack credible national government partners in 
development.
    Ms. Power. Yes. Your last point about lacking credible 
government partners is an important complement, I think, to the 
exchange I just had with Senator Johnson. I mentioned violence 
and economic despair, but the governance and corruption trends 
are really going in the wrong direction, requiring us to think 
very creatively about how we steward these resources that we 
hope, again, that you will be generous enough and the American 
people be generous enough to provide in order to deal with 
those causes of despair and migration that can be tackled 
within the region.
    So the question you pose on how to strengthen our 
relationship with local partners can sound a little bit 
abstract, a little bit wonky, a little bit sort of inside 
foreign assistance, like, a perfect Samantha Power/Chris Coons 
exchange.
    [Laughter.]
    Ms. Power. It is so important because, as I tried to say 
briefly in my opening statement, it is the essence of whether 
the development we do is going to be sustained over time.
    Because we, USAID, want--and you all as well and the 
president want to move quickly, often there is just a lot of 
gravity pulling us toward very large, often U.S.-based 
contracting partners that may deign to enlist local partners as 
part of the overall contract or grant but, fundamentally, the 
investments are not made in that internal capacity and that 
ability to have the accounting capacity, the ability to comply 
with USAID's regulations, many of which are in place in order 
to be responsive to the need for oversight that you have.
    So the shorter answer is I think we are off to a good start 
with the new partnerships initiative and the local works 
initiative, which both, again, I think came out of a 
partnership between USAID and Congress.
    I think that we need to try to lower the barriers of entry 
because it is so onerous to work with USAID for these small 
local organizations, and we need to invest in the internal 
capacity those organizations have to meet the legitimate 
oversight questions and challenges that we absolutely have to 
retain in order to do our jobs as stewards.
    Senator Coons. Well, I look forward to working with you on 
tackling USAID's procurement process, the challenges both in 
terms of regulations and staffing that you face in terms of 
trying to be flexible so that you can better respond to 
changing circumstances such as we are seeing in Ethiopia or 
Afghanistan or Haiti where developments--challenging changes 
and circumstances require more than just disaster aid, but 
require us to change prioritization or strategies around 
development.
    If I might, just a quick last question, Mr. Chairman.
    The Development Finance Corporation is a new tool that 
through its loan programs can reduce the cost of financing 
development by leveraging private sector resources, and the 
Senate just passed an important bipartisan bill that supports 
the expansion of the DFC's lending authority to enable our 
competition with China, something Chairman Menendez and Ranking 
Member Risch really championed through this committee.
    I would be interested in your views on how you ensure that 
the DFC remains focused on development and what your role will 
be in strengthening the DFC as we expand its capacity to 
compete on behalf of the United States in partnership with the 
private sector against the increasing influence that China is 
having around the world.
    Ms. Power. I probably do not have time really to respond in 
detail, but just to say that, as a kind of Rip Van Winkle here 
who was gone for 4 years and now is back in government, I do 
think the enhanced capacity you all have given the DFC is, from 
my standpoint, the newest, freshest tool in the toolbox.
    Your continued message that this is a development finance 
institution is really important. I did not have a chance, Mr. 
Chairman, when you were asking about the sort of full set of 
tools in the toolbox on COVID, developing vaccine manufacturing 
capacity in Africa, where they are importing 99 percent of 
vaccines, DFC has just announced a big deal with J&J in South 
Africa with other international financing bodies.
    Multilateralism, what we do, and that is going to bring 
more than 500 million doses online coming from South Africa by 
the end of 2022. I think that is just the beginning.
    Certainly, my impression--and as the vice chair of the DFC, 
my impression is that that is very much the orientation of the 
leadership of DFC to meet these needs in developing countries, 
recognizing that that is going to be profitable for everybody 
over time.
    The Chairman. Thank you.
    Senator Paul.
    Senator Paul. Good morning.
    Are you aware of how much revenue the Federal Government 
brings in?
    Ms. Power. Probably order of magnitude, but not the 
specific.
    Senator Paul. It is about $3.8 trillion estimated for this 
year, last year about $3.7 trillion, but we are spending close 
to $7 trillion maybe this year, a little over $6 trillion last 
year.
    So the deficit was of historic proportions last year, over 
$3 trillion. It will be, again, $3 trillion or more by the time 
the majority party weighs in.
    Amidst that massive deficit, do you think that debts 
matter? Do you think it matters how big a deficit we have?
    Ms. Power. If I can stay to my area of expertise, which is 
how we spend the money that you are generous enough to 
appropriate, I am probably on safer ground.
    I have my views as a citizen, but I am here in my capacity 
as USAID administrator.
    Senator Paul. All right. The thing is, is that we probably 
do need people in government who do understand a little bit 
about finances.
    I mean, you are asking for a 15 percent increase in the 
welfare that we give to other countries and, really, I think it 
is irresponsible. It is the wrong thing we should be doing.
    We should be conserving our resources, particularly 
conserving them for our country as opposed to sending them to 
other countries.
    There is not a great deal of evidence that the money that 
we launder throughout the world really over time has been a 
benefit to us. There is a great deal of evidence that much of 
it has been stolen.
    We mentioned corruption. Yes, there is plenty of corruption 
and often the government-to-government money has been stolen 
through the years, but some of it is spent on things that are 
just--if the American people knew about them would be outraged.
    Some of the AID money went to spreading green growth in 
Peru, some sort of climate alarmism, selling Serbian cheese, 
venture capital fund in Bosnia, small business loans to people 
who have been deported, and dealing with truant Filipino 
youths.
    In Afghanistan, we spent $60 million on a hotel that was 
never completed. It was a shell of a hotel across from our 
embassy. It became such a danger that our troops had to patrol 
it and, ultimately, will have to be razed if it has not been so 
already.
    They will probably need more money to raze it. After we 
gave somebody $60 million, the contractor ran off with the 
money.
    The people who want global climate alarmism to spread 
through both AID and our defense budget built a $45 million 
natural gas station in Afghanistan. The first problem was it 
was supposed to cost $800,000, and then in the ever lack of 
efficiency of government, it ended up costing $45 million when 
initial estimates were $800,000.
    That was the first problem. The second problem is the 
average Afghani makes about $800 a year. Does not have a 
regular car, much less a car that runs on natural gas.
    So the thing is, if you look at the history of the welfare 
that we distribute around the world, you really see a history 
of both sending it to corrupt nations.
    If you look at the money sent to the Mubarak family, to 
Egypt, I think it is a billion and a half a year, but over, 
like, a 30-year period I think it was $40-some-odd billion.
    Well, Mubarak's kids were each worth about $5 billion. 
Mubarak himself became worth about $10 billion, and I do not 
think anybody argues that some of that was not gotten by taking 
the cream off the top as our aid came in.
    That is the history of it, throughout Africa, throughout 
all of these nations, of people skimming off the top, but it is 
insulting to Americans.
    We are running a $3 trillion debt, and it does have 
ramifications. What we are seeing is inflation throughout the 
economy right now. It is an insidious tax. It hurts the poor 
the worst. It is a regressive tax, and we are going to see more 
of it.
    It comes from people who do not seem to have an opinion 
about debt, who just seem to just go along their way and say, 
oh, I am going to help people. I call it the big heart small 
brain syndrome. Give everybody money. Give everybody free 
money.
    Give the world free money, because we have a big heart and 
we want to help people, but we do not see, really, the 
ramifications of what the debt is doing to our country and what 
it will ultimately do.
    If you want to see the unraveling of it, look at Venezuela. 
That is what our future will look like if we consider to not be 
concerned about debt.
    So my admonition to you is you should care about the debt 
and that you should be aware of the debt in coming forward with 
a budget that asks us to increase by 15 percent when we will 
have a deficit of over $3 trillion this year.
    Ms. Power. Thank you, Senator. I do not have much time to 
respond. I would be grateful just to say a couple things.
    First of all, I have made multiple endeavors to come and 
see you. I would love to talk about the programs that you have 
concerns about.
    I actually think when I had the privilege of serving the 
Obama administration, there were a number of issues related to 
assistance to particular governments where were you and I had a 
meeting of the minds, if I recall, unless I am misremembering.
    On the broader sort of view of foreign aid, I just think it 
is really important to disaggregate what we are talking about 
and to dig into particular programs, and that is why one of my 
priorities as administrator is to enhance the rigor of our 
evaluations, to be accountable, to look at some of the programs 
maybe on your list. Maybe they should be stopped or maybe they 
should never have started and maybe we can learn from them.
    If the pandemic has not taught us how connected the health 
and safety of Americans is to people who live around the world, 
I do not know what will. We are connected, and if we do not 
invest in global health systems internationally, it is going to 
be the Americans who will pay the price.
    Senator Paul. Nobody is arguing we are not connected. It is 
just whether we have to pay for everything.
    Ms. Power. So you want the Chinese then to pay and to exact 
their leverage in that manner? You want someone to do it, but 
we are to be the freeloader on a Chinese-led world order? I am 
not for that.
    The Chairman. Thank you very much.
    Senator Murphy.
    Senator Murphy. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
    Great to see you, Ambassador. Thanks for your continued 
service to the country. I wanted to try to hit a couple hot 
spots in the Middle East in the time that I have.
    First, I want to talk about Lebanon, a country that right 
now does not occupy a lot of oxygen in this town, but were it 
to disintegrate would be our and the world's obsession for the 
next decade.
    Right now, the economy is in freefall. The currency is 
virtually worthless. The country's economy is built on a 
pyramid scheme that enriches a set of elites, which have sort 
of a frozen status quo for years.
    The question is what is the best way for the United States 
to use its aid to try to promote the type of reform that will 
help this country sort of get back on a path to sustainability? 
How can we change the current dynamic?
    For instance, should we be considering, perhaps, a narrower 
approach? I mean, my sense is that we have tried to put broad 
conditions on our aid. Should we be thinking about focusing, 
for instance, on one sector of reform, like banking reform, and 
narrowing our ask?
    What we are doing today does not seem to be moving the 
needle. What would you suggest should be our approach to using 
our aid in Lebanon as leverage to try to rescue this country 
from a crisis today that does, frankly, within the next year 
threaten to propel the entire nation into chaos, continued 
economic freefall, and potentially civil war?
    Ms. Power. Would that there were a silver bullet for the 
gravity and breadth of the crisis unfolding there, I guess I 
would just offer a couple associations and look forward to 
maybe talking with you more about this.
    First of all, Lebanon is a place where we have been more 
successful than we have, for example, on a country like Yemen, 
in multilateralizing our response and in getting Europeans and 
others to step up.
    I think if we were to go in the direction that you 
describe, a sector-based approach, it would be essential that 
other sectors not be left behind.
    Second point, which, again, is true of every country we 
have talked about so far today, which is governance, 
governance, governance. Absent the kind of political unity, you 
do not even see garbage collection occurring, right? State 
formation, state erosion ends up being critical in terms of 
making the partnership work for the Lebanese people.
    Then the third and final point is there are huge demands 
being placed on global humanitarian emergency assistance, as 
you well know. Tigray now alongside South Sudan, alongside 
Yemen, Syria, Venezuela. We could go on.
    Just looking back a couple years, you would not have 
thought that Lebanon would potentially find itself on that 
list.
    As the USAID administrator, I am both interested very much 
in governance and economic development, but we are also in a 
situation where we are having to provide emergency humanitarian 
funding because that is how weak the governance and the ability 
to deliver for the people has become.
    Senator Murphy. Let me turn to Gaza.
    According to the U.N., the main border crossing that we use 
to get humanitarian goods into Gaza is operating only at about 
50 percent capacity right now due to Israeli delays and 
restrictions.
    UNRWA has not been allowed to get insulin and syringes in 
since October of last year. UNICEF has been barred from 
importing epoxy into Gaza.
    What are we doing right now with the Israelis to try to 
ease these restrictions and do you have any hope that there 
might be the opportunity to reopen another crossing?
    I know this is a priority for this administration. We want 
to make sure that only the right things get into Gaza. At the 
same time, we are going to repeat history over and over and 
over again if we do not find a way to relieve the legitimate 
humanitarian suffering there.
    Ms. Power. Yes, and maybe if I could, Senator Murphy, just 
to take this occasion too to respond to something Ranking 
Member Risch talked about at the close of our exchange, which 
is I think we are all on the same page in wanting to ensure 
that our funding goes to the intended beneficiaries.
    Given the Taylor Force Act, given, of course, prohibitions 
on any funding going to Hamas, that is what USAID and our 
partners on the ground do. We live by American law and the 
rules that have been put on the books and they have been put on 
the books for a very good reason.
    So I think part of what we need to do is unlock some of the 
funding that is going to be very important for the 
reconstruction effort and for economic development.
    With our Israeli interlocutors, there seems broad support 
for that. There is a recognition that economic deprivation and 
despair helps create a receptive environment for radicalization 
and that is not something that is in anybody's security or 
economic interest to see happen.
    I hope we will soon have an ambassador in Israel. Again, 
the nomination is up here, and I hope, like others, will move 
forward so that we will have the ability to maintain that 
dialogue.
    As it relates to Gaza, it is really important to remember 
in addition to all of our vetting, we have a third layer of 
vetting for anything that goes into Gaza, for obvious reasons, 
but also COGAT, the Israeli system by which supplies go 
through, is there as well as a check on what goes in.
    You are right, that can produce delays and that is 
something, again, in terms of people not getting the resources 
that they need, that is not in anybody's interest, but it also 
should offer some assurance for those who are concerned about 
assistance not reaching, again, its intended destination, that 
we have systems in place, again, to make sure that the 
humanitarian development assistance goes for its intended 
purpose.
    Senator Murphy. Thank you.
    The Chairman. Thank you very much.
    For the members' information, there is a vote going on. It 
is the chair's intention to plow through for at least a half 
hour and then we will see where we are at, at that point.
    Senator Young, I understand, is with us virtually.
    Senator Young. Thank you, Chairman.
    Administrator Power, welcome to the committee.
    Here, unfortunately and tragically, in the midst of the 
worst border crisis, arguably, in our nation's history, this 
year, tons of illicit drugs will enter the country. Thousands 
of migrants who are fleeing violence and corruption through 
Central and South America will illegally cross our southern 
border.
    Now we are staring at yet another emerging crisis in Haiti 
and the ongoing protests against the tyrannical communist 
regime in Cuba. We have to do more to address and stop the root 
causes of these crises before they arrive at our door. I know 
this is something that has been emphasized by various members 
of the Administration.
    I believe the Biden administration's rhetoric has invited 
much of this crisis, though. It is well documented that many 
migrants would not make this dangerous journey and risk their 
lives if their home countries could be provided some semblance 
of security and governance, which leads me to USAID.
    I do believe that USAID has a large and important role to 
play in helping those nations regain their sovereignty from the 
narco terrorists who are at the heart of the crisis.
    So I am glad to see USAID has increased funding for the 
international narcotics control and law enforcement efforts, 
even if only by small measures.
    Administrator Power, first, do you believe there is a 
crisis at the southern border--I think the president indicated 
directly at one point there was--and if so, what is USAID doing 
in response to the border crisis?
    Specifically, are you working with the Northern Triangle or 
elsewhere in the region to stem the flow of migrants? Maybe you 
could speak about that.
    Ms. Power. Thank you, Senator. I am looking at the same 
apprehension numbers and border crossing numbers that you are 
and certainly see the worrying flows, as you noted, instability 
throughout the hemisphere means that this is not only an issue 
also of the Northern Triangle.
    There are root cause issues in a number of countries that 
we have to think through.
    Because you raised it, if I would just say a quick word on 
Haiti, I think it really underscores why economic development, 
security, and governance are the three legs on the stool.
    If any one leg is shorter than the others, the stool kind 
of topples over, to use a probably tired metaphor. In Haiti, 
the political dysfunction, the absence of political unity right 
now combined with the physical insecurity and the spikes in 
violence and homicide, combined with COVID and the exacerbation 
of all the preexisting economic conditions, again, creates a 
very, very potent and destabilizing mix.
    You asked specifically about the Northern Triangle 
countries. I was down there. One of the most important 
purposes, I think, of any high-level trip, including by members 
of this body, is to send the message that there is no 
workaround for democratic backsliding.
    There is no workaround for corruption. We cannot attract 
the kind of private investment. We might be interested in 
moving supply chains as we diversify our supply chains to some 
of those countries. How do you do that, right, when the 
corruption trends are going in the wrong direction?
    I had the unfortunate task since I saw you last, Senator, 
of rerouting funding that was supposed to go to the Attorney 
General's office and the Supreme Court's office in El Salvador.
    It had to be rerouted away from those offices because the 
individuals in those offices were fired by the President and we 
decided it was not a worthy investment because it had become--
these were sort of political choices and politicized bodies. So 
we invested, instead, in civil society, organizations holding 
that government accountable.
    So we do things like that. I also think lawful pathways of 
migration, the H-2B and H-2A programs, which are quite nascent 
in the Northern Triangle countries, stressing and entering 
their facilities where asylum claims can be processed in the 
region.
    USAID is working really closely with labor ministries to 
try to staff them up so they are in a position to process 
lawful migration claims. There are actually very few overstays 
on H-2B and H-2A visas in that program, as I understand it, but 
we have a lot to learn from----
    Senator Young. Administrator, I am going to interject, 
respectfully----
    Ms. Power. Of course.
    Senator Young. --just on account of my time expiring. Thank 
you for your effort to comprehensively respond to my line of 
inquiry.
    Ms. Power. Sorry.
    Senator Young. I will say that Senator Cardin and I are 
trying to provide the Administration with tools to deal with 
the corruption side of things, to actually allow countries to 
be tiered based on levels of corruption, and then allow 
sanctions to be imposed directly upon those individuals who we 
know are responsible for various levels of corruption.
    We think those tools will be effective at the State 
Department and, by extension, assist USAID and the people of 
those countries as well.
    Moreover, I think immigration reform and ensuring that our 
nation's immigration laws are fixed can be helpful. You 
mentioned the various H-2 programs, and I think we can build on 
the success of those programs.
    Of course, border security is going to have to be part of 
that. That is not part of your portfolio, but it bears 
mentioning. We will never get major immigration reform until we 
take that seriously.
    One final----
    The Chairman. Senator, I am sorry, but you are 1:38 over 
and we have a vote on the floor.
    Senator Young. I do understand. Thank you for indulging me, 
Mr. Chairman, and I will follow up with some written questions 
for the administrator.
    Thank you so much.
    The Chairman. Thank you very much. For the attention of 
members, I am now told by the floor that because President 
Biden is coming to the Capitol, the timeframe on the clock will 
not be as extended as normal.
    So I am going to recognize Senator Kaine. That will get us 
to when they say they are going to close the floor, and then if 
I can have somebody come back, we will continue. The next 
person on the next side is Senator Romney.
    Senator Romney. Cannot make it back.
    The Chairman. Cannot make it back.
    Well, let me see if I can stay and see if they do not close 
the vote. So have you voted already?
    Senator Romney. No.
    The Chairman. Okay.
    Senator Kaine, if you want to----
    Senator Kaine. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
    Just three observations. I just returned from the Americas 
with a group of six senators, bipartisan, from this committee--
Senators Portman, Coons, Senators Lujan, Hoeven, and Crapo--
Mexico, Guatemala, Ecuador, Colombia, and just three 
observations concluding with a compliment to USAID.
    Number one, I agree with Senator Johnson. We really have to 
grapple with root causes, and the root causes are violence and 
lack of economic opportunity and weak institutions and 
corruption, but they are very connected to the U.S. demand for 
drugs. Just today, the CDC put out statistics. Overdose deaths 
went up by 25 percent last year, highest overdose death total 
in the history of the United States, and we heard this over and 
over again and we know it in our communities.
    The insatiable demand of U.S. citizens for drugs and their 
willingness to send cash south creates narco trafficking as a 
powerful and wealthy industry, and that industry creates 
violence in the neighborhoods of Honduras and other nations and 
people flee violence.
    It weakens institutions and creates corruptions, and that 
causes people to leave, and it puts a limit on economic 
investment and that causes people to leave.
    So we have to grapple with this in a multidimensional way, 
but there is no way to deal with this without dealing with our 
own demand because if we do not do that, we will be back 
talking to the tenth president in the future from all these 
countries and we will have exactly the same problem.
    It does not mean the solutions are easy. My hope, if we 
recognize this, is that we might talk about these immigrants in 
a different way than we often do, because their pain is our 
pain. Many of them would not be here if it were not for our 
pain.
    So we see them showing up at the border, like, how dare 
you. Well, they are coming because of us. They are coming 
because we have ravaged their neighborhoods.
    All eight of my great grandparents came to the United 
States from Ireland, just as you did, Administrator Power, but 
my great grandparents did not come because U.S. drug demand was 
destroying their community.
    The people that I worked with in Honduras, 40 years ago and 
the folks who are just like them today, they are deeply, deeply 
affected by what is going on in the domestic reality of our 
nation's life and they are seeking a refuge from conditions 
that we are complicit in creating.
    Again, that does not make the solutions easy, but as we 
talk about people who are arriving under these conditions, I 
hope that our rhetoric might be more compassionate about them.
    Second, it would have been easy to rationally understand 
this, but not until I went to the Americas did I realized how 
powerful the U.S. vaccine diplomacy has been. We met with all 
four presidents of these countries and the shortest meeting was 
2 hours.
    We usually do not get meetings with heads of state, but I 
attributed it to they had not seen CODELs in a while, but I 
really attribute it to their gratitude around the vaccine 
deliveries. They talked about the vaccine issue out there and 
that China and Russia will sell them vaccines and will make a 
contract and maybe deliver or not, or maybe delay delivery.
    The U.S. is getting the vaccines, and I hope--and I am 
going to submit this for the record, Administrator Power, 
because this is an answer for you and others--I would like to 
see a chart about vaccine donations in the world and what the 
U.S. is doing and what other nations are doing.
    We are doing it bilaterally, but we are also doing it 
through being the largest contributor to COVAX. I would like 
that all on the chart, because the appreciation for what we are 
doing and the belief that the U.S. vaccines are the gold 
standard while there is questions about the quality of the 
other vaccines, that gives us an enormous opportunity to 
continue to build goodwill, and I hope that we will.
    Finally, a thank you to USAID. We went to two locations, 
the Albergue de Arguellas in Quito, Ecuador, run by Jesuit 
Relief Services, but funded partially by USAID, and the Raices 
de Amor in Guatemala City run by a local nonprofit, partially 
funded by USAID, and we really just saw the tremendous need and 
the creative work that we are doing.
    The Quito facility was a facility for immigrant families 
coming across the border from Venezuela, some from Colombia. 
One described showing up with the family and just knocking at 
the door, and it just reminded me of the old story of a 
pregnant mom and a husband showing up and is there room at the 
inn. No, there is no room at the inn.
    Well, this was a place in a really poor neighborhood in 
Quito, where yeah, there was room. You knock at the door, there 
is going to be a place for you, and this is funded by USAID.
    It was a real manifestation of the continuing crisis in 
Venezuela and, to some degree, in some parts of Colombia as 
well.
    The second site was the Raices de Amor in Guatemala City, 
which is for human trafficking victims, mostly girls under the 
age of 20, as young as 13 or 14 who have--I was going to say 
lost everything, but many did not have much to lose, who do not 
have anything, but find in this small community in the heart of 
Guatemala City some adults will care about them and, hopefully, 
help them get on a better life path.
    This is enormously important work in a region that really, 
really needs us, and so you have a wonderful responsibility, a 
grave responsibility, on your shoulders. I look forward to 
working together with you and I will submit for the record this 
question to try to get a chart that all the committee can see 
to demonstrate the tremendous generosity of the American people 
around the vaccines and hope that we can continue that.
    Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
    The Chairman. Thank you.
    Senator Romney is recognized. I would like to ask Senator 
Shaheen, since she has voted, to preside until I get back. 
Thank you very much.
    Senator Romney.
    Senator Romney. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Do not let them 
close the vote till I get there. I will be very brief, and I am 
not going to ask Administrator a series of questions because of 
the time, but I would note a couple of things.
    First of all, I appreciate very deeply the work that you 
do. I recognize, as Senator Paul did, the damage that debt does 
to our nation. I am concerned about a 15 percent increase in 
your budget and think that is a mistake for us to be adding 
budgets at this time.
    At the same time, I believe that your organization has a 
humanitarian purpose, but also a national purpose, and American 
national interest is being fostered by USAID or we would not be 
devoting the level of resources we are to the effort.
    I would be interested in your perspective on our national 
interest in the way we apply our resources and, perhaps, a 
report of how successful we are in pursuing our national 
interest in providing that humanitarian relief. That would be a 
topic number one.
    Number two, I also concur with the comments that were made 
by Senator Kaine and Senator Johnson about focusing on root 
causes, but with regards to root causes coming from the 
Northern Triangle, I believe we met the enemy and the enemy is 
us, as Pogo once famously said.
    The problem is here. Our ability to change gang violence, 
corruption, and so forth in other countries is, obviously, very 
modest. If we are going to try and change things, it has to be 
changed here.
    Finally, let me just note this. I am very concerned about 
the USAID employees in Afghanistan and the risk they may be 
under, and would like to hear in a report to this committee the 
level of threat to our Afghan citizens who worked with USAID 
and whether we are getting them out, can get them out, and 
whether they are able to qualify for the Special Immigrant 
Visa.
    With that, I am going to leave and go vote. So please go 
ahead and respond. You have got 3 minutes----
    [Laughter.]
    Senator Romney. I will be back and will hear your comment. 
Thank you.
    Ms. Power. Thank you, Senator.
    Your first question is profound, and even if you have given 
me lots of time I do not think 3 minutes would do justice to 
why it is in our national interest to support this kind of 
work.
    I offered one response in my exchange with Senator Paul 
around the pandemic and pandemic preparedness where our 
national security, our individual security, our collective 
security is so linearly tied with other countries' ability to 
get viruses under control because it is the paradigmatic 
example of a threat that crosses borders and does not respect 
border controls or problems without passports, as they call 
them.
    It is in our collective interest to see countries curb 
their emissions, given the harrowing rate of warming and the 
extreme weather events that are going along with that warming, 
weather events that, again, are problems without passports that 
do not respect national borders and that are wreaking great 
havoc on American farmers, with American wildfires, with 
flooding, with 118+ heat in Portland, Oregon, you name it, 
which itself has really pernicious health effects all around 
the world, but also here in this country.
    Those are just a couple examples, but also, Americans have 
so much to be proud of. We have so much to be proud of in 
having gone into West Africa in 2014 and mobilized a global 
response to an Ebola epidemic that otherwise would have become 
a pandemic, and mobilizing other countries to carry their fair 
share.
    Same in the Democratic Republic of Congo in dealing with 
the recent Ebola crisis there. If the United States had not 
done that, Lord knows where Ebola would now be within Congo and 
well beyond.
    PEPFAR, George W. Bush's tremendous creation. Seventeen 
million people alive today, lives saved because of the 
generosity of the taxpayer, but also giving the world and 
ability to get HIV/AIDS under control, relatively speaking.
    We still have objectives that have not been met in that 
regard, but, again, both in our interests in terms of the 
health and welfare of the American people and so consistent 
with our values and what Senator Kaine was talking about in 
terms of people's gratitude and sense of partnership with the 
United States.
    Because unlike our competitors, we are not extractive in 
the way that we provide development assistance. We are not 
transactional. We are not asking for something in return.
    We are not asking to make a buck on COVID vaccines when 
people are in their hour of greatest need, and that is the 
spirit in which development assistance is provided, that spirit 
of partnership. As it happens, it then translates into more 
influence in the world and an ability to advance our interests 
in other ways, an ability to mobilize coalitions around things 
that are more narrowly in our short-term self-interest.
    I know I am out of time. I would love to respond as it 
relates to USAID personnel and our implementing partners on 
Afghanistan, but I have a sneaking suspicion that Senator 
Shaheen might have a question in that regard as well. So 
perhaps I can wait and say something on that in a little bit.
    Senator Shaheen [presiding]. Well, thank you, Ambassador. 
It is too bad that Senator Romney was not here to hear your 
answer. I am sure he would have appreciated it.
    Senator Van Hollen.
    Senator Van Hollen. Thank you, Senator Shaheen, and welcome 
again, Madam Administrator.
    Let me start with a question on Power Africa. You were part 
of the Administration that helped launch Power Africa, a very 
successful program, in my view, but one that could be expanded 
and has even greater potential.
    Power Africa delivered first-time electricity to more than 
103 million people and helped connect more than 22 million 
homes and businesses to electricity.
    I know this occurred before you were confirmed, but the 
Administration's budget actually cuts the budget for Power 
Africa compared to last year's level by about 26 percent.
    So if you could talk a little bit about whether or not you 
agree that Power Africa is an important program and whether you 
want to work with this committee to restore at least level 
funding for this program.
    Ms. Power. Thank you. Well, let me just say that our 
ambition is to take this flagship program and to expand it by 
bringing in new private sector partners in other countries as 
well. There is a lot of interest in Power Africa in Europe and 
Asia and beyond.
    I think the target now is to connect 60 million homes and 
businesses to electricity by 2030, so to expand on the numbers 
that you have shared. Again, it is how American development 
assistance should work. We leveraged $650 million and turned it 
into $56 billion in commitments.
    I will share, just briefly, that I spoke with the Sudanese 
Prime Minister Hamdok last week and, of course, just as the 
chairman was saying earlier, it is so in our interest as the 
United States to support those bright spots that exist 
globally--Sudan, Dominican Republic, he was mentioning.
    Unfortunately, there are not that many in terms of 
governance and the trend lines in governance, but the very 
first thing he wanted to talk about was Power Africa.
    So suffice it to say I think it is an incredibly important 
program. Senator Romney was taking issue with the modest 
increase in the President's budget request.
    I mean, just given that there are more conflicts happening 
anywhere in the world right now than any time since the end of 
the Cold War, given the COVID fallout and the rises in extreme 
poverty of a kind we have not seen in generations, the fact 
that routine immunizations are not occurring, kids are out of 
school.
    I mean, 15 percent compared to the state of the world today 
versus 2 years ago----
    Senator Van Hollen. I agree with you, Madam Administrator. 
We definitely need to have the resources to match our ambitions 
when it comes to our global strategy and priorities. That is 
why I hope we will also work to increase the amount for Power 
Africa.
    Ms. Power. I did not mean to go back to that----
    Senator Van Hollen. Yes.
    Ms. Power. --but it was simply to say that that is why I 
think that it is those other demands on our funding is the only 
reason that you see that reduction.
    Senator Van Hollen. I understand.
    I would like to turn to a question that was raised by 
Senator Murphy, and I think all of us, support continued 
resources for the Iron Dome defense system and Israel's 
security assistance.
    I am also pleased that the Biden administration has resumed 
funding to support humanitarian projects in the Palestinian 
areas. As you know, the Administration proposed, I believe, $75 
million in ESF funds to the Congress.
    My understanding is that request is currently being held 
here by the ranking member. I look forward to a conversation 
with the ranking member and his team about that.
    Have you had conversations with the ranking member and his 
team to try to resolve that issue?
    Ms. Power. We have tried to ensure that we can move the 
money that we think is so critical to meet basic needs in terms 
of food vouchers, livelihoods, youth engagement--I mean, again, 
where the potential for radicalization is there and the East 
Jerusalem hospital network. We are very eager. We feel that we 
have the vetting mechanisms in place to offer the assurances--
--
    Senator Van Hollen. Is it not the case that this is some of 
the--or if not the most vetted money that AID----
    Ms. Power. It is the most vetted money.
    Senator Van Hollen. Back to you. Right?
    Ms. Power. It is the most----
    Senator Van Hollen. It is the most vetted money because----
    Ms. Power. It is the most vetted money.
    Senator Van Hollen. --we all want to make sure we comply 
with the limitations that have been rightly established in the 
law.
    We also, I would hope, want to provide important assistance 
as part of engaging with the Palestinian people. Hopefully, at 
one point, getting to the point where we can resume the 
negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians for a two-
state solution.
    Is it not the case that this is 2020 money and if it is not 
dispersed by the September 30, you no longer can spend these 
monies?
    Ms. Power. I believe that is the case, yes.
    Senator Van Hollen. So I hope the Administration will 
continue to push hard. I will work with you to push hard. I 
just think it would be irresponsible to allow those funds to 
lapse, and I hope the Administration will use all its 
authorities when it comes to that request that you have made.
    Thank you, Madam Chair.
    Ms. Power. Thank you, Senator. I would just note the 
combination of the recent conflict and then the COVID fallout 
and the economic havoc and downturn that that caused means that 
the needs are even more acute than the cycle of post-conflict 
needs in that region.
    Senator Van Hollen. Yes. It is reckless and wrong to be 
holding up those funds, in my view.
    So thank you.
    Ms. Power. Thank you, Senator.
    Senator Shaheen. Thank you, Senator Van Hollen.
    Senator Cruz.
    Senator Cruz. Thank you, Madam Chair.
    Ambassador Power, welcome.
    Right now, Americans, in the eyes of the world, are focused 
on the nation of Cuba, are focused on thousands of Cubans who 
are bravely taking to the street, risking their lives to 
protest.
    I will say I have been disappointed by the responses from 
the Biden administration that have been lukewarm at best. You 
are someone who cares about human rights.
    In your view, what are the protesters in Cuba seeking and 
what are the impediments to their getting it?
    Ms. Power. Well, I mean, you only have to hear the cries on 
the street for freedom. You only have to hear the complaints 
about the inability to access basic health services at a time 
of a raging pandemic.
    You only have to see the internet shutdowns and the 
frustration that you cannot associate, speak, do anything 
freely.
    I am not there. Even if I were there, I am sure it is a 
heterogeneous set of motivations for different people, but 
people do not want to be repressed and they want to enjoy 
individual dignity, and the regime denies them that.
    Senator Cruz. So I believe the Cuban communist regime is an 
evil oppressive dictatorship that regularly, as a matter of 
policy, commits murder, commits torture, represses the people, 
and strips them of their basic rights.
    Do you agree with that characterization?
    Ms. Power. I believe it is a repressive horrific regime 
that has not ever met the aspirations for freedom and human 
rights of the Cuban people. This is a government that day in, 
day out, abuses the rights of its people.
    Senator Cruz. The Biden administration put out a statement 
describing what was happening in Cuba as the Cubans exercising 
their right to peacefully assemble.
    Do Cubans have a right to peacefully assemble under this 
dictatorship?
    Ms. Power. Well, we have seen calls to combat by the Cuban 
Government that are reprehensible. I am sure you are tracking 
very carefully the alleged disappearances of some of the 
protesters where their whereabouts to this day are unknown, and 
no, again, as I indicated, there is no freedom of association 
for the Cuban people, nor has there been.
    Senator Cruz. We are also seeing, in addition to protesters 
chanting ``Libertad,'' chanting ``Freedom,'' in addition to 
chanting ``Down with the dictatorship,'' we are seeing them 
waving American flags. Why is it, do you think, that they wave 
American flags?
    Ms. Power. Well, this is something we have seen around the 
world, and for all of our imperfections, we are a country based 
on an idea, a set of ideas, that people are entitled to human 
rights and equality and dignity.
    I believe that that flag, our flag, certainly for me as an 
immigrant to this country, embodies those aspirations.
    Senator Cruz. Across the globe, we have seen this 
repeatedly, whether in Cuba or in Hong Kong, and I think there 
is no symbol today in the world that more powerfully embodies 
freedom than the American flag.
    Sometimes it seems that those protesters and dissidents in 
other countries understand that better than some people in our 
own country do.
    Let me shift to another area, which is Gaza.
    Recently, I traveled to Israel in the wake of the massive 
rocket attacks that Israel faced, and at the time met with 
senior leaders in the Israeli Government, who consistently 
raised concerns about money in Gaza being diverted to go to 
Hamas and going to terrorism.
    In fact, we heard specifically about water pipes designed 
to provide clean water and sewage being turned into rockets, 
the same steel pipes that were meant to have clean water 
instead being used as weapons of war and rockets.
    Likewise, concrete meant to build homes and buildings being 
turned into the infrastructure for terror tunnels to attack 
Israeli citizens.
    What specific steps will you take to prevent Hamas from 
using the metal, the concrete, and the money that the Biden 
administration intends to pour into Gaza?
    Ms. Power. I am out of time to do your question justice, 
but I have also visited those crossings and have met with 
families that have in the past, at least, been able to hear the 
sound of digging and the sense of anxiety and insecurity that 
creates in the wake of, again, one of these cycles of conflict. 
I can only imagine how chilling that is.
    USAID has--we work really closely with COGAT. You probably 
met with the Israelis who are themselves right there at the 
crossings deciding what goes in, checking.
    If we are talking specifically about Gaza, we work with 
international partners, trusted partners. I was indicating 
earlier we have for Gaza the most elaborate set of vetting 
procedures that we have anywhere in the world. It is a third 
layer. We vet not only the prime contracting partner and the 
sub awardee, but the sub sub awardee.
    Even though we do not have a big staff presence, we have 
third party monitoring. Again, we are working in lockstep with 
our Israeli partners and the needs are acute. We really feel 
that it is extremely important.
    We will adhere to the laws that this body has passed and 
that are absolutely essential. At the same time, meeting the 
development and humanitarian needs are in the interests of 
peace and stability in the region.
    Senator Cruz. Thank you.
    Ms. Power. Thank you, Senator.
    The Chairman [presiding]. Thank you very much.
    Senator Markey.
    Oh, sorry. I am sorry.
    Senator Shaheen.
    I thought that in all this time you would have gotten a 
shot, but I am sorry.
    Senator Shaheen.
    Senator Shaheen. No, we have had people come so that is a 
good thing.
    The Chairman. Oh, okay. Well, you are next on the list. So 
by all means. Thank you for presiding.
    Senator Shaheen. Well, thank you. Again, welcome, 
Ambassador, and thank you for the great work that you and 
everyone at USAID is doing around the world.
    There has been a lot of discussion in this hearing about 
the impacts of COVID and the additional challenges that has 
meant for countries around the world. It has also had an impact 
on women because we have seen the lack of access to family 
planning and reproductive health care for women and girls.
    In fact, because of the 10 percent decline in use of 
contraceptives, we expect that more than 48 million women will 
have an unmet need for modern contraception and more than 15 
million additional unintended pregnancies will happen.
    Can you talk about how you expect to work to expand and 
improve USAID's family planning and reproductive health 
programs and what we need to do to increase access to these 
programs in the middle of this pandemic?
    Ms. Power. Thank you, Senator.
    Well, I think we have heard the whole range of impacts on 
women from the pandemic, including the surge in domestic 
violence, described as the second pandemic or a shadow 
pandemic.
    I would say that the combination of, again, making sure 
that USAID is pursuing not only sustainable development, but 
inclusive development, and what we have seen over the life of 
the pandemic and we will get the data on this in a more 
systematized way soon, but is on all of our programs whether it 
is, yes, there have been kids dropping out of the school 
population, but a disproportionate number of girls.
    Yes, there have been drop off in health services across all 
populations, but with the disproportionate effect that you 
describe, of course, on voluntary family planning.
    So I think the combination of our preexisting funding with 
an emphasis on those disproportionately affected by the 
pandemic plus, thanks to your collective generosity through the 
ARP funding, that has given us an opportunity to go back into 
our global health programming and ask, okay, what is the COVID 
fallout component of this where we have to supplement what we 
had planned to do to begin with.
    Now, some of that ARP money now has been dedicated to 
vaccine purchases, which was not anticipated. So the 2022 
budget request is really important in this regard, but it is 
going to take a long time. I mean, you could never go back in 
time for the people who have suffered, again, these 
disproportionate effects in any one of these domains, but even 
to get back to where we were in, January of 2020 it is going to 
take, really, years.
    The other thing I would point to, it is not exactly on 
point but is the Gender Equity and Equality Action Fund. It is 
not on point because it is not family planning specific, but it 
is an effort in expanding WGDP, which existed and it was doing 
important work in the last administration, but expanding that 
effort and the resources dedicated to it to deal with some of 
these very specific COVID effects on women, and happy to talk 
more about that.
    Senator Shaheen. Well, I hope we will see an ambassador for 
global women's issues nominated soon to help address those 
challenges in the State Department.
    I do want to go on to Afghanistan because, as you pointed 
out, I do have an interest in what is happening there, as we 
all do.
    There are reports out today that we have begun evacuating 
SIV applicants who have helped the United States. I do not know 
if that report is accurate, but, obviously, we have thousands 
of Afghans who have helped the United States over the last 20 
years who are in the queue, and in real danger if they are not 
able to leave the country.
    So I would like for you to respond to that and what we are 
doing through USAID to help with that in terms of any Afghans 
who worked with USAID.
    I would also like you to talk about what we can do to help 
women and girls once we are completely out of the country, 
which I think is probably just imminent, and what USAID can 
continue to do to help, particularly, women and girls in the 
country.
    Ms. Power. Thank you.
    Well, in brief, our intention is to continue our 
programming. We are every bit as aware as you of the 
deteriorating security environment, of the Taliban's recent 
gains.
    It is hard to disentangle the development questions, 
whether those development questions are relating to women and 
girls or the population as a whole, from the question of 
ongoing security relationship with the Afghan Security Forces.
    So I think if you saw the handover ceremony where General 
McKenzie now has, in a sense, assumed command from CENTCOM, but 
looking at the ways in which we can continue to pay Afghan 
Security Forces, vet them, maintain their ability or support 
their maintenance of their ability to hold their ground.
    Things have not been going well these last weeks. It is the 
fighting season, but I want to start with noting the importance 
of security cooperation.
    Our partners want to stay. I think you and I have talked 
about this a little bit in the past. Many of our partners were 
there prior to 9/11 and have worked in some of these what I 
would consider impossible circumstances and have found a way to 
continue to deliver assistance.
    We, USAID, and the U.S. embassy as a whole through COVID 
have also learned to work remotely. We have not been out and 
about because of lockdowns nearly as much as we might have been 
before, and so that has given us some technical capacity.
    We are consolidating our hub at the embassy, true, but have 
an ability to, again, partner with our implementing partners.
    So, again, it is the security situation that will, I 
suppose, influence the cost benefit calculus of any particular 
partner as they think of--especially those outside of Kabul, 
but our intention is to continue to fund those efforts and it 
is, certainly, what the Afghan people want more than anything.
    Very briefly, and it just is too important not to try to 
address even though I know I am over time, as it--thank you and 
thank everybody up here for raising your voices on the fate of 
our Afghan partners.
    That includes not only USAID staff or embassy staff or 
interpreters and translators who have worked with our military 
or the intelligence community, but our implementing partners--
those NGOs that have been out there on the front lines 
promoting women and girls' education.
    Just to take the USAID staff question as a kind of proxy 
for this larger challenge, about half of our current USAID 
staff at the embassy are eligible for SIV, only half because of 
the time requirement which is to 2 years, so they might be just 
shy of that.
    Of our 5,300 Afghan implementing partners, two-thirds are 
not eligible for SIV because, as you might recall, the 
legislation makes contractees eligible, but not those who 
receive USAID grants or cooperative agreements.
    As a result, we have to look at other mechanisms in those 
scenarios to think about how to not create inequity as it 
relates to taking care of those who have risked so much in 
partnership with us.
    What I can say, and I am sure you have been in these 
conversations, is that this is a huge priority for President 
Biden. We do have other refugee resettlement options. There is 
an effort, as you as you indicated----
    The Chairman. Administrator, I am going to ask you to 
augment the record. I love your very complete answers.
    Ms. Power. Always.
    The Chairman. We have another vote coming up and we still 
have some colleagues who have questions to ask. So with all due 
respect.
    Ms. Power. I never thought I would be the one to want to 
prolong a hearing.
    The Chairman. Well, you are doing a good job of it.
    [Laughter.]
    Senator Shaheen. Thank you.
    The Chairman. Thank you. Thank you, Senator Shaheen.
    I understand Senator Merkley is with us virtually and then 
Senator Markey will be next.
    Senator Merkley. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and 
thank you, Administrator Power. I wanted to applaud the fact 
that you are working to have USAID produce a climate strategy. 
When do we expect to see that?
    Ms. Power. I believe you are going to see it by October or 
November of this year, of course, but let me get back to you on 
the precise timing.
    Senator Merkley. So in the past, we have often associated 
economic development with the production of more electric power 
in countries and supported various fossil fuel strategies to 
produce that electric power.
    Will we completely pivot away from supporting the expansion 
of fossil fuel development of electricity generation?
    Ms. Power. I am not hearing you perfectly, but certainly, 
this administration's emphasis absolutely is on transitioning 
away from fossil fuels and to clean energy solutions. That is 
our emphasis in Power Africa.
    I am the vice chair of the Development Financing 
Corporation. That is absolutely the objective, as you know, of 
new projects and initiatives that DFC is pursuing. So that is, 
certainly, the strategic thrust of everything we are doing in 
terms of transition in our energy dialogues, partnerships, also 
in encouraging regulatory changes because that is something 
USAID missions do well and apart from technological tools. We 
know we are running out of time.
    Senator Merkley. Great. So I am going to speak more loudly.
    Ms. Power. That is better. Thank you.
    Senator Merkley. Better?
    Ms. Power. Yes.
    Senator Merkley. So there has to be absolute clarity here. 
We cannot continue to encourage the world to develop new 
sources of fossil fuels to power new electric power generation 
plants.
    If you compare the last 30 years, the previous 30 years, 
the changes are dramatic, and it is absolutely savaging the 
western part of the United States.
    Where I come from, from Oregon, we now live in fear of 
summer and the fire season and the droughts that are having 
such a huge impact.
    So, in your role with DFC, the individuals within DFC have 
indicated they plan to continue to finance natural gas 
projects. Will you, in your role, say that has to come to an 
end?
    Ms. Power. Well, my understanding, Senator, and maybe I 
should just get back to you on this, but is that that is, 
again, the objective for DFC as well.
    What I do not know is in terms of projects in the 
pipeline--what their obligations are, but that is absolutely 
the position of President Biden that we have to move in that 
direction and it is my position as well.
    Senator Merkley. Well, and let me note that the climate 
impacts are having a massive impact on human health across the 
world, and so when we think of the mission of USAID of 
improving the health and welfare of people around this country, 
it is just essential that USAID adopt a strategy, this climate 
strategy, for a full transition to renewable energy and away 
from fossil fuels.
    Otherwise, we are just tending to continue to promote the 
strategy that is bringing the disaster we are facing right now, 
and every report coming out shows more and more people are 
becoming climate refugees.
    Ms. Power. Like COVID, climate change effects are now 
cutting across, literally, every single aspect of USAID's 
programming in a crushing way.
    So I agree completely, and I should say and should have 
said at the outset that, of course, I am working very closely 
with Secretary Kerry and his team as they build out their 
diplomatic push to get countries to make the kinds of 
commitments they need to make so that USAID can swoop in behind 
and provide the programmatic support to facilitate those 
transitions.
    A huge part of what we do, Senator, is also just deal with 
the harms and how to mitigate the damage caused by the 
increasing temperatures that we already see, including through 
heat resistant seeds and the kind of research we do in food 
security.
    Because already the famine numbers, the displacement 
numbers, the conflict numbers, they are already rooted in 
scarcer natural resources and by virtue of hotter climates and 
more extreme weather events.
    Senator Merkley. Well, and you are absolutely correct about 
the connection between what we do and what Senator Kerry is 
doing, and as he works with the world to help people pivot off 
of fossil fuels, it completely undermines his efforts if we are 
continuing to develop fossil fuel resources domestically or if 
we are promoting it through USAID or through the Development 
Finance Corporation.
    So many countries are less well off than we are, and for us 
to say, well, we are going to continue to develop things here 
at home, but we want you to stop and pivot to renewables does 
not put a lot of weight behind the moral authority of the 
vision that Ambassador Kerry is working to advocate for around 
the world, and without U.S. leadership in this, we are in 
complete trouble.
    I will look with great interest to your climate strategy, 
really encourage you to use your leverage with the Development 
Finance Corporation for them to end their fossil fuel 
investments and support, which they tell me they want to keep 
doing, and I would like to hear a very different answer coming 
from them in the future.
    Ms. Power. Thank you, Senator.
    Senator Merkley. Thank you.
    The Chairman. Thank you.
    Senator Markey.
    Senator Markey. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, very much.
    I am very pleased. Just following up on what Senator 
Merkley was talking about, I am very pleased that there is a 
request for $600 million for bilateral climate change 
programming within the budget requests.
    Asia is by far the part of the world that is most disaster 
prone. It experiences twice as many severe storms, major 
floods, as the Americas or Africa, and between 2008 and 2018, 
more than 80 percent of all disaster-related displacements 
occurred in the Indo-Pacific region.
    Can you speak about how USAID is planning to mobilize that 
funding with those countries? Because, after all, it was, in 
fact, the devastating tsunami in 2014 that created the Quad 
format, consisting of the United States, Japan, Australia, and 
India, to put together a humanitarian response.
    So could you talk about what the vision is that AID has for 
working in partnership with these countries on climate-related 
disasters in the Indo-Asia area?
    Ms. Power. Let me attempt to. While noting that your 
question is actually more complicated than it would seem 
because we have in the budget request, as you noted, a request 
for an increase, unsurprisingly, from the last administration 
as it relates to climate-specific funding.
    Bear in mind also, Senator Markey, that that our emergency 
funding request, our Bureau of Humanitarian Affairs request, is 
also really the product of climate-related emergencies now 
informing the number of emergencies that we have to respond to.
    So there is conflicts. Of course, so many conflicts are 
themselves related, as we were just talking about, to climate-
related scarcity and so forth.
    I mention that because it is not only our climate and 
environmental programming and what we might do, for example, to 
help a country transition to clean energy sources or how we 
might enhance disaster resilience of the kind that we have done 
in Central America, where a hurricane strikes and far fewer 
people die now than died with comparable hurricanes striking a 
decade ago, all of that is incredibly important.
    When it comes to just getting out the gate when those harms 
have taken hold, and I was not aware of the stat that you just 
described in terms of that decade of, again, disparate impact 
of extreme weather events in that region, but that makes it 
likely that our Bureau of Humanitarian Affairs funding is 
likely to be steered in managing those crises.
    That money would allow us to respond to disasters annually 
in more than 70 countries, which is what we now have to crazily 
bake into our calculation by virtue of conflict, but also of 
this surging number of extreme weather events.
    Senator Markey. Thank you.
    Can I just turn quickly, if I could, to Haiti?
    Ms. Power. Please.
    Senator Markey. After Hurricane Maria hit in September of 
2017, I went down to see what the conditions were and, clearly, 
AID was central in helping these people through that disaster.
    At the same time, they were still suffering from the legacy 
of the U.N. troops in 2010 bringing cholera for the first time 
in their history into their country, and it has affected 
hundreds of thousands of people in that country, and now they 
are in another crisis down in Haiti.
    Could you talk a little bit, if you could, about the role 
you see AID playing now during this particularly difficult time 
for the country?
    Ms. Power. Thank you. I think one cannot decouple the 
diplomacy from the development and humanitarian assistance. Not 
that you would, but, in terms of root causes, there has to be a 
path to political unity. There has to be a recognized 
government now in the wake of this horrific assassination.
    There has to be a roadmap to legislative and presidential 
elections, and USAID will support, of course, the effort to get 
to elections as soon as practical and as soon as possible.
    I think we have a role, of course, in seeking to strengthen 
Haiti's sanitation. We provided, I think, 300,000 food vouchers 
last year.
    We have expanded access to health care, working in 164 
clinics, which reaches 4 million of the 11 million people in 
Haiti, I gather. So there is that kind of core health and 
sanitation and other development investments and then alongside 
the emergency responses because with Haiti, especially, what 
the country has always struggled with and our investments have 
never redressed in a durable way is resilience, is this ability 
to withstand a shock, whether a hurricane, an earthquake, or a 
depravity like this assassination.
    So that is our emphasis and perhaps there will be more 
resources now available for that as people focus on Haiti again 
as we, unfortunately, tend to do in society, at least, in 
cyclical ways even as USAID is on the ground throughout.
    Senator Markey. Thank you. I do agree with you, that after 
years of assistance it has not brought democracy or stability 
to Haiti, and we just cannot continue down the same path 
expecting a different result.
    So we just have to have a new way in which we relate to 
that country, as we move forward and I think we are very 
fortunate to have someone like you who has this job, not just 
for that situation, but for every other one of these crises 
across the planet that are humanitarian crises that need U.S. 
help.
    So thank you so much for all your great work.
    Ms. Power. Thank you, Senator.
    The Chairman. Thank you.
    Administrator, I am going to just rattle off a series of 
things because of time constraints. I will look forward to 
speaking to you afterwards. There is a vote going on, on the 
floor.
    Certainly, in Cuba, we are seeing unprecedented pro-
democracy protests as courageous Cuban men and women are 
demanding change in their country and end to the dictatorship. 
They are being met with violence by the regime, bloody 
violence.
    I want to follow up with you on how part of our Cuba 
democracy grants come to USAID, about $6 million or so. So I 
want to follow up on how USAID can strengthen its existing 
programs to support the efforts of the Cuban people to become 
more free.
    I am concerned that with what has happened in Armenia--I 
mean, with Azerbaijan and Turkey's aggression towards Armenia 
that the request does not meet the humanitarian challenge that 
has existed and the exodus of people have had to flee to 
Armenia. It looks so low. So I want to follow up with you on 
that issue.
    I would like to follow up on you on our priorities for the 
U.S.-Colombia relationship, which is right now in a very 
difficult set of circumstances--one of our closest partners in 
Latin America and strong bipartisan support for that 
relationship.
    There is a series of challenges the country is facing with 
the overflow from Venezuela and others, and then lastly, I, 
certainly, want to follow up with you on the questions of your 
trip to Central America plus what we are seeing in the 
hemisphere. For example, I support the decision that AID made 
with reference to changing some of our funding as it relates to 
the actions of President Bukele.
    I think there has to be consequences for such actions, but 
I would like to get a sense of how and what standards we are 
going to create to restore funding for its original purpose so 
that we can set clear markers to those in the hemisphere, where 
we stand to help your people, but you cannot, ultimately, do 
what you are doing if you want our help.
    So just a few items that I will follow up with you. They 
are all important, and we thank you for your service. We thank 
you for your very elaborate testimony today.
    The record will remain open until the close of business 
tomorrow.
    With the thanks of the committee, this hearing is 
adjourned.
    [Whereupon, at 12:33 p.m., the hearing was adjourned.]
                              ----------                              


              Additional Material Submitted for the Record


               Responses of Samantha Power to Questions 
                  Submitted by Senator Robert Menendez

                         global health security
    Question. The President requested $800 million for global health 
security programs and activities in fiscal year 2022 including funds 
for 70 new positions at USAID to support Global Health Security 
programs.
    How will these positions be integrated into the organizational 
structure at USAID, and how will they increase the ability of the U.S. 
to help countries, prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease 
outbreaks?

    Answer. The President's request for Global Health Security programs 
and staff will be fully integrated into the Agency's organizational 
structure to strengthen its critical prevention and response efforts 
around the world. With these additional resources, USAID will establish 
Global Health Security programs and staff in additional countries and 
invest in programs to detect future infectious disease outbreaks. These 
program and staff resources will enable USAID--in partnership with 
interagency partners, other nations, international organizations, and 
public and private stakeholders--to build country capacities to prevent 
avoidable epidemics, detect threats early, and respond rapidly and 
effectively to disease outbreaks and other critical infectious disease 
threats (including reducing antimicrobial resistance) in an effort to 
prevent them from becoming national or global emergencies.

    Question. What specific actions should we be taking with our 
partners to strengthen health security and ensure we are prepared for 
the next pandemic? How does this budget support such efforts?

    Answer. The President's FY 2022 budget request emphasizes the 
importance of USAID re-establishing partnerships with host countries, 
interagency partners, other nations, international organizations, and 
non-governmental stakeholders to build countries' capacities to prevent 
avoidable epidemics, detect threats early, and respond rapidly to 
disease outbreaks and other critical infectious disease threats, so as 
to prevent them from becoming national or global emergencies.
    Consistent with National Security Memorandum-1, USAID believes the 
following areas present opportunities to work with our partners to 
strengthen global health security:

   USAID will continue to build country capacities to prevent, 
        detect, and respond to infectious disease threats through the 
        Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) and related programs. 
        USAID will utilize the additional resources to expand country 
        capacity building projects into new countries and regions, 
        spanning Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America--
        implementing a One Health approach working across the human 
        health, animal health, and environmental sectors.

   USAID will replenish the Emergency Reserve Fund to the pre-
        pandemic level, ensuring the Agency is ready to respond rapidly 
        to infectious disease threats.

   USAID's request will support the objectives of the Access to 
        COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (the ACT Accelerator). This 
        initiative consists of four components with real world impacts: 
        diagnostics, therapeutics, vaccines (commonly referred to as 
        COVAX), and the Health Systems Connector.


    Question. How has USAID leveraged the lessons learned from years of 
successful work in combating infectious diseases overseas? How 
specifically has USAID leveraged the PEPFAR, TB and Malaria platforms, 
networks and lessons learned to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic? What 
is the strategy for applying lessons learned from the work of the 
Office of Infectious Disease moving forward and can you give us some 
timeframes for defined results?

    Answer. The U.S. Government has leveraged and continues to leverage 
numerous programs and initiatives to help partners prepare for and 
respond to COVID-19, including through the Global Health Security 
Agenda (GHSA), the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), 
the President's Malaria Initiative (PMI), and U.S. Government 
tuberculosis (TB) control programs. USAID will continue to leverage 
these and other existing investments and networks to respond to COVID-
19 and prepare for future outbreaks.

   In FY 2020, GHSA programs utilized past investments and 
        platforms to support partner country COVID-19 response 
        activities, including contact tracing, risk communication and 
        community engagement, and coordination of public health 
        response efforts. Partner countries that were provided 
        assistance through GHSA were able to build upon the related 
        health security platforms and programs to mount their COVID-19 
        responses. For example, in Thailand, Cambodia and Nepal, 
        scientists and their networks of laboratories trained by USAID 
        projects quickly mobilized to rapidly detect SARS-CoV-2 in 
        early human cases by using laboratory protocols to detect new 
        viruses before specific tests for COVID-19 were broadly 
        available. Additionally, animal health laboratories 
        strengthened by the USAID projects were able to provide much-
        needed surge capacity for testing of human samples during the 
        COVID-19 pandemic.

   Many of USAID's implementing partners that receive PEPFAR 
        funding for HIV/AIDS services have received COVID-19 funds for 
        response activities, including case management, oxygen, 
        diagnostics and laboratory support, supply chain strengthening 
        and vaccine readiness technical assistance activities. For 
        example, the EpiC and RISE projects have been providing COVID-
        19 assistance in a variety of the above-mentioned activities in 
        more than 50 countries, including Nigeria, Eswatini, El 
        Salvador, Ghana, Kazakhstan, India, Indonesia, Mozambique and 
        Philippines. USAID has leveraged PEPFAR-funded partners to 
        expand access to medical oxygen through the procurement and 
        distribution of oxygen-generating equipment and related 
        consumables and durables, along with site preparations to 
        ensure the equipment is properly installed and necessary 
        clinical and non-clinical technical assistance to train 
        facility-level staff on the use and maintenance of this 
        equipment. Partners have helped strengthen and improve clinical 
        management of COVID-19 patients, including training and 
        mentorship for physicians, nurses, biomedical engineers, 
        community health workers, and other members of 
        interdisciplinary health care teams. Tools and resources have 
        been developed and disseminated in all areas of COVID-19 case 
        management, including IPC, home-based care, triage, mental 
        health and psychosocial support, as well as procurements 
        completed for essential equipment and supplies. In Thailand, 
        for example, training was provided on post COVID-19 care and 
        support to strengthen the knowledge and skill of the peer 
        community workers in order to provide appropriate care and 
        support to people who recovered from COVID-19 infection.

   USAID's TB investments have strengthened the ability of 
        partner countries to detect and prevent the spread of other 
        airborne infections, such as COVID-19, including bi-directional 
        screening and testing for TB and COVID-19, identifying cases 
        through joint contact investigations, and supporting the 
        expansion of digital X-ray screening tools and introduction of 
        genotyping technology in Asia, Eastern Europe, and Africa. In 
        many countries, TB staff are also working on COVID-19 responses 
        because they have the necessary skills. To mitigate COVID-19's 
        devastating impact on TB services, USAID developed 9-month TB 
        targeted efforts in seven high TB burden countries. However, as 
        COVID-19 surges in these countries, USAID anticipates potential 
        setbacks. USAID will continue to leverage existing investments 
        and networks to respond to both TB and COVID-19 and prepare for 
        future outbreaks.

   PMI, led by USAID, adapted its programming to respond to 
        COVID-19 and to support the development of global guidance for 
        malaria programs to adapt to COVID-19. PMI-supported service 
        delivery platforms are being used to diagnose and manage fevers 
        and report on progress related to both malaria and COVID-19. 
        PMI central and bilateral partners have also built on malaria 
        investments to encourage behaviors to combat COVID-19. PMI 
        support to strengthen laboratory surveillance to monitor for 
        insecticide and malaria drug resistance is being leveraged for 
        rapid detection and surveillance of COVID-19 in multiple 
        countries.
                            central america
    Question. What steps can USAID take to strengthen the relationship 
between civil society organizations and governments in the region 
specifically as it relates to improving democratic governance?

    Answer. USAID is reinvigorating efforts to engage with local 
partners and deepen locally-led development approaches. Local civil 
society organizations (CSOs) have a nuanced understanding of a 
country's current and historical context, including the formal and 
informal rules of the game that shape how governance functions in the 
country. CSOs are aware of the political actors and their interests at 
all levels, allowing CSOs to identify potential levers and 
opportunities for reform. In addition to providing direct support to 
CSOs working to strengthen democratic governance, USAID also 
collaborates with CSOs to strengthen their internal leadership, 
management, governance, and technical capacity. This approach builds 
CSO capacity to develop and implement policy, advocacy, and partnership 
strategies and identify and engage government stakeholders, maximizing 
the impact and sustainability of their work.
    Beyond the provision of resources and technical assistance, USAID 
coordinates with our interagency partners to facilitate collaboration 
and dialogue between CSOs and governments; publicly expresses support 
for constructive CSO initiatives that may be viewed as threatening to 
entrenched interests; and, where necessary, supports physical and 
digital security measures for CSO leaders and staff facing harassment 
and threats.
    In El Salvador, USAID is building the capacity of, and supporting 
local CSOs to fight back against closing civic space. This includes 
fostering collaboration among CSOs and coordination with local 
universities, thorough analysis of the country's legal framework 
related to CSOs, the review of draft laws, the development of proposed 
reforms, and the facilitation of well-informed, unified CSO 
communications with government officials and other domestic actors on 
proposed and enacted legislation. This includes newly elected 
legislators who are unfamiliar with international law on freedom of 
association or Financial Action Task Force recommendations, the 
internationally endorsed global standards against money laundering and 
terrorist financing.
    In Guatemala, USAID is facilitating conversations between youth and 
Government of Guatemala (GOG) staff managing La Ruta, a government-led 
dialogue with Indigenous Peoples to strengthen governance, security, 
and prosperity in areas with high levels of outward migration and 
illicit trafficking. USAID also supports CSO implementing partners to 
complement and reinforce efforts under La Ruta, including formal 
agreements with the Social Welfare Secretariat and mayors' offices on 
cost-sharing, government certification of CSO-provided vocational and 
technical training programs, and public resource grants for service 
provision.
    At the start of 2021, USAID supported a new campaign in Guatemala 
called ``Safe Return to School'' led by the local non-profit FUNSEPA. 
This partnership among USAID, the Government of Guatemala, and local 
civil society has gained additional support from the U.S. Department of 
Defense and the private sector. The campaign provides schools in 
Guatemala with the tools they need to safely reopen while also 
preventing the spread of COVID-19 and creates an opportunity for a 
trusted civil society organization to be at the planning and decision 
making table with the Ministry of Education.
    In Honduras, USAID is creating dialogue opportunities between CSOs 
and the Government of Honduras (GOH) to advance the priorities of 
vulnerable populations. These dialogues are focused on creating 
conditions for more inclusive electoral processes. USAID is also 
supporting local CSOs to strengthen their institutional capacity to 
combat corruption and impunity in Honduras in cooperation with the GOH. 
For example, through a subgrant to the Association for a More Just 
Society (ASJ), USAID is working with the Public Ministry to increase 
access to justice and improve the efficiency of the security and 
justice sectors.
    Additionally, USAID is working with local citizen oversight 
organizations to engage with municipal governments to improve the 
quality of services. For example, within the 40 western Honduras target 
municipalities of the Honduras Local Governance Activity, 38 citizen 
transparency commissions monitored the distribution of essential COVID-
19 prevention supplies (masks, hand sanitizer, gloves) to approximately 
97,993 households, equivalent to more than 400,000 individuals.
    USAID/Honduras provides support to the National Anticorruption 
Council (CNA) to strengthen its institutional capacity so that it 
remains a credible and independent actor capable of combating 
corruption and impunity in Honduras. During FY 2020, CNA provided 
technical assistance to nine GOH institutions, including the Honduran 
Social Investment Fund (FHIS), on transparent procurement practices. 
CNA also provided oversight to FHIS to ensure the proper use of public 
resources in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, CNA 
trained 333 public officials and 132 non-governmental organization 
representatives in accountability, transparency, and advocacy.

    Question. Beyond the assistance USAID is dedicating to strengthen 
democratic governance in Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador, what 
actions does USAID need to take, and perhaps more importantly how do 
our diplomatic approaches need to evolve to enshrine democratic 
principles in these countries?

    Answer. USAID is actively working to bring in new partners and 
perspectives through more flexible and responsive grant and contract 
mechanisms and creating spaces for dialogue, consultation, and 
feedback. For example, the practice of meaningfully engaging youth in 
the design, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation of projects 
and activities that concern them--such as youth violence prevention 
initiatives--is increasingly institutionalized. Similarly, the recently 
established Northern Triangle Task Force holds regular consultations 
with local and international civil society organizations. Moreover, the 
Agency is strengthening cross-sectoral and interagency approaches to 
corruption and democratic backsliding. Additionally, USAID developed a 
mission-wide anti-corruption strategy in Honduras, and USAID 
participates in regular interagency rule of law discussions and 
collaborates with interagency stakeholders at the Embassy in Guatemala. 
In El Salvador, USAID responded to the removal of all five magistrates 
of the Supreme Court's Constitutional Chamber and the removal of 
Attorney General by redirecting funding from the associated 
institutions and establishing benchmarks for re-engagement with the 
Government.

    Question. What immediate and long-term policies, programs, and 
actions are required to advance prosperity, combat corruption, 
strengthen democratic governance, improve civilian security, enhance 
the rule of law, and strengthen migration management?

    Answer. In accordance with President Biden's February 2, 2021, 
Executive Order, USAID is collaborating with interagency partners on 
forthcoming strategies that both address the critical factors pushing 
Central Americans to migrate and strengthen multilateral efforts on 
migration management. This includes corruption, which remains a 
pervasive and systematic challenge to country development throughout 
Latin America and which feeds into and exacerbates the migration 
crisis. Throughout the region, corruption drives crime, violence, and 
migration; fuels transnational criminal organizations--including gangs 
and cartels; contributes to environmental degradation; and contributes 
to democratic backsliding. And around the world, rampant and systemic 
corruption is preventing governments from making greater progress on 
the Sustainable Development Goals and meeting the needs of their 
populations. Data suggests corruption impacts and undermines the rule 
of law (ROL), citizen trust, and country competitiveness and 
investment, while driving increased risks of bribery and links to 
global crime. Under President Biden's leadership, countering corruption 
is a U.S. foreign policy priority, which he noted ``rots democracy from 
the inside and is increasingly weaponized by authoritarian states to 
undermine democratic institutions.'' Underscoring this commitment, on 
June 3, the President issued a National Security Study Memorandum 
(NSSM) (https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/
2021/06/03/memorandum-on-establishing-the-fight-against-corruption-as-
a-core-united-states-national-security-interest/) establishing the 
fight against corruption as a core U.S. national security interest. And 
in order to meet this moment, I have stood up a new Anti-Corruption 
Task Force to strengthen, elevate and integrate anti-corruption across 
USAID's work, and to feed into broader U.S. Government efforts to 
counter this scourge.
    We are still early in this process, but already well underway in 
exploring new lines of work or modalities, mechanisms and partnerships. 
We know that this will require new ways to expand both our local and 
global partnerships in order to empower civil society activists, 
investigative journalists, and grassroots anti-corruption reformers. 
USAID already does a lot of work in this space, but we know we need new 
ways to expand and diversify our partner base. We will also seek the 
development of new partnerships with the private sector, academia, and 
groups beyond ``the usual suspects'' in order to expand the stakeholder 
base for combating corruption. We will also prioritize exploring new 
regional and global programming, especially as a way to strengthen our 
ability to address the globalized aspects of corruption, including 
illicit finance and transnational organized crime. In line with the 
NSSM and planned USG Anti-Corruption Strategy we will explore ways to 
pivot USAID programming to tie into broader USG efforts by other 
agencies. And finally, we will also explore new modalities to enhance 
USAID's rapid response capacity and help us support the journalists and 
activists who expose corruption, seize on opportunities to push legal 
or regulatory reform, and strengthen the independence of oversight 
institutions.
    I look forward to working with Congress to implement these 
strategies and to receiving your feedback in the coming weeks and 
months.

    Question. What will USAID do to galvanize support for a credible 
electoral process in Haiti?

    Answer. USAID is currently supporting pre-election activities that 
are intended to lay the foundation for upcoming legislative and 
presidential elections. These activities focus on improving electoral 
administration, strengthening the competitiveness of political parties, 
educating voters on electoral processes, promoting electoral 
transparency, and ensuring inclusive voter participation.
    USAID is providing more than $3 million to the Consortium for 
Elections and Political Processes Strengthening, which includes the 
National Democratic Institute, the International Republican Institute, 
and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems.
    USAID is providing technical assistance to Haiti's Provisional 
Electoral Council (CEP) through this consortium to build the capacity 
of electoral authorities to conduct credible elections. This includes 
technical assistance for strategic planning, information technology, 
and training for CEP staff, the Communal Electoral Office and the 
Departmental Electoral Office staff.

    Question. What support is USAID providing to address the 
extraordinarily high levels of gender-based violence amongst internally 
displaced persons living both in camps as well as with host families. 
The UN has reported on a rise in offers of ``sex for shelter.''

    Answer. USAID prioritizes preventing and responding to gender-based 
violence (GBV) from the outset of crises in recognition of the critical 
impact this type of violence has on the lives of women and girls. It 
remains central to our efforts, as part of immediate and life-saving 
activities during all stages of humanitarian response. USAID funding 
towards GBV programs around the world have continued to increase 
reaching nearly $95 million in FY 2020. USAID funded 102 humanitarian 
assistance awards in FY 2020 that supported field-level GBV prevention 
and response and an additional 8 contributed to global research, 
policy, and capacity-building addressing GBV in emergencies. 
Collectively, these interventions supported over 3.3 million people in 
27 countries and at the global level.
    USAID humanitarian assistance, such as programming in camps and 
host communities in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Ethiopia, DRC, Somalia, South 
Sudan, Haiti, and Burma, prioritizes GBV activities that include a core 
package of assistance to adult and child GBV survivors. These services 
include case management, safety planning, group-based and individual 
psychosocial support, establishment of community-based safety patrols 
or resource collection groups, women's empowerment activities, access 
to justice or legal aid, and mobile-based support or activities to 
reach populations unable to access facilities in central areas.
    COVID-19 has led to a dramatic increase in GBV, specifically 
intimate partner violence, what experts are now calling a `shadow 
pandemic.' In recognition, USAID is supporting humanitarian partners to 
directly address pandemic-related GBV needs. Practically, this means 
adapting GBV services for the COVID-19 reality, which may include 
equipping social workers to provide support over the phone or through 
virtual platforms, amplifying staffing of domestic violence and other 
GBV hotlines, and training for health responders to safely and 
compassionately support GBV survivors.
    These approaches reflect USAID's commitment to the protection and 
empowerment of women and girls in all humanitarian assistance: USAID 
has a comprehensive set of safe programming and GBV risk mitigation 
requirements for partner organizations implementing humanitarian 
assistance programming. This has resulted in humanitarian partners 
designing assistance activities in ways that mitigate risks, enhance 
more protective approaches across all sectors (including the provision 
of shelter assistance), and minimizing the potential for sexual 
exploitation or abuse. Humanitarian shelter and settlements programs 
specifically must consult with and ensure safe accommodation for women, 
girls, and at-risk groups, and take into account the privacy and safety 
needs of all beneficiaries, ensure they are able to safely access 
shelter assistance, incorporate approaches into shelter programming 
that enable women and girls to build or pay for safe shelter, and 
minimize the potential for those responsible for overseeing or managing 
the provision of shelter to abuse that position of influence or power. 
As part of GBV risk mitigation requirements partners are encouraged to 
enhance links with and referrals to GBV programming, supporting women 
and girls with more immediate access to information, empowerment 
activities, and support. Every humanitarian program that USAID funds 
requires robust complaints and feedback mechanisms specific to sexual 
exploitation and abuse to be in place, along with an implementation 
plan for those feedback mechanisms.

    Question. The United States has invested significant amounts of 
funding in Haiti over the past decade. Can you please describe what, if 
any, lessons the agency has learned from our experiences thus far? Is 
there anything that the international community can and should do 
differently from an assistance perspective?

    Answer. We have seen important results in USAID/Haiti's 
programming; for example, a 23 percent reduction in infant and maternal 
mortality between 2012-2017, or the provision of Haiti's only 24-hour 
supply of reliable electricity paid for by Haitian citizens. At the 
same time, our own evaluations and external audits indicate where 
foreign assistance has fallen short of achieving sustainable 
development outcomes. Prompted by this data and the deepening crisis 
over the past 2 years, we have sought a new development approach.
    In preparation for the renewal of USAID/Haiti's Strategic 
Framework, the Mission conducted widespread consultations with Haitian 
civil society, private sector, government officials, other donors, 
Haitian Foreign Service Nationals, U.S. Congressional staff, and former 
diplomats and development officials who have served in Haiti--to 
collect lessons learned and chart a new path for our work in Haiti. The 
Mission also consulted Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports, 
evaluations, and other studies, to gather insights and recommendations.
    We expect our new strategic framework will incorporate the 
following development shifts:

   A new focus on people, communities and systems representing 
        a fundamental shift away from the U.S. Government's post-
        earthquake model of partnership with the central government and 
        prior emphasis on high-visibility, large-scale infrastructure 
        initiatives that did not sufficiently plan for sustainability.

   Greater localization of our work and engagement of new 
        partners--particularly with civil society and faith-based 
        organizations who have a track record of delivering for their 
        communities.

   A focus on building resilience across the portfolio. Shocks, 
        man-made and natural, are so frequent and recurring in Haiti as 
        to be a part of the development landscape. Given this, our new 
        strategic framework calls for the Mission to integrate, layer, 
        sequence and better coordinate our programming, especially with 
        regard to humanitarian and food assistance, education, water, 
        sanitation and the agriculture sector to ensure that our 
        investments are mutually sustaining and supportive. In 
        addition, we recognize that our humanitarian assistance must go 
        beyond helping people after a disaster or conflict. As such, we 
        are expanding efforts in disaster risk reduction to help 
        communities better prepare for disasters and reduce their 
        impact.

    Question. What efforts are underway to prevent a humanitarian 
disaster in Tigray?

    Answer. USAID is committed to providing humanitarian assistance to 
people in need in Tigray. U.S. humanitarian aid totals nearly $488 
million since the Tigray crisis began. USAID funding provides emergency 
food assistance, health and nutrition services, shelter, safe drinking 
water, and critical programs to protect the most vulnerable people.
    Unfortunately, we continue to see a de facto blockade with limited 
entry of humanitarian goods or personnel. Despite official Government 
of Ethiopia approval of convoys and United Nations Humanitarian Air 
Service (UNHAS) flights into the region, delays and murky explanations 
from the Government of Ethiopia have led to the UN and aid agencies 
facing major challenges with ground and air access to deliver supplies 
to Tigray. The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) has also 
expanded fighting, moving into Afar and Amhara regions and causing 
further conflict-related impediments.
    USAID, along with the interagency, continues to advocate with 
parties to the conflict and fellow donors at various levels on the need 
for a negotiated ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian access. USAID is 
also evaluating all possible avenues for getting assistance to those in 
need. Our teams in Washington, DC, and in the field are working on this 
day and night to try to get assistance to Ethiopians on the ground.

    Question. What measures is USAID taking to protect its partners and 
personnel operating in Tigray?

    Answer. USAID takes its responsibility for the safety and security 
of its personnel very seriously. We are committed to ensuring that 
staff members are protected and have access to the requisite safety and 
security training, guidance, and equipment.
    A comprehensive safety and security plan exists for Tigray field 
personnel, providing guidance and defining standard operating 
procedures around potential threats in-country, related to 
transportation, health, crime, hazards, and other risks. All USAID 
staff, including the Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART), fall 
under Chief of Mission authority and follow the security guidance of 
the Regional Security Officer (RSO). Additionally, psychological 
support is provided to staff through USAID Staff Care services.
    USAID partners are required to submit specific and localized safety 
and security plans that address the unique threats and vulnerabilities 
faced by local and national staff and must budget to support the safety 
and security of its personnel based on those plans. Our technical 
experts review these plans to ensure they meet our minimum standards.
    USAID is also funding the UN Department for Safety and Security 
(UNDSS) in Tigray in order to support partner safety and security.

    Question. The Administration's request represents a 10 percent 
reduction from FY20-enacted levels of support, which makes sense given 
some of our current issues with the Ethiopian Government. How are we 
reprioritizing where and how we invest in the country?

    Answer. USAID's Mission in Ethiopia uses a Country Development 
Cooperation Strategy that integrates learning and adaptation throughout 
the strategy's execution timeline. USAID will continue to ensure 
disaster risk management and resilience are integrated into its 
development approach. By extension, the USAID Mission will also 
continue to prioritize areas with poor development indicators such as 
food and food security programming to ensure Ethiopia is addressing the 
basic needs of its people. As a reflection of the changing relationship 
with the Government of Ethiopia and the Tigray crisis, USAID's Mission 
in Ethiopia has already pivoted portions of its development portfolio 
and will continue to explore near-term operational pivots as 
opportunities arise. Longer-term, the Mission will also engage in a 
strategic review within the year to reassess the nature of the 
development partnership with the Government of Ethiopia. This review 
will be used to determine where additional strategic pivots are 
required to ensure our partnership with the Ethiopian people continues.

    Question. How will the budget support efforts to reach out to civil 
society in areas outside Addis to underserved and underrepresented 
groups throughout Ethiopia?

    Answer. Expanding space for civil society throughout the country 
will continue to be an objective within the Mission's larger strategic 
framework for years to come. With inclusive political dialogue at the 
national and subnational levels essential to Ethiopia's long-term 
stability, civil society will play a key role in making sure Ethiopian 
voices are heard at all levels of this process, and in monitoring and 
holding government and other actors accountable for human rights 
abuses, when and where they occur. Our Mission in Ethiopia is 
continually evaluating new avenues to strengthen the voices of civil 
society actors throughout the country, not just in Addis.

    Question. How does this budget request support activities meant to 
respond to the ongoing needs that will result from the many incidents 
of gender-based violence that occurred in the course of the conflict in 
Tigray--and similar incidents that may have and may be occurring 
elsewhere in the country?

    Answer. I am deeply concerned about ongoing gender-based violence, 
including sexual violence, and the needs of women and girls in 
Ethiopia. USAID humanitarian programming in Tigray includes protection 
services for survivors as an integral part of our response, including 
safe spaces, psychosocial support, and case management. USAID funding 
also supports the expansion of GBV case management support, training 
for social workers and community-based case workers, providing dignity 
kits to GBV survivors, and establishing child-friendly spaces, among 
other activities. The humanitarian budget request supports the 
provision of lifesaving assistance, including ongoing needs resulting 
from GBV in Tigray, around the country, and in other complex 
emergencies worldwide, noting that the complex emergencies around the 
world far outstrip our ability to meet all the needs.
    Beyond the Tigray response, USAID/Ethiopia is working with various 
civil society organizations (CSOs) and partners to enhance their 
capacity for gender equitable approaches in improving participation, 
inclusion, and accountability. USAID/Ethiopia supports GBV prevention 
and response measures across multiple development activities as well as 
in COVID-19 and disaster response programs. This includes work to 
strengthen the ability of women and women-led civic organizations to 
meaningfully engage with government bodies and to advocate for 
improvement and implementation of legislation against GBV. This 
includes activities that promote reflection, dialogue, and behavior 
change around school related gender-based violence within the 
development portfolio. USAID/Ethiopia is also providing spaces for men 
and boys to engage in social and behavior change that promotes healthy 
and gender-equitable masculinities. USAID supports civic actors and 
media advocates to advance gender equality and women's empowerment and 
to create safe spaces for participation of women and marginalized 
people in the local governance process. USAID also promotes the 
importance of women's leadership and meaningful participation in peace 
building and conflict resolution.

    Question. Sudan's civilian-led transition is at a critical 
inflection point and the $700 million assistance package that we are 
providing to the country will be an important pillar of support. Have 
you reviewed the Mission staffing pattern in Khartoum? Are you 
confident that the USAID mission in Khartoum is robust enough to 
implement and oversee the amounts coming its way?

    Answer. USAID's current staffing level in Sudan is based on years 
of gradual programmatic and staffing declines that resulted from the 
2011 separation of Sudan and South Sudan, as most development 
assistance shifted to South Sudan. However, the assistance budget 
increases that began in FY 2019 along with the $700 million 
supplemental will require an expanded staffing effort on the ground. 
Plans are in place to deal with the short- and longer-term staffing 
needs to ensure effective implementation of programs.

    Question. What analysis has USAID conducted on how to best support 
the civilian-led transition, and how will this analysis inform the 
prioritization of both the $700 million assistance package and the FY22 
request?

    Answer. The initial spend plan for the $700 million assistance 
package reflected an approach that considered the priorities of the 
Government of Sudan (GOS) and the USG as well as existing programming. 
The analysis that went into this plan was largely based on engagements 
with GOS officials, the U.S. interagency, civil society leaders, and 
other key actors, such as donors and NGOs, that are on the front lines 
dealing with Sudan's challenges.

    Question. In Afghanistan, as the security environment grows 
increasingly precarious, it remains critically important that the U.S. 
continue to provide assistance to the Afghan people. At the same time, 
accountability for programming that assistance will remain essential. 
How are you rethinking the provision of USAID assistance in Afghanistan 
so that USAID is able to accomplish both--help those most in need, 
while ensuring that the assistance is not subject to waste or 
corruption?

    Answer. USAID faces an increasing level of complex, interrelated 
risks posed by fraud, waste, and abuse. Identifying and prioritizing 
known risks and existing internal controls are critical in determining 
a balanced approach to risk management. The launch of USAID's 2021 
Anti-Fraud Plan is an important step in managing this balance, 
understanding how well the Agency is assessing and managing fraud and 
supporting enhanced performance on Agency goals and objectives.
    In Afghanistan, USAID and its implementing partners are well 
experienced at delivering effectively in the challenging Afghan 
security environment and we have developed systems of monitoring. 
Through this multi-tiered approach and third-party monitoring efforts, 
we will continue to provide programmatic oversight as needed wherever 
and whenever USAID partners and programs operate. If the security 
environment affects USAID partners' and programs' ability to operate, 
third party monitoring efforts will correspondingly adjust.

    Question. If the Taliban were to take control through the use of 
violence, which appears to be where we are headed, will USAID continue 
to provide assistance?

    Answer. The United States is the largest single donor of 
humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, and we remain committed to 
ensuring every Afghan's basic needs are met. This includes providing 
life-saving humanitarian assistance including: food assistance; health; 
humanitarian coordination and information management; multipurpose cash 
assistance; nutrition and protection support; shelter and settlements; 
disaster risk reduction; logistics; and water, sanitation, and health 
assistance; and continuing to support development programs in 
Afghanistan that support the country's healthcare, education, and 
livelihood sectors. Through our assistance, we seek to ensure human 
rights--including women's rights--are upheld, Afghan civil society and 
media remain operational and unrestricted, access to basic and higher 
education are strengthened, and that every Afghan is able to access 
critical health care services.
    USAID programs in Afghanistan will adhere to all applicable legal 
requirements. As needed, we will work with the interagency to determine 
how we and our partners are able to provide assistance. USAID partners 
are required to report all incidents of diversion, fraud, waste, and 
abuse to USAID's Office of Inspector General. USAID centrally monitors 
these reports, and USAID Afghanistan staff continually assess such 
incidents to ensure that our assistance is reaching those for whom it 
is intended and that our partners have effective mitigation measures in 
place to help safeguard against similar incidents.

    Question. As USAID ramps down operations, our Afghan partners are 
especially vulnerable and face immense security risks. What is your 
plan for assuring the security of these individuals who have worked 
arm-in-arm with USAID for many years?

    Answer. As the largest civilian assistance donor to Afghanistan, 
USAID remains committed to our enduring partnership with the Afghan 
Government and people. We remain committed to a peaceful and prosperous 
future for all Afghans.
    USAID is not ramping down operations. USAID will continue to 
implement programs under its active strategy where conditions permit 
while also pivoting over the short- to medium-term toward basic needs 
and services, food security and livelihoods, and womens' rights. In 
addition, given the increasing displacement of Afghans around the 
country, USAID is delivering humanitarian assistance based on need and 
where access and security allow.
    For further details on the SIV process and Operation Allies Refuge, 
we defer to the Department of State.

    Question. Regarding Syrian border crossings. What further steps can 
USAID take, in conjunction with the UN and NGO partner organizations, 
to protect humanitarian supply lines across northern Syria and plan for 
continuity of operations, given these constraints and the short-time 
horizon?

    Answer. USAID welcomes the United Nations Security Council's (UNSC) 
passage of UNSC Resolution 2585 re-authorizing the Bab-al-Hawa crossing 
for 6 months, with a 6-month extension following the issuance of the 
Secretary General's report. Despite the positive outcome--gained with 
significant backing and advocacy from the United States--USAID is 
already planning for next year to ensure continuity of operations. 
USAID's efforts will continue to include robust advocacy for keeping 
Bab-al-Hawa open, reiterating the need for additional crossings, and 
reviewing and supporting all other possible modalities for supporting 
people in need. There is no alternative to match the scope and scale of 
UN cross-border assistance, making it a keystone of the humanitarian 
response in Syria that the UNSC must continue to authorize.

    Question. Does the Administration still plan to work with Turkey on 
an alternative cross-border mechanism as publicly referenced by U.S. 
Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield?

    Answer. The Administration was pleased that United Nations Security 
Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2585 passed unanimously by the UNSC on July 
9, re-authorizing the Bab-al-Hawa crossing for 12 months--6 months with 
a 6-month extension following the issuance of the Secretary General's 
report. Its passage avoided a humanitarian catastrophe by allowing the 
UN to continue to deliver lifesaving assistance to northwest Syria. 
Despite this positive outcome, USAID is already planning for next 
year's reauthorization process. The Administration will use the next 12 
months to explore all possible contingencies in coordination with our 
allies and partners, including Turkey. Regardless of these efforts, we 
know there is no alternative to match the scope and scale of UN cross-
border assistance, particularly in northwest Syria where it is a vital 
lifeline for vulnerable people.

    Question. I am concerned by the lack of a comprehensive strategy 
for this [Syrian] 10-year conflict and the implications of that 
disengagement for our regional and European allies and Israel.

    Answer. USAID acknowledges the challenges of the prolonged Syrian 
conflict. Given the vastly different regional operating environments in 
Syria, U.S. Government assistance advances three complementary, 
mutually supporting goals: 1) the enduring defeat of the so-called 
Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS); 2) the alleviation of human 
suffering; and 3) preserving the current ceasefires and cessations of 
hostility as we work towards a lasting, political resolution.
    The United States leads the D-ISIS coalition and has made clear our 
intention not to withdraw from Syria prematurely and to remain engaged 
with European and Israeli allies. USAID will continue its engagement 
with donor partner countries and multilateral organizations to 
alleviate human suffering in Syria. The United States has raised more 
than $300 million from coalition donors to support critical U.S.-led 
stabilization programs including new contributions since January 20, 
2021. Since 2011, the United States has provided nearly $13.5 billion 
in humanitarian assistance and more than $1.3 billion in stabilization 
assistance to the people of Syria, allowing USAID to carry out programs 
to restore essential services and livelihoods in Syria.

    Question. While U.S. stabilization assistance may help guard 
against ISIS resurgence, how does it factor into the Administration's 
broader Syria strategy including supporting a UN-facilitated political 
transition?

    Answer. Given the vastly different regional operating environments 
in Syria, U.S. Government advances three complementary, mutually 
supporting goals: 1) the enduring defeat of the so-called Islamic State 
of Iraq and Syria (ISIS); 2) the alleviation of human suffering; and 3) 
preserving the current ceasefires and cessations of hostility as we 
work towards a lasting, political resolution, per United Nations 
Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2254. As a member of the National 
Security Council, USAID is directly involved in the policy planning 
process for Syria.
    USAID's current stabilization assistance is largely confined to 
northeast Syria (NES), in an effort to create a more prosperous, 
democratic, and viable alternative to ISIS and regime-mismanagement. 
The U.S. Government will not provide stabilization or reconstruction 
assistance in regime-held areas until a credible political process 
leads to constitutional reform, UN-supervised elections, and a 
peaceful, political transition in accordance with UNSCR 2254. Our 
programming also seeks to promote an improved relationship between the 
citizens of NES and their officials, increased participation of women 
and underrepresented populations in governance, and support to civil 
society to serve as a check on government. Stabilization assistance 
also is helping NES to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and expands 
Syrians' access to essential services. Lastly, our stabilization 
programs acknowledge the effects of climate change by working with 
Syrians to improve their agricultural practices such as livestock 
production, water management, and crop management. These are all vital 
components to the stabilization of Syria; in that they equip the Syrian 
people with the necessary tools to build a better future for their 
country.

    Question. What is your assessment of the situation at al-Hol camp 
in Northeast Syria, where thousands of women and children are being 
kept in inhumane conditions, potentially reinforcing the extremist 
ideologies that characterized ISIS' rule? Is the level of U.S. 
resources being applied to upholding security and humanitarian 
conditions at al-Hol and similar camps sufficient?

    Answer. USAID and its interagency partners have a shared interest 
in the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and repatriation 
of foreign nationals from al-Hol as soon and safely as possible to 
prevent recruitment by extremists and radicalization of vulnerable 
populations, as well as to restore normalcy for children who comprise 
the majority of camp residents and are the most at-risk of abuse and 
exploitation. USAID supports partners to respond to the humanitarian 
needs of populations in al-Hol, including food assistance, health 
services, protection, and water and sanitation to meet basic needs. 
However, prolonged displacement, protection risks, and violent acts--
assassinations, smuggling, and attempts to indoctrinate children into 
extremist ideology--require an interagency and international approach.
    USAID and State will prioritize programs that ensure the lasting 
defeat of ISIS, support the restoration of daily life for IDPs who 
chose to return, and promote accountability for human rights 
violations. USAID will continue to closely track the security and 
humanitarian conditions at al-Hol and similar camps to ensure that 
security conditions improve and the humanitarian nature of displacement 
camps is preserved.

    Question. With Yemen on the brink of famine, the Administration's 
decision to restart assistance programs in northern Yemen and its 
recent pledge of $157 million in humanitarian assistance, appropriated 
for Yemen in the American Rescue Plan, are welcome sign of U.S. 
leadership. What is your assessment of the steps USAID has taken, in 
coordination with the UN and other international donors to ensure that 
the Houthis are not able to divert or place unacceptable conditions on 
international assistance?

    Answer. Following a year of collective donor action on benchmarks 
for non-interference in humanitarian assistance, and subsequent Houthi 
progress on those benchmarks, USAID lifted its partial suspension of 
non-governmental organization (NGO) humanitarian programs in northern 
Yemen on March 21, 2021. In lifting the suspension, USAID established 
new, stringent parameters for our partners that strengthen program 
oversight, while ensuring that the Houthis continue to facilitate 
timely access for USAID partners.
    Many of our NGO partners have been able to resume programs under 
these new parameters, including enhanced monitoring requirements to 
track attempted interference. The United Nations (UN) World Food 
Program has also started biometric beneficiary registration which has 
been an important tool to ensure the food is getting to those most in 
need. As of July 14, 6 of 14 NGO partners, reaching approximately 
790,000 beneficiaries, have resumed humanitarian assistance under these 
stringent parameters. We are working closely with other NGO partners to 
support the resumption of their operations as we continue to advocate 
for unfettered humanitarian access countrywide in coordination with 
other donors and the UN, which has maintained robust advocacy through 
direct engagement with the Houthis. As we did throughout the partial 
suspension, USAID continuously monitors for Houthi interference and our 
partners' access to populations in need to ensure that humanitarian 
assistance supported by the U.S. Government reaches those for whom it 
is intended.

    Question. Given the lack of sustained U.S. diplomatic and 
development personnel in Yemen over recent years, what steps is USAID 
taking to ensure that taxpayer-funded assistance is properly monitored?

    Answer. We place the highest priority on taxpayer funds 
appropriately, effectively, and for their intended purpose and require 
our partners to have proper safeguards and risk mitigation systems to 
support the provision of humanitarian aid to those who need it most. 
USAID also uses third-party monitoring to conduct external, independent 
review and verification of our humanitarian and development programs in 
Yemen and we will take action when needed. Findings from our oversight 
of USAID-supported programs in Yemen led us to partially suspend non-
governmental organization (NGO) humanitarian assistance awards and 
fully suspend our development awards in northern Yemen in March 2020 
due to Houthi interference in our partners' operations.
    In response to Houthi progress in meeting donor-established 
benchmarks for improving the operating environment, NGO partners' 
statement that they would be able to deliver programs without undue 
Houthi interference, and the urgent need for lifesaving assistance, 
USAID resumed support for humanitarian programs in March 2021 under 
strict new operational parameters. The new parameters are intended to 
enable NGO partners to deliver humanitarian assistance rapidly without 
interference, include new monitoring requirements to track 
interference, and give USAID the flexibility to adjust or terminate 
funding to specific activities or programs, as necessary. The UN World 
Food Program has also started biometric beneficiary registration which 
has been an important tool to ensure the food is getting to those most 
in need. USAID plays a leading role in galvanizing other donors and the 
UN to continue robust advocacy efforts both with the Houthis and the 
Republic of Yemen Government to maintain unfettered access to people in 
need of assistance.
    USAID has pivoted development programming exclusively to non-Houthi 
controlled areas in southern Yemen, where we work with the Republic of 
Yemen Government, development partners, the private sector, and civil 
society to provide greater access to basic social services and economic 
opportunities, building more responsive local and national 
institutions, and supporting conflict mitigation at the local level.

    Question. I am concerned with Lebanon's rapidly spiraling economic 
crisis, which has pushed a majority of Lebanese into poverty and the 
inability of Lebanon's political elite to form a government to address 
the challenges facing the country. How will USAID meet the spiraling 
humanitarian needs in Lebanon while pushing the Lebanese government to 
form an empowered government that works for its people and makes much 
needed economic reforms?

    Answer. We share the concern regarding the economic crisis, which 
is compounded with the other crises, within Lebanon. In response, USAID 
has supported vulnerable Lebanese households with emergency food 
assistance to over 620,000 people affected both by COVID-19 and the 
Beirut port explosions. USAID redirected Economic Support Funds (ESF) 
to provide short-term employment opportunities on municipal projects 
for 150,000 people. This activity decreases the cost-of-service 
provision (water and electricity), while also creating income. USAID 
redirected funding to provide food parcels to more than 175,000 crisis-
affected children in vulnerable communities.
    Our team of development and humanitarian experts continues to 
monitor the situation on the ground to assess how USAID can engage with 
our critical implementing partners most effectively to respond to the 
needs of the Lebanese people.
    We agree continued humanitarian assistance does not reflect a 
sustainable strategy and underscore the need for critical reforms and 
the strengthening and expansion of social protection systems. While 
USAID's assistance can provide temporary relief to crisis-affected 
households and businesses, systemic economic and political reform is 
necessary to address the drivers of the crisis and prevent economic 
collapse and state failure.

    Question. Azerbaijan and Turkey's aggression towards Armenia 
created significant humanitarian needs. I am concerned that the 
Administration's request does not meet the challenge on the ground, 
which I hope will be rectified through the appropriations process. Why 
is the Administration's funding request for Armenia considerably low, 
given the continued needs in the country?

    Answer. USAID has provided humanitarian assistance for those 
affected by the conflict while also supporting regional peacebuilding 
initiatives that safeguard the lives, livelihoods, and freedoms of the 
local population. Throughout the crisis in Nagorno Karabakh (NK), USAID 
has adapted its programming to effectively respond to the complex 
humanitarian crisis resulting from this fighting and assist the over 
90,000 displaced persons that arrived in Armenia from NK. USAID is 
coordinating closely with the Department of State and interagency 
partners on the provision of humanitarian assistance to populations 
affected by the fighting in and around NK.

    Question. I appreciate the Agency's focus on improving Diversity, 
Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and establishing an office to achieve those 
ends. Please explain more precisely the role this office will play at 
USAID?

    Answer. On June 25, 2021, the Biden administration announced a new 
Executive Order on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in 
the Federal Government that proposes to strengthen the Federal 
Workforce by promoting diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. 
This Executive Order (EO) seeks to address long-standing disparities in 
the hiring and promotion of people from underserved communities across 
all federal agencies. USAID is committed to complying with this 
Executive Order and is pleased to note that many of the following 
actions are currently under consideration or already complete: the 
Administrator signed the Agency's 2021 DEIA Strategic Plan on the first 
day of her tenure in May 2021. The Office of the Administrator will 
update the strategic plan and the corresponding year 1 Implementation 
Plan based on the results of the internal equity assessment completed 
by the Agency in October 2021. This Plan will also be aligned with the 
new Government-wide DEIA Strategic Plan published by the Office of 
Personnel Management in November 2021; however, the gap between 
strategies outlined in USAID's Plan and the Government-wide Plan is 
minimal. The Agency will submit the updated Strategic Plan in March 
2022, per EO 14035 DEIA in the Federal Workforce and will update the 
corresponding Implementation Plans at that time.
    USAID's Respectful, Inclusive, Safe Environment (RISE) learning, 
and engagement platform is another important DEIA tool. RISE content 
and programming includes foundational knowledge and skills related to 
both USAID's workplace and programs. This includes content focused on: 
defining respect and civility; promoting diversity, equity, and 
inclusion by exploring implicit biases and unpacking micro-messaging; 
promoting employee accountability; preventing harassment and 
misconduct, including sexual misconduct; promoting inclusive 
development approaches in USAID's programs; integrating basic 
safeguarding measures in our programs to protect beneficiaries from 
harm, including sexual exploitation and abuse; advancing safety and 
security; and promoting staff wellness and resilience. Since June 2020, 
more than 2,500 discrete USAID staff have participated in RISE 
trainings, seminars, and events. This number includes more than 380 
senior leaders, including 40 percent of all USAID leaders posted 
overseas. The platform trains approximately 280 people a week and 
continues to expand.
    In collaboration with the RISE platform, the OCRD/DEIA Division 
created an Agency-wide diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility 
Trainer Task Force consisting of over 20 trainers with facilitation and 
training expertise to support the Agency. The Task force leads a suite 
of five unique DEIA core trainings for employees worldwide. These 
sessions are open to all hiring mechanisms and managed through USAID 
University. Training content focuses on foundational knowledge around 
key DEIA concepts such as inclusion, empathy, bias, micro-messages, 
celebrating diversity, and promoting equity. Since the Agency resumed 
DEIA training in April 2021, the Agency has delivered 744 total 
training sessions provided to 419 individuals across all hiring 
mechanisms, and 74 training sessions provided to 39 senior leaders.

    Question. I know the Agency keeps statistics and undertakes 
evaluations to determine how well USAID is doing to promote DEI. Are 
you aware of how this may be happening, particularly as it relates to 
promotions among the USAID Senior Foreign Service?

    Answer. Yes. USAID is committed to a workforce that at all levels 
reflects the diversity of the United States. Approximately 48 percent 
of all career hires (Civil Service and Foreign Service) over the past 
year were from racial or ethnic minority groups, and less than 7 
percent were persons with disabilities. USAID has invested in its 
Foreign Service (FS) recruitment and hiring processes, resulting in the 
onboarding of extraordinarily diverse, talented employees. In addition 
to recruitment, USAID's focus on DEI extends to retention and promotion 
opportunities. The GAO's adjusted analysis of USAID data on FS 
promotions in fiscal years 2002 through 2017 could not conclude that 
there was a statistical relationship between racial or ethnic minority 
status and promotion from these ranks, including promotions into the 
Senior Foreign Service. (See GAO-20-477). GAO did not conduct an 
analysis on employees with disabilities. USAID data from the FY 2020 
MD-715 Report (https://www.usaid.gov/open/md-715/fy-2020) shows us that 
USAID's Senior Foreign Service is less racially and ethnically diverse 
than our total workforce and there is significant underrepresentation 
of persons with disabilities. As a result, USAID redesigned the FS 
promotion process beginning in 2019 and continuing into 2021. USAID 
plans to publish a report in December 2021 on the historical trends in 
promotion rates by race and ethnicity and sex/gender. The report will 
be based on 5 years of promotion statistics for promotion-eligible FS 
employees and will report will provide a more direct reflection of the 
impact of the new promotion processes. USAID is also conducting a 
barrier analysis to understand where barriers to employment 
opportunities, including in FS promotions, may exist in USAID policies, 
programs, and practices.

    Question. Will you commit to having USAID explain these metrics and 
methods for improving DEI to this Committee?

    Answer. USAID is committed to transparency and accountability as it 
relates to the data we collect and analyze in our Diversity, Equity, 
Inclusion, and Accessibility programs. A key component of this 
transparency is identifying and addressing data gaps that perpetuate an 
incomplete picture of DEIA at USAID. USAID stands prepared to implement 
and utilize credible, up-to-date methodologies to analyze data and draw 
conclusions that inform future DEIA initiatives and priorities.

    Question. Given the ``brain drain'' that occurred over the last few 
years, how is the Agency approaching the need to replace expertise and 
how is it approaching recruiting new, but seasoned talent?

    Answer. USAID is working to attract and retain the brightest minds 
that will help the Agency achieve its mission. USAID is engaging and 
recruiting diverse quality talent through targeted outreach and 
recruitment events. These efforts will expand and maintain partnerships 
with organizations serving underrepresented groups (URG) to source 
eligible candidates for employment opportunities. USAID recognizes that 
the approach will provide additional opportunities to reach talent 
pipelines from non-traditional sources including community colleges, 
high schools, alumni groups, and professional organizations. USAID will 
establish a candidate repository database to support the non-
competitive employment referral process to increase the hiring of 
persons with disabilities (PWD) and veterans. Announcements issued via 
USAJobs will solicit candidate resumes for non-competitive employment 
consideration to supplement outreach and recruitment efforts.
    USAID has a strong hiring pipeline and approach and anticipates 
reaching its targeted staffing levels in FY 2021 for the Civil Service 
(CS) and Foreign Service (FS). As of June 2021, USAID reached 96 
percent of the CS hiring target and 91 percent for FS employees 
onboard. Additionally, 210 CS candidates are in the hiring pipeline and 
USAID is identifying a broader pool of approximately 350 FS candidates 
that will ensure a sufficient talent pool is available to maintain 
backstop-specific rosters of candidates who are fully cleared. USAID 
also received over 20,000 applications to the Foreign Service between 
March 2020 and March 2021. This will ensure USAID is well-positioned to 
hire for attrition to maintain the targets and to surge as needed 
across specific backstops.

    Question. USAID's greatest asset is the international development 
and humanitarian experts on staff. How are you establishing a culture 
where the Agency's actions are based on the insights and talents of its 
experts?

    Answer. The USAID Leadership Philosophy guides leadership 
development programs and practices across the Agency. The Philosophy 
embodies what it means to be a leader for everyone USAID employs, 
irrespective of position, level, or hiring mechanism, by articulating a 
common understanding of desired leadership practices and behaviors that 
all staff should demonstrate. USAID's Leadership Philosophy enables 
leadership at all levels to foster a culture of respect, learning, and 
accountability. At USAID, we believe leaders:

   Inspire: Leaders cultivate a passion for mission in 
        ourselves and our partners, and champion a collective vision.

   Listen: Leaders create opportunities for all voices and 
        perspectives to be heard and valued in an environment of trust.

   Develop Leaders: Leaders strengthen the workforce through 
        continuous learning and regular coaching and mentoring.

   Promote Well-being: Leaders are mindful and care for the 
        well-being of ourselves and others.

   Innovate: Leaders encourage informed risk-taking and inspire 
        curiosity, creativity, and innovation.

   Act and Empower: Leaders make informed decisions, delegate 
        authority, communicate the decision-making process openly, and 
        ensure timely action.

   Advance Accountability: Leaders hold themselves, colleagues, 
        and team accountable for doing what they say they will do.

    USAID is committed to fostering a culture that utilizes and 
elevates the expertise of our international development and 
humanitarian experts.

    Question. I understand politics has a role in establishing 
priorities, what are you doing to assure that policy solutions and 
strategies for solving problems are guided by evidence and expertise 
and are relatively free of politics?

    Answer. Consistent with long-standing practice, all of USAID's 
policies and strategies are expected to be evidence-based. The Agency's 
internal regulations governing policy development (ADS 200) establish a 
strong evidence base as one of four principles that all policies and 
strategies must embrace, defining ``evidence-based policy'' as:

         . . . grounded in research, analysis, and conclusions 
        supported by evidence. Evidence-based policies accurately 
        reflect the current state of knowledge in a particular field 
        and current practices and approaches.

    To ensure that standard is upheld, USAID regulations require that 
before they are finalized, development policies must undergo internal 
and external peer review through formal periods of internal 
consultation and public comment.
    Building on a long history of using evidence for program 
management, USAID's Evaluation Policy (2011) was one of the first of 
its kind among federal agencies, and the Foreign Aid Transparency and 
Accountability Act of 2016 was based in part on that policy. USAID is 
also implementing the Foundations for Evidence-based Policymaking Act 
of 2018 and has completed an assessment of evidence capacity at all 
levels of the Agency as required under that Act. In addition, USAID's 
Program Cycle Operational Policy integrates evidence into all program 
planning and management processes. Operating Units have clear 
guidelines and requirements for assuring the quality and responsible 
use of data to guide program design and adaptations.
    In 2019, the Office of Management and Budget determined that USAID 
was one of only three agencies out of 22 that were fully compliant with 
their standards for transparency and accountability. In 2020, the 
evidence-in-government advocacy organization Results for America ranked 
USAID second in their Federal Standard of Excellence, an annual 
assessment of the evidence practices among nine major Departments and 
Agencies.

    Question. China's growing presence and influence in the economic 
development of developing countries reaches far beyond its neighbors--
The Belt and Road Initiative is present on nearly every continent. What 
is USAID doing to counterbalance China's economic influence, 
particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and Central Asia?

    Answer. USAID plays a leading role in the Prosper Africa 
initiative, which is a whole-of-government effort across 17 
participating departments and agencies--about our shared commitment to 
Africa. Prosper Africa's integrated, multi-channel messaging campaign, 
which includes the rollout of the new Prosper Africa brand at 
prosperafrica.gov, is a critical tool for counterbalancing PRC 
influence across the continent. Because businesses don't invest in what 
they can't see, Prosper Africa makes opportunities visible--reducing 
misperceptions of risk, driving private sector interest, and fostering 
new connections between U.S. and African businesses, investors, and 
workers.
    Through Prosper Africa, the USG works to unlock billions in U.S. 
private capital flows to promote Africa's economic development, 
providing governments with high-quality, private financing as an 
alternative to PRC-backed financing arrangements. U.S. investments 
under Prosper Africa follow an affirmative development model as opposed 
to those from the PRC: they contribute to local job creation, greater 
transparency, local economic development, citizen empowerment, climate-
smart solutions, and improved labor and environmental standards.
    Since launching the initiative in June 2019, the USG has helped to 
close 500 two-way trade and investment deals across 44 African 
countries for an estimated value of $47 billion. This includes an 
estimated $21 billion in U.S. exports to Africa, equivalent to 100,000 
American jobs. USAID has also built a $10 billion pipeline of 
institutional investment deals. By tapping into U.S. institutional 
investors--the largest pool of underutilized capital in the world--
Prosper Africa both drives investment in Africa and bolsters the 
pensions of American workers.
    USAID is partnering with the U.S. and African financial services 
sector to strategically deploy blended financing resources to develop 
cost-effective trade and investment financing tools that position U.S. 
and African firms to better compete with firms receiving subsidized 
loans, including those from the PRC. Prosper Africa also helps American 
companies compete on an even playing field by sharing timely 
information on new opportunities, providing comprehensive packages of 
assistance, and fostering trade and investment policies that promote 
transparency and competition. This includes targeted engagement and 
technical assistance for small and medium-sized businesses, including 
those led by women and members of the African Diaspora across the 
United States, to drive job creation and foster shared prosperity. 
Through these activities, Prosper Africa demonstrates U.S. 
competitiveness abroad and creates jobs at home, advancing a foreign 
policy that serves the American middle class. USAID's upcoming $500 
million Africa Trade Initiative will increase the level of technical 
assistance available for American and African firms alike.
    Weak rule of law, lack of transparency and lack of accountability 
within Central Asian government institutions allow the PRC to advance 
its interests with predatory loans, one-sided trade arrangements, and 
corruption. Many governments owe a substantial percentage of their 
total external debt to the Export-Import Bank of China, especially 
Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic with each owing around 50 percent of 
their total external debt to the PRC. Central Asian governments are 
beginning to recognize the perils of China's growing economic 
influence, including in the 5G digital space, and are seeking 
alternative financing, trade, and investment options to diversify away 
from the PRC.
    In alignment with the whole-of-government Central Asia Strategy, 
USAID programming promotes Central Asia's economic independence by: 
developing roadmaps for long-term debt-reduction strategies, including 
external debt owed to the PRC and Russia; improving the business 
enabling environment by strengthening the rule of law, transparency and 
accountability; promoting media literacy, independent media and 
investigative journalism to offer fair and balanced coverage of 
economic affairs; providing alternative trade and investment channels, 
especially intra-regionally within Central Asia; supporting economic 
diversification; increasing energy independence; and, supporting 
regional integration, self-sufficiency, and independence from PRC 
malign influence.

    Question. How does USAID account for China's--actual or potential--
economic development presence in countries where USAID has a mission?

    Answer. USAID works with our partner countries and the private 
sector to identify sustainable alternatives to development needs than 
those offered by the People' Republic of China's (PRC) non-transparent 
development model. USAID works to leverage additional resources and 
catalyze private sector investment in its partner countries across a 
wide variety of sectors that are of key interest to the PRC, including 
infrastructure, energy, agriculture, and digital connectivity. USAID 
provides technical assistance to governments and works with the private 
sector to help advance reforms to laws, regulations, and policies to 
ensure fair and open market competition, and level the playing field 
for legitimate players. On infrastructure particularly, USAID works 
closely with partner governments to build their capacity to plan, 
budget for, implement, and manage climate-resilient, sustainable, 
transparent, and high-quality infrastructure projects. We also work to 
advance the leadership of new development partners, such as the India-
led Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure. These efforts are 
often a viable alternative against the PRC's Belt and Road initiative, 
enabling countries to better determine their infrastructure needs.

    Question. At $455 million, Colombia represents the Administration's 
largest country request for Latin America, underscoring the continued 
priority that the U.S. places on this strategic partnership. What are 
USAID's programmatic priorities in Colombia and how will the budget 
request help address the major challenges facing Colombia, including 
the ongoing social unrest and combating the COVID-19 pandemic?

    Answer. In Colombia, USAID programs fully support the 
Administration's ``whole-of-government'' approach to implementing the 
historic 2016 Peace Accords, focusing program investments on 
governance, citizen security and rule of law in former conflict areas 
known as ``Peace Geographies.'' Increases in funding continue to 
address the regional Venezuelan migration crisis, support efforts to 
expand state presence, and create the right conditions for economic 
opportunities to flourish, including by promoting alternative 
livelihoods in areas of high coca production.
    Since the Venezuela Regional crisis began in 2018, USAID has 
provided $453 million in humanitarian assistance in Colombia. This 
humanitarian assistance included emergency food, health, and other 
direct assistance for Venezuelan migrants, refugees and host 
communities. USAID also prioritizes multi-sectoral humanitarian 
assistance for Colombian internally displaced individuals, as well as 
food assistance for COVID-affected Colombians.
    In support of Peace Accords implementation, our USAID portfolio 
priorities in Colombia are land titling, rural economic development, 
ethnic community support, human rights and rule of law activities.
    United States' COVID-19 support to Colombia continues and has 
expanded testing to vulnerable communities and helps increase their 
access to high-quality care. USAID has established biosafety and 
infection prevention protocols and strengthened the Colombian health 
systems' resiliency to withstand future shocks. Testing, tracing and 
isolation plans and strategic communication were also devised to assist 
individuals outside of the Colombian health system.
    USAID also continues to assist in mitigating ongoing social unrest. 
In Cali, Medellin, and Bogota, we are facilitating ongoing dialogue 
between various strike organizers' leadership and Colombian officials.

    Question. Does the budget's climate program numbers represent an 
amalgamation of programs that are otherwise covered by Development 
Assistance, Economic Support Fund, and other accounts?

    Answer. The USAID FY 2022 climate budget request consists of funds 
from the Development Assistance; Economic Support Fund; and Assistance 
for Europe, Eurasia and Central Asia accounts.

    Question. Will you please provide the Committee a crosswalk of the 
amounts and programs the Administration considers climate programs, 
including a delineation between requests for programs that are existing 
programs (but have a climate action nexus) and new programs, and any 
requests for programs or activities that are new?

    Answer. The FY 2022 President's Budget Request includes $642 
million in the adaptation, renewable energy, and sustainable landscapes 
program areas, which is $208 million above the FY 2021 operating year 
budget. The additional $208 million requested increases funding for 
existing programs, and to start new programs in high-priority 
countries.
    Starting new adaptation, renewable energy, and sustainable 
landscapes programs in additional countries will be based on technical 
criteria. For example, USAID partner countries that are highly 
vulnerable to climate change that lack strong governance and economic 
capacity to adapt to and recover from natural disasters and other 
climate-related impacts would be adaptation priorities; high-and 
growing-emitter countries would be priorities for renewable energy; and 
countries with globally important forests and other landscapes--
especially if they are threatened by land use change--would be 
sustainable landscapes priorities.
    Additional direct adaptation funding would enable the Agency to 
mobilize additional adaptation financing, support partner country 
implementation of their National Adaptation Plans, and allow for 
mainstreaming of climate considerations across non-climate USAID 
development programming such as democracy and governance, health, and 
water. Adaptation-funded climate research and analysis, pilot programs, 
and technical staff can pave the way for adaptation actions that 
contribute to the success and sustainability of other development 
sectors' results.

[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]


    Question. How is USAID looking to improve its support for the 
adaptation needs of countries and communities that are most vulnerable 
to the effects of climate change?

    Answer. The FY 2022 request includes a significant increase in 
direct adaptation resources for USAID to expand successful existing 
programming and launch new initiatives. These efforts will support the 
adaptation needs of countries and communities most vulnerable to the 
effects of climate change. USAID's FY 2022 Adaptation Request, 
including direct and indirect adaptation funding, is $205 million, 
which is $49.5 million above the FY 2021 653(a) level--this includes an 
increase of $82.9 million in direct adaptation resources. The 
additional FY 2022 adaptation resources will be crucial to ensuring 
that USAID can elevate and mainstream climate change adaptation across 
all USAID development programming. USAID is further advancing efforts 
to expand diversity and inclusion throughout its programming, including 
by prioritizing communities most vulnerable to climate change. These 
efforts will be outlined in USAID's forthcoming Climate Strategy, which 
is anticipated to be released in November 2021.
    With additional FY 2022 resources, USAID will be able to increase 
technical support to the field to strengthen existing development and 
humanitarian programming by enhancing overall resilience to the effects 
of climate change, and ensure new programs support adaptation 
objectives.
    Direct adaptation funding will further allow USAID to expand 
support to partner countries to achieve adaptation objectives included 
in their Nationally Determined Contributions and execute National 
Adaptation Plans and other adaptation priorities. USAID's investments 
in climate change adaptation include: mobilizing public or private 
sources of funding and/or financing for actions that increase 
resilience to climate-related risks; improving access to or use of 
weather and climate information and early warning systems for decision-
making to reduce climate-related risks in climate-sensitive areas or 
sectors; supporting formal and informal governance and management 
processes to address climate-related risks, including engagement, 
planning, policy, strategy and budgeting; and supporting actions that 
increase resilience to weather- and climate-related risks at the 
community, national, and global scales.
                                 ______
                                 

               Responses of Samantha Power to Questions 
                    Submitted by Senator James Risch

    Question. The budget includes a request for $1 billion for global 
health security, ``to prevent, detect, and respond to future biological 
threats and pandemics.''
    How should these resources be managed and prioritized?

    Answer. The President's FY 2022 budget request demonstrates the 
importance of USAID's work in partnership with host countries, 
interagency partners, other nations, international organizations, and 
non-governmental stakeholders to build countries' capacities to prevent 
avoidable epidemics, detect threats early, and respond rapidly to 
disease outbreaks and other critical infectious disease threats, to 
prevent them from becoming national or global emergencies.
    Consistent with National Security Memorandum-1, USAID believes 
these resources should be prioritized in the following areas:

   Build country capacities to prevent, detect, and respond to 
        infectious disease threats through the Global Health Security 
        Agenda (GHSA) and related programs. USAID will utilize the 
        additional resources to expand country capacity building 
        projects into new countries and regions, spanning Africa, Asia, 
        the Middle East, and Latin America--implementing a One Health 
        approach working across the human health, animal health, and 
        environmental sectors;

   Replenish the Emergency Reserve Fund to the pre-pandemic 
        level, ensuring the Agency is ready to respond to infectious 
        disease threats; and

   Support the objectives of the Access to COVID-19 Tools 
        Accelerator (ACT Accelerator). This initiative consists of four 
        components with real world impacts: diagnostics, therapeutics, 
        vaccines (commonly referred to as COVAX), and the Health 
        Systems Connector.

    Question. Do you agree with the President, the Secretary of State, 
and the Coordinator for Global COVID Response and Health Security that 
the Department of State must play a leading role in policy coordination 
of these funds?

    Answer. President Biden has laid out a global health security 
coordination structure in National Security Memorandum-1, which places 
the NSC at the center of coordination and has strong roles and 
responsibilities for the relevant Departments and Agencies, including 
the Department of State, Department of Health and Human Services, 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and USAID. USAID 
works closely with the Department of State, the CDC and others to 
ensure we are positioned to prevent or respond to future pandemics. 
Ensuring that the U.S. Government is optimally postured and USAID is 
bringing to bear our unique capabilities, not just in health but also 
in crisis response and broader development expertise, is one of my top 
priorities. I agree we need to take a hard look to identify ways to 
enhance our impact both globally and within the U.S. Government.
    USAID agrees that the Department of State has a critical role in 
the U.S. Government's broader global health security effort to oversee 
and lead diplomatic strategy and ensure that global health security 
policies and programs are consistent with U.S. foreign policy.

    Question. Should the United States engage in highly risky public 
health research--such as gain-of-function research--in cooperation with 
countries that do not have adequate biosecurity standards, that have 
violated or failed to uphold the International Health Regulations, or 
where the United States cannot certify that such country is in 
compliance with the Biological Weapons Convention?
    How does USAID ensure that its research and development grants are 
fully vetted and do not flow to partners or sub-grantees engaged in 
such research?

    Answer. USAID does not fund gain-of-function research. Furthermore, 
USAID has not funded or conducted any studies or experiments anywhere 
in the world that would make viruses more lethal or transmissible in 
humans.
    USAID provides clear guidance to all Global Health Security (GHS) 
programming requiring implementing partners to adhere to rigorous 
safety protocols. USAID requires regular reporting on implementing 
partners' activities supported with our funding. This reporting is 
closely monitored by USAID staff to ensure compliance with U.S. 
Government regulations pertaining to GHS research.

    Question. Have you asked the Agency to conduct an analysis of 
whether any U.S. foreign assistance--whether appropriated to and 
implemented by USAID, appropriated to USAID and transferred to CDC, or 
appropriated to the State Department and transferred to USAID--has 
supported entities that conduct gain-of-function research or research 
that presents a dual-use concern?
    Will you commit to conducting a thorough review and providing 
documentation to this committee?

    Answer. USAID funding has never been used for gain-of-function 
research. Furthermore, USAID has not funded nor conducted any studies 
or experiments anywhere in the world that would make viruses more 
lethal or transmissible in humans.
    USAID will continue to provide oversight of awards made with 
appropriated funds to monitor activities and the use of funds--ensuring 
compliance with U.S. Government regulations pertaining to global health 
security research.

    Question. The budget proposes a substantial increase for Family 
Planning and Reproductive Health (FP/RH), through both bilateral aid 
programs and contributions to the UN Population Fund.
    How will you ensure USAID compliance with current law, which 
prohibits the use of U.S. foreign assistance to perform or promote 
abortion, support involuntary sterilizations, or lobby for or against 
the legalization of abortion overseas?

    Answer. USAID commits to ensuring compliance with the law and all 
legislative and regulatory requirements related to family planning 
activities and prohibitions on abortion. The Agency has worked for 
decades to ensure compliance with all applicable laws, including the 
Helms and Siljander amendments.
    USAID will continue to work closely with field missions and 
implementing partners to ensure awareness of and compliance with 
statutory and policy requirements applicable to their programs. USAID 
ensures quality of care and compliance through routine monitoring of 
program implementation and regular provision of training on the 
requirements.

    Question. The American Rescue Plan (ARP) provided $10 billion for 
the international COVID-19 response absent clear guidance and 
guardrails. USAID subsequently committed to implementing these funds in 
a manner that is consistent with the Foreign Assistance Act and long-
standing provisions of the annual State Department, Foreign Operations, 
and Related Programs appropriations bill.
    Does this commitment include the long-standing pro-life protections 
included in the Foreign Assistance Act and the annual State Department, 
Foreign Operations, and Related Programs appropriations bill?

    Answer. Yes.

    Question. When will USAID provide to this Committee a complete, 
detailed spend plan for the funds received through the American Rescue 
Plan (ARP) for the international COVID-19 response?
    How much has been obligated and expended to date, where, and for 
what purposes?
    How, if at all, has the FY 2022 request been impacted by the influx 
of billions of dollars in supplemental emergency funds for COVID-19 
relief?

    Answer. The Administration has released the U.S. COVID-19 Global 
Response and Recovery Framework, which outlines five objectives, key 
areas of action, and lines of effort that guide the funding decisions 
for programs and activities of government departments and agencies 
implementing our global response. In addition, the Department of State 
and USAID submit a Congressionally-mandated report every 60 days on 
COVID funding, including obligations and disbursements by operating 
unit.
    USAID is working to adapt existing programming to combat some of 
the challenges raised by the pandemic, primarily through longstanding 
development programs that support food security and nutrition, economic 
growth, education, and democracy, rights, and governance. Funding in FY 
2022 will continue to support these longstanding USAID programs and 
development objectives.

    Question. USAID is managing U.S. contributions to COVAX.
    Are you satisfied with COVAX's performance to date?

    Answer. COVAX has performed as well as could be expected in light 
of ongoing constraints to the global vaccine supply. While COVAX is 
below its original delivery projections, as a result of shortfalls in 
global vaccine production and disruption to its planned supplies, 
actions such as the G7 vaccine commitment to finance and provide more 
than 2 billion doses from the United States and G7 partners by the end 
of 2022 are critical to enabling the success of COVAX. The U.S. cannot 
beat this pandemic alone. Distributing COVID-19 vaccines through COVAX 
remains essential to ensuring that low-and-middle-income countries 
around the world have access to the vaccines necessary to save lives 
and end the pandemic.

    Question. How is USAID ensuring that COVAX is working expeditiously 
to get shots in arms while guarding against waste, fraud, and abuse?

    Answer. USAID provided the recent $4 billion contribution to Gavi 
in tranches, which allowed USAID to ensure Gavi/COVAX obtained the 
funding needed from other donors to scale up global vaccine access, 
while closely monitoring COVAX's performance. USAID also participates 
in Gavi's Audit and Finance Committee, and, as a part of that, 
regularly reviews the risks involved in procuring and delivering COVID-
19 vaccines. Gavi/COVAX has multiple methods for receiving reports of 
fraud, and all allegations are handled by Gavi's Audit and 
Investigation team led by the Audit and Investigation Managing Director 
and Whistleblower Compliance Officer. This unit investigates 
allegations of misuse within Gavi and in Gavi-supported programs in the 
country. USAID will continue to use its oversight role to strengthen 
efforts against waste, fraud, and abuse.

    Question. How is USAID ensuring that U.S. financial contributions 
to COVAX are not used to underwrite the purchase and distribution of 
substandard Chinese COVID-19 vaccines, particularly following the 
announcement on Sunday that COVAX would, in fact, begin making major 
purchases of Chinese vaccines?

    Answer. The generous U.S. contribution to COVAX was not used to 
purchase vaccines made in China. The full U.S.-provided $4 billion had 
been allocated by COVAX prior to the facility's decision to purchase 
Sinopharm and Sinovac, and there are no further U.S. financial 
contributions to COVAX planned at this time. USAID will continue to 
signal concern about procurement of lower efficacy vaccines, and urge 
China to pick up its fair share of the global burden on vaccine access.

    Question. Under what circumstances would U.S. bilateral vaccine 
contributions be more appropriate than contributions via COVAX?

    Answer. USAID is proud to support the White House-led initiative to 
help vaccinate the world, which includes vaccines provided through 
COVAX and bilateral methods. Both multilateral and bilateral efforts 
are essential to fighting this pandemic around the world. Vaccine 
donations through COVAX bring benefits like increased efficiency, 
speed, and risk protection through utilization of COVAX's existing 
allocation and legal frameworks. They also build on the supply chain 
and logistics infrastructure of organizations like UNICEF and PAHO. 
Bilateral contributions can be targeted to local priorities and make 
use of USAID staff and networks in-country.

    Question. What, exactly, is the U.S. COVID-19 vaccine sharing 
strategy and why has it been so difficult for Congress to get real-
time, detailed information about it?

    Answer. USAID is proud to support the White House-led initiative to 
help vaccinate the world and end the pandemic. No one is safe until 
everyone is safe, which is why the first objective of the U.S. COVID-19 
Global Response and Recovery Framework is to accelerate widespread and 
equitable access to and delivery of safe and effective COVID-19 
vaccinations. The Administration's provision of 500 million Pfizer 
doses to be shared globally via COVAX, as well as an additional 80 
million doses from the U.S. supply, illustrates the Administration's 
commitment to this objective. The White House is leading these efforts 
through its COVID-19 Task Force, with substantive input from USAID and 
others in the interagency. USAID remains committed to providing 
Congress with information and updates on our ongoing efforts to fight 
the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Question. Ancillary medical supplies, such as personal protective 
equipment (PPE) and syringes, are critical to the global vaccination 
effort.

   How does USAID ensure that countries receiving donated 
        COVID-19 vaccines from the United States have the adequate PPE 
        and syringes needed to safely complete vaccination campaigns?

   Does USAID take into consideration and/or leverage existing 
        Federal contracts with domestic manufacturers of ancillary 
        supplies when sourcing for global pandemic preparedness aid?

    Answer. For vaccines donated through COVAX, COVAX helps to ensure 
syringes and other critical ancillary materials are included with the 
vaccines that are delivered. For bilateral donations, recipient 
countries need to ensure an adequate supply of syringes and ancillary 
equipment. USAID support for country readiness and delivery programs 
will help to address these aspects of planning and preparation. The 
U.S. Government will continue to track the availability of syringes 
globally and help support countries that have identified the 
availability of syringes as a constraint to administering vaccines.
    While USAID regularly collaborates with other U.S. Government and 
U.S. state agencies for securing medical equipment, supplies, and 
pharmaceuticals in support of the global COVID-19 response, USAID has 
not procured vaccine ancillary supplies domestically. USAID has 
received and shipped donations of such commodities from federal and 
state agencies as part of COVID-19 relief.

    Question. Are you satisfied with the performance of the Global 
Fund's COVID-19 Response Mechanism to date?
    Does it concern you that only 28 percent of the funds provided to 
the Global Fund's COVID-19 Response Mechanism have been used to protect 
against backsliding in the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis, and 
malaria?

    Answer. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria 
(Global Fund) has generally responded well to the request made by the 
U.S. Government, together with the global community, to play a critical 
role in financing country COVID-19 response efforts. Building on its 
existing platform, the Global Fund quickly established systems and 
processes to request, review and approve COVID-19 and HIV/TB/Malaria 
mitigation plans for more than 100 countries, which are on track to 
implement more than $3 billion at the country level by the end of 
August 2021.
    However, COVID has taken a toll and exacerbated the impacts of the 
three diseases. For example, as a result of COVID-19 and associated 
measures to control it, 1 million fewer people in the 23 countries 
where USAID focuses TB programming had access to TB diagnosis and 
treatment in 2020, compared to 2019 (which represents a 23 percent 
decline). Approximately 55 percent of COVID-19 cases in Global Fund-
eligible countries are in high TB burden countries with the largest TB 
case notification declines. USAID coordinated with the Global Fund on 
urgent TB recovery efforts in seven of these countries. However, as of 
July 1, 2021, only four percent of the COVID-19 Response Mechanism 
funds are going towards mitigating COVID-19's impact on TB. Further 
action is needed from the Global Fund to recover from these continued 
setbacks. In other areas, USAID is working with the Global Fund to 
support efforts to mitigate COVID-19's impact on the three diseases, 
including around supply chain, but Global Fund implementation efforts 
could be accelerated.

    Question. How, if at all, is USAID working with the Global Fund's 
COVID-19 response mechanism to de-conflict and leverage emergency 
spending to strengthen health systems more broadly?

    Answer. USAID has staff participating on the Global Fund's COVID-19 
Response Mechanism grant application review committee, providing TB, 
malaria and COVID-19 expertise. (The Department of State's Office of 
the Global AIDS Coordinator is representing the U.S. for HIV/AIDS.) 
These staff work to ensure that Global Fund grant priorities complement 
U.S. Government bilateral funding. USAID's HIV, TB, and malaria 
programs are also coordinating closely with the Global Fund to maximize 
investments for the longer-term benefit. For example, investments in 
community health and supply chain systems not only strengthen overall 
workforce capacity for the immediate COVID-19 response, but they also 
contribute to response capacity for malaria or other infectious disease 
programs in the longer term.

    Question. The United States is the global leader in responding to 
humanitarian crises around the world. Yet, from Northern Yemen to 
Tigray, humanitarian workers are increasingly under attack. Access is 
being constrained by armed actors and bureaucratic processes. 
Organizations are being harassed. Convoys are being attacked. 
Warehouses are being burned and looted. While it is in the interest of 
the United States to continue providing humanitarian aid, it is not in 
our interest to see that aid used as a weapon against the innocent men, 
women, and children it is meant to support.

   The budget proposes to increase disaster assistance and food 
        aid. How do you intend to ensure that it actually reaches its 
        intended beneficiaries, and is not used as a weapon by armed 
        actors and governments against perceived opponents?

   How do you propose to expand humanitarian access in Tigray 
        and Northern Yemen, for example?

   Is the manipulation and/or denial of life-saving aid to 
        vulnerable populations a crime against humanity and, if so, how 
        do you intend to hold those who bear the greatest 
        responsibility accountable?

    Answer. USAID has developed due diligence systems to help ensure 
that humanitarian assistance reaches those for whom it is intended--
children, women, and men who are in urgent need of aid--and to decrease 
the likelihood that such assistance will result in transactions with 
sanctioned entities.
    We work closely with our partners to collect performance and 
situational data to monitor activities and gather information from 
different sources to verify assistance is reaching targeted areas and 
beneficiaries. USAID staff closely and systematically track reports, 
are in regular direct communication with partners, and immediately 
follow up on any reported issues.
    Implementing partners are required, under their awards, to provide 
regular program updates on the progress of their activities and any 
security concerns, and we require partners to report any diversions, 
seizures, or losses immediately. USAID humanitarian partners are 
required to adhere to strict protocols for engaging with any armed 
group, which include the temporary or permanent suspension of programs 
in the face of interference by armed actors.
    Atrocity determinations for specific cases are made by the 
Secretary of State. USAID is committed to delivering humanitarian 
assistance in accordance with international humanitarian law and the 
principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence. We 
continue to work with colleagues in the Department of State and the 
international community to promote adherence to international 
humanitarian law and these principles and ensure life-saving assistance 
reaches those who need it. In areas of conflict, we have repeatedly 
called on government leaders to ensure humanitarian access. USAID and 
the broader U.S. Government have also repeatedly called for 
accountability for those who are violating human rights and committing 
atrocities. These advocacy efforts will contribute to broader 
accountability efforts led by the Department of State.
                             northern yemen
    While interference in aid operations has been most egregious in 
northern Yemen, obstruction--particularly bureaucratic delays and 
delays at the port, visa denials, and the withholding of necessary 
approvals for partners to deliver aid--continues to be a challenge 
throughout the country and is increasing in the south. We are working 
closely with the U.S. State Department, specifically the Special 
Envoy's (SE) Office, to collectively advocate for a lasting peace 
process with all parties to the conflict, and in the interim, ensure 
our humanitarian partners have the access and ability to reach those in 
need impartially and quickly. We are grateful for the SE's recent and 
continuing efforts to ensure that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the 
Government of Yemen allow the free flow of fuel imports into Hudaydah 
Port to ensure Yemenis have access to basic services and humanitarian 
assistance. As you know, only a political solution will address the 
root problems to end this crisis.
    We are working closely with other NGO partners to support the 
resumption of their operations as we continue to advocate for 
unfettered humanitarian access countrywide in coordination with other 
donors and the UN, which has maintained robust advocacy through direct 
engagement with the Houthis. As we did throughout the partial 
suspension, USAID continuously monitors for Houthi interference and our 
partners' access to populations in need to ensure that humanitarian 
assistance supported by the U.S. Government reaches those for whom it 
is intended.
                                 tigray
    In Tigray, we have seen a de facto blockade with limited entry of 
humanitarian goods and personnel since the Government of Ethiopia 
unilateral ceasefire on June 28. Despite official Government of 
Ethiopia approval of convoys and UNHAS flights into the region, delays 
and murky explanations from the Government of Ethiopia have led to the 
UN and aid agencies facing major challenges with ground and air access 
to deliver supplies to Tigray. The TPLF has also expanded fighting in 
recent weeks, moving into Afar and Amhara regions and causing further 
conflict-related impediments. With the ongoing conflict and 
bureaucratic delays, humanitarian assistance can not possibly get to 
scale. Without fundamental improvements to access into Tigray, the 
region is on the verge of a humanitarian catastrophe. In coordination 
with the interagency, USAID continues to press on all parties to the 
conflict to allow humanitarian access into and throughout the region 
and is pursuing potential contingency options should access continue to 
be blocked.

    Question. The UN's Global Humanitarian Appeal of $36.1 billion for 
2021 is the largest in history.
    What is USAID doing to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of 
U.S. humanitarian assistance, so we can spread our aid dollars farther, 
while also leveraging other donor support to meet historic humanitarian 
needs?

    Answer. USAID and the Department of State's Bureau of Population, 
Refugees and Migration (PRM) work together to improve the efficiency 
and effectiveness of U.S. Government humanitarian assistance. The U.S. 
Government seeks to use our humanitarian assistance and diplomatic 
resources to leverage other donors' contributions, maximize the impact 
of the funding we provide to humanitarian operations, and advance 
programs that will reduce humanitarian costs in the future.
    One major area of focus is improving our United Nations (UN) 
partners' accountability, transparency, efficiency and effectiveness. 
USAID and State are driving system-wide efforts, including through the 
Grand Bargain--an agreement between donors and humanitarian aid 
organizations--to optimize the use of U.S. public resources through 
management cost reductions, joint needs assessments for prioritized 
humanitarian appeals, and strengthened measures to achieve greater 
accountability, transparency, and collective action.
    Finally, USAID and State coordinate strategically with traditional 
donors, build partnerships with and cultivate greater investment by 
non-traditional donors and the private sector, and work towards 
expanding the overall donor base. This work includes advocating in 
public fora and through private channels for increased humanitarian 
burden-sharing and consulting with implementing partners on how to 
expand their funding base, including encouraging partners to pursue new 
and innovative financing partnerships and mechanisms.

    Question. The budget proposes to move $170 million from the Food 
for Peace (FFP) program, which is administered by USAID and funded 
through the annual Agriculture appropriations bill, to the 
International Disaster Assistance Emergency Food Security Program (IDA-
EFSP), which was authorized by Congress through the Global Food 
Security Act, is administered by USAID, and is funded through the 
annual State Department, Foreign Operations, and Related Agencies 
appropriations bill. Budget justification documents suggest that this 
is intended to provide greater flexibility for market-based food 
assistance--such as vouchers, biometrically verified electronic 
transfers, and locally or regionally procured commodities--which often 
is more timely, less costly, and more locally appropriate than 
commodities procured and shipped from the United States.

   What is the current cost-per-beneficiary differential 
        between U.S. procured and shipped Food for Peace commodities 
        versus food assistance provided through the IDA-EFSP?

   What factors drive these cost differentials?

   What is the current time differential for deliveries of U.S. 
        procured and shipped Food for Peace commodities versus food 
        assistance provided through the IDA-ESFP?

    Answer. Recent data indicates that cost efficiencies between IDA-
EFSP and FFP Title II programming are highly dependent on context and 
program design, and generalizations have proven challenging. While 
often used to compare the cost efficiency of various food assistance 
modalities (which include cash, vouchers, locally or regionally 
procured commodities, or U.S. commodities), cost-per-beneficiary 
figures are influenced by the size and frequency of resource transfers. 
In lieu of the cost-per-beneficiary metric, USAID utilizes cost-per-
metric-ton (MT), which allows for inclusion of multiple variables when 
comparing modality options. In an analysis of 3 years of award data, 
the average cost per MT for Title II U.S. commodities was $1,133. The 
average cost per MT for all market-based food assistance modalities 
(cash, vouchers, and locally or regionally procured commodities) was 
$1,046. Using this same metric, USAID conducted a comprehensive cross-
modality cost efficiency study which covered 444 activities across 
multiple fiscal years. One of the primary findings was that it is risky 
to make global-level assumptions around the efficiency of various 
modalities given the substantial variation of efficiency at the 
country-level. Global averages do not allow for a nuanced understanding 
of metrics across the countries where we program. USAID's approach has 
been to more routinely examine cost-efficiency at a country level in 
order to accommodate this nuance. This is further institutionalized 
through the USG Modality Decision Tool (attached) (https://
www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1866/
USG_MDT_Final_2017.pdf) which requires implementing partners to 
consider cost as a key decision point when selecting modalities.
    This comprehensive USAID cost-efficiency study on modalities and 
their cost drivers showed that food assistance costs are often driven 
by context, type of emergency and scale, rather than the modalities 
themselves. For example, responses with predictable recurring annual 
needs with established partnerships and pipelines (i.e. refugee 
settings) or those with substantial lead time (i.e. slow-onset, 
drought) were significantly more cost-efficient than rapid on-set 
disasters and complex emergencies. On average, responding to a rapid 
onset disaster costs twice as much as a slow onset disaster such as 
drought. Similarly, findings indicated that programming irrespective of 
modality tended to be more expensive in certain regions of the world. 
For example, programming in Latin America and the Caribbean was on 
average 33 percent more expensive than East Africa. The variability of 
cost effectiveness of any single modality due to local contexts and 
market conditions underscores the value of flexible humanitarian 
funding--USAID is at its best when it can use the right tool in the 
right place.
    The procurement and delivery of Title II Food for Peace packaged 
commodities takes an average of 147 days. Of that timeframe, the 
average shipment duration, from the U.S. load port to an international 
discharge port, is 45 days. For fiscal year 2021 to date, shipment 
durations have ranged from 21 to 113 days. Vessel availability, port 
operations, transshipments, distance, and other factors all contribute 
to a variance in shipment durations. For ongoing cash-based programming 
utilizing mobile money or debit cards, resources can be transferred to 
beneficiaries days after funds are obligated. The change proposed in 
the FY 2022 budget would allow USAID to use the right tool at the right 
time, delivering assistance to beneficiaries in days rather than 
months.

    Question. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has released a 
memo which, among other things, directs the new OMB Made in America 
Office to ``review how best to ensure agency compliance with cargo 
preference requirements to maximize the utilization of U.S.-flag 
vessels, in excess of any applicable statutory minimum, to the greatest 
extent practicable.'' This is likely to increase pressure upon USAID to 
exceed existing cargo preference requirements for food aid under the 
Food for Peace Act, notwithstanding the fact that the Government 
Accountability Office (GAO) repeatedly has found that such requirements 
significantly increase the cost of food aid while failing to advance 
the purposes of the Cargo Preference Act of 1954.

   Do you agree that U.S. cargo preference requirements for 
        food aid have outlived their statutory purpose?

   Is USAID working with OMB to mitigate the deleterious impact 
        of U.S. cargo preference requirements on food aid?

   How would an increase of cargo preference requirements 
        impact the ability of USAID to meet historic levels of need for 
        food aid?

    Answer. USAID takes its responsibility to comply with the Cargo 
Preference Act seriously, and understands and values the services that 
U.S.-flag vessels provide. However, in many cases, the U.S.-flag fleet 
cannot meet USAID's transportation needs for food assistance 
commodities due to a lack of competition, availability of ships, or 
irregular service to certain destinations. Many of the countries facing 
the greatest levels of food insecurity are also some of the most 
challenging and high-risk operating environments. As such, the 
flexibility to procure the most appropriate and cost-effective ocean 
freight service should remain a part of the Agency's toolkit.
    USAID is committed to working with Congress and the interagency, 
including OMB, to make USAID's food assistance programming as effective 
and efficient as possible. The COVID-19 pandemic and mitigation 
measures have only compounded the effects of climate-related disasters 
and complex emergencies, creating unprecedented global humanitarian 
needs. For example, an estimated 23 million additional people will 
require emergency food assistance compared to 2019. Each food 
assistance modality (U.S. in-kind food, locally and regionally procured 
food, and cash-based programming) is critical to USAID's ability to 
respond appropriately to each crisis.
    USAID pays almost 50 percent more per metric ton (MT) to ship 
commodities on U.S.-flag vessels than foreign-flag vessels. An increase 
in cargo preference requirements would directly result in increased 
transportation costs for food assistance programs, which would reduce 
the amount of resources USAID can dedicate to purchasing commodities 
and reaching beneficiaries with life-saving assistance.

    Question. The United States is by far the most generous donor of 
humanitarian, global health, and development assistance globally. Much 
of that assistance--including for the World Food Program, UNICEF, Gavi, 
the Vaccine Alliance, and others--is provided through USAID as grants 
or contributions to multilateral organizations. Last Congress, I 
introduced the Multilateral Aid Review Act to assess the value of U.S. 
taxpayer investments in multilateral entities, including the UN and its 
affiliated agencies.
    Would you support a comprehensive review of U.S. investments in 
multilateral organizations, as part of an effort to ensure that such 
investments are efficient, effective, and aligned with the national 
security, humanitarian, health, and development interests of the United 
States?

    Answer. USAID works extensively with multilateral organizations and 
often relies on those organizations to advance USAID and broader U.S. 
Government development and humanitarian priorities, particularly in the 
areas of global health and emergency preparedness and response, 
including food and nutrition security; water, sanitation, and hygiene; 
and protection in humanitarian contexts. Pursuant to USAID operational 
policy, the Agency regularly reviews the organizational capacity of 
individual multilateral organizations (identified as Public 
International Organizations or ``PIOs'' within Agency policy) to 
identify and help mitigate the risks of waste, fraud, and abuse of 
USAID resources, prior to entering into funding arrangements with such 
organizations. These reviews are informed by the organizations' 
internal policies, audits, and guidelines; as well as external 
evaluations and international assessments of these organizations. This 
includes assessments conducted by the Multilateral Organization 
Performance Assessment Network (MOPAN), in which the U.S. Government 
regularly participates as a MOPAN member. The Agency would welcome the 
chance to brief you and your staff on this review process.

    Question. Whether Foreign Service, Civil Service, Foreign Service 
Limited, Foreign Service National, or other, USAID's most valuable 
asset is its people. Unfortunately, with at least 22 different hiring 
mechanisms and outdated assumptions about how specific missions, 
bureaus, and offices should be supported, the agency is in desperate 
need of a modernized strategic staffing plan that is flexible and 
adaptive to today's challenges. The budget request includes an increase 
for USAID's operating expenses and proposes to increase the number of 
Foreign Service Limited positions, including for global health and 
humanitarian assistance.

   When will we see a comprehensive strategic staffing plan 
        that aligns positions, skills, and resources across the agency, 
        transparently and effectively streamlines hiring mechanisms, 
        and reduces reliance upon costly Participating Agency Service 
        Agreements (PASAs) to fill positions for which the 
        participating agency has no business recruiting (such as USDA 
        hiring democracy officers, for example)?

   Will an increase in direct-hire positions be paired with a 
        decrease in contractors?

    Answer. USAID is committed to strengthening its global workforce to 
advance the Agency's mission and national security priorities. However, 
USAID's staffing has not increased at the same rate as its programmatic 
needs and requirements. USAID has complex requirements and needs to 
increase the size and agility of its career workforce while also 
streamlining non-career employment mechanisms. To enable data-based 
decision-making and analysis of the workforce and strategically 
allocate staff, the Agency developed innovative tools for data 
analytics and workforce planning, including the Talent Analytics tool 
and overseas comprehensive workforce planning model.
    Although USAID is on track to reach its hiring target of 1,850 
Foreign Service (FS) and 1,600 Civil Service (CS) employees by 
September 2021, USAID estimates its real staffing requirements to be 
2,500 FS and 2,250 CS employees. To meet these staffing requirements, 
the Agency would need Operating Expense (OE) appropriations for an 
additional 650 FS and 650 CS employees. The increase in direct-hire 
positions in many cases would be off-set by a decrease in contractors, 
particularly in bureaus such as BHA where the Agency has long had to 
rely on contracted positions to fulfill long-term institutional roles 
that should be carried out by Direct Hires. However, in other areas, 
USAID is not appropriately staffed to meet requirements, regardless of 
mechanism. In these cases additional direct-hire positions would come 
in addition to other staffing mechanisms currently performing the work. 
Examples of this are climate change and procurement (Acquisition and 
Assistance) expertise.

    Question. Members of the Biden administration, including President 
Biden himself, have stated, ``Africa is a priority.''
    Do you feel that the President's proposed budget reflects that 
sentiment? If so, how?

    Answer. The FY 2022 request for Africa is $7.4 billion, $202.7 
million (approximately 3 percent) above the FY 2021 653(a) levels, and 
a $2.4 billion (approximately 32 percent) increase from the FY 2021 
Request for Africa.
    The FY 2022 request advances U.S. policy priorities in Africa by 
addressing conflict; strengthening democratic governance; improving 
global health and combating epidemics; promoting gender equality; 
supporting trade and energy transformation; and addressing climate 
change.
    The PBR supports democratic developments and promotes stability in 
countries facing or recovering from conflict, including Nigeria, 
Somalia and Sudan. The FY 2022 request for Sudan is $84.4 million, an 
increase of $72.4 million from the FY 2021 PBR.
    The Request continues critical economic growth investments 
including $57.5 million (a straight line from the FY 2021 653(a) level) 
for Power Africa to increase access to electricity; and $77 million 
(nearly quadruple the FY 2021 653(a) level of $21.0 million) for 
Prosper Africa to open markets for American businesses and accelerate 
two-way trade.
    The request expands assistance to Africa to address climate change 
from $76.7 million in the FY 2021 653(a) to $111.0 million in the FY 
2022 request.

    Question. Prosper Africa: In the FY 2022 request, the Biden 
administration prioritizes Prosper Africa, a whole-of-government 
initiative to expand two-way trade and investment in Africa started 
under the Trump administration, at a level of $77 million ($2 million 
more than the FY 2021 request and nearly double the FY 2020 actual 
budget figure). Still, resources for Prosper Africa remain limited and 
USAID will need to prioritize strategic countries and sectors to 
encourage U.S. investment and trade. Moreover, a number of countries 
with complex political, economic, and conflict dynamics, including 
Zimbabwe, South Sudan, and Somalia, are wholly unsuited for strategic 
investment under Prosper Africa.
    How does USAID intend to prioritize the use of finite resources for 
Proper Africa?

    Answer. Geographic and economic sector focus will be guided by a 
combination of U.S. and African Government priorities and private 
sector interest. Specific criteria for prioritizing operational and 
programmatic resources across different countries will vary based on 
individual department and agency mandates. However, common criteria 
include:

   Size and attractiveness of the market to private sector

   Government interest in enhancing and strengthening trade 
        ties with the United States

   Enabling environment reform trajectory

   U.S. Government (USG) presence and engagement

   High-level USG policy priorities

    Question. Do you agree that countries like Zimbabwe, South Sudan, 
and Somalia are unsuited for strategic investments under Prosper 
Africa? Do you commit to excluding such countries from Prosper Africa 
programming in FY 2022?

    Answer. USAID does not currently plan to program Prosper Africa 
funds in these countries. We will consult with the committee on any 
future planning programming and in accordance with and all special 
notification requirements.

    Question. Sudan: At the end of 2020, the U.S. committed to 
providing Sudan with 420,000 MT of wheat annually for 4 years, as an 
incentive for joining the Abraham Accords. While the U.S. already has 
met its first-year commitment, current proposals to fund the second 
year commitment by raiding previously appropriated economic support 
funds (ESF) for democracy and governance, agriculture, and water, 
sanitation and hygiene are deeply concerning.
    Does the President's FY 2022 budget adequately budget for U.S. 
wheat commitments to Sudan under the Abraham Accords while preserving 
funding for democracy and governance, agriculture, and water, 
sanitation, and hygiene?
    Do you agree with the decision not to fund U.S. wheat commitments 
to Sudan wholly through USDA's Food for Progress program, which 
arguably was created and continues to exist for the exclusive purpose 
of opening markets and advancing reform?

    Answer. The 4-year wheat commitments under the Abraham Accords are 
dependent on Sudan continuing on its path towards democracy. Should it 
become necessary to find funding for this commitment, USAID will work 
with OMB and the interagency to advocate that all resource options are 
on the table, including the USDA Food for Progress program.

    Question. Democracy and Governance: Should the United States invest 
in the strengthening of political institutions in Africa, particularly 
political parties?
    Is it a worthy investment for USAID to support political party 
strengthening projects in countries like Nigeria, Zimbabwe, South 
Sudan, and Kenya? In each of these countries, political parties are 
central actors to their countries' political processes, but no 
dedicated USAID party strengthening programs exist.

    Answer. USAID works with political institutions in many African 
countries to make them more effective, democratic, and responsive to 
citizens. Among the most important political institutions are political 
parties, which we fully recognize play key roles in representation, 
policy formulation, and providing choices for voters. USAID's long 
experience in supporting political parties has taught us much on how 
they develop positions on issues of public concern, stimulate public 
discourse, aggregate interests, formulate governing platforms during 
election campaigns, and ultimately play a central role in governance.
    Early this year, USAID revised our Political Party Policy that 
reaffirmed the importance of political party assistance as part of 
democracy promotion. The updated policy reaffirms that our programs are 
guided by two key principles: we support representative, multiparty 
systems; and we do not seek to determine election outcomes.
    USAID has conducted political party assistance programming in 
numerous countries in Africa over the past three decades, including 
Nigeria, Zimbabwe, and Liberia. USAID programming supports the 
development of viable democratic parties as an essential actor in 
representative democracies and their peaceful participation in 
elections and political processes.
    In countries like Nigeria, Zimbabwe, and Kenya, with upcoming 
national elections, USAID is identifying gaps, challenges and 
opportunities in the democracy, human rights, and governance areas to 
develop programming that meets priority needs. While USAID is not 
currently supporting standalone political party programs in these 
countries, political party leaders and activists are key stakeholders 
that our Missions are engaging through their broader elections and 
political processes programs. Decisions on whether to support political 
party programming at a given time in a particular country are context-
specific and based on a number of factors. These include alignment with 
the USG country strategy; an assessment of the willingness and capacity 
of parties to receive such assistance; the degree of political space in 
the country; the availability of funding; and the extent to which other 
donors are already supporting political party development.

    Question. Somalia and Liberia are the top priorities for democracy 
and governance funding in FY 2022 for Sub-Saharan Africa, at $17 
million and nearly $16 million, respectively.
    Does this prioritization adequately reflect USG priorities for 
supporting democratic and governance processes in Africa, particularly 
given the poor performance by Somalia in planning for and conducting 
direct elections (and subsequently an indirect selection process) in 
2020 and 2021?

    Answer. The request prioritizes support for African partners that 
promote democratic ideals, support fiscal transparency, undertake 
economic reforms, and foster legitimate, transparent, and inclusive 
political systems that respond to citizens' needs. The African 
continent has made important gains in democracy and institution 
building; however, these gains are fragile.
    Somalia's critical challenges require long-term initiatives that 
will address underlying human development, governance, security, and 
economic challenges facing a country emerging from more than two 
decades of conflict. Somalia's stability is important to security in 
the broader Horn of Africa region and is crucial to U.S. national 
security interests. While the 2020-2021 electoral process in Somalia 
has been disappointing due to the government's inability to secure 
direct elections, Elections are only one part of USAID's DRG strategy 
in Somalia. The mission has prioritized addressing the conditions that 
allow violent extremism to take root and spread by focusing on 
grievances arising from poor governance, the absence of justice, and 
exclusion from political, social, and economic opportunities.
    The United States has enjoyed a long and enduring relationship with 
Liberia. USAID has made important gains toward establishing democratic 
order and putting in place those institutions critical to long term 
prosperity and security. The Ebola Virus outbreak of 2014-2015 exposed 
the vulnerabilities of government institutions, as well as the economy, 
to unexpected shocks. These vulnerabilities require long-term 
commitments from the U.S. USAID's democracy and governance support, 
particularly election-related assistance, demonstrates our commitment 
to free, fair, and credible elections in 2023 building on the positive 
trajectory after Liberia's historic 2017 general elections and first 
peaceful transfer of power in over 70 years.

    Question. Ethiopia: Ethiopia's democratic and development 
trajectory changed significantly with the ascension of Prime Minister 
Abiy Ahmed and the seemingly historic reforms that followed. At that 
time, many U.S. officials hailed a ``once in a generation'' opportunity 
to affect change in Ethiopia, and the United States responded in-kind 
with significant investments in the country's development, including in 
elections, economic and political reforms, agriculture, among other 
areas.

   Given Ethiopia's rapidly changing conflict dynamics, 
        political landscape, and tense bilateral relationship with the 
        United States over the past year, how does USAID plan to adjust 
        its overall assistance planning to the country?

   Do you believe that the requested conflict mitigation and 
        stabilization funding for Ethiopia ($2.69 million) adequately 
        reflects the priority that the United States has placed upon 
        resolving the conflict in Tigray and addressing other conflicts 
        in Ethiopia?

   What is USAID's long-term approach to supporting Ethiopia 
        while responding to immediate humanitarian and other assistance 
        needs? Can we do both simultaneously, and if so, what are the 
        primary long-term and short-term assistance priorities for 
        Ethiopia?

    Answer. As a reflection of the changing relationship with the 
Government of Ethiopia and the Tigray crisis, USAID has already pivoted 
portions of our development portfolio and will continue to explore 
near-term operational pivots as opportunities arise. Longer term, our 
Mission in Addis Ababa will continuously reassess the nature of the 
development partnership with the Government of Ethiopia and will use 
this to determine where additional pivots are required within its 
development objectives to ensure our principled support for the 
Ethiopian people continues. Given the evolving challenges, 
opportunities and diplomatic relations with Ethiopia, USAID will not 
provide any direct financial resources to the Government of Ethiopia. 
USAID plans to continue Global Health and Food Security programs as 
those represent long-term investments and the needs and opportunities 
remain relatively similar. We will shift our Democracy, Governance and 
Human Rights funding away from supporting the government where 
appropriate, and scale back non-Food Security Economic Growth funding.
    We recognize the challenges related to conflict mitigation 
programming in Ethiopia. The request reflects a careful balancing of 
resource needs in multiple countries across Africa and the world and 
our assessment of what we can regionally do programmatically in the 
current security and political environment. The Mission's current 
strategy places special emphasis on recurring disasters and conflict 
vulnerability. The Mission's approach has been to try to address key 
vulnerabilities through a resilience approach across sectors and 
development objectives. In addition, the Mission has built in conflict-
sensitive approaches to activities through use of ``conflict modifier'' 
language in awards to ensure that development activities can respond to 
shifting needs as conflicts or other potential crises arise.
    USAID Ethiopia's Country Development Cooperation Strategy operates 
based on a disaster-development nexus to ensure disaster risk 
management and resilience are integrated into its development approach. 
USAID will continue to mitigate the worst aspects of the Northern 
Ethiopia crisis and support viable and inclusive political dialogue. In 
the short-term, USAID is increasing humanitarian assistance to address 
needs in Northern Ethiopia, and shifting some resources and activities 
within existing development programs to complement humanitarian 
activities in the region. Our Education program, for example, is poised 
to support the rebuilding and recovery of the education system in 
Northern Ethiopia once access opens up. At the same time, we will 
continue a country-wide program in health, food security, humanitarian 
assistance and other sectors to address ongoing needs.

    Question. Power Africa: In the face of growing Chinese influence 
and investment, and in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, there 
arguably has never been a more important time to advance U.S. strategic 
programs to reduce energy poverty, support transformative energy 
development, and stimulate economic recovery in Sub-Saharan Africa. 
Yet, the President's FY 2022 budget request proposes to reduce by 26 
percent funding for one of the most important instruments the USG has 
in its arsenal to accomplish these goals--Power Africa--while 
simultaneously imposing carbon caps and renewable energy mandates that 
inevitably will push developing economies in sub-Saharan Africa closer 
to China.
    Is reducing energy poverty in sub-Saharan Africa a priority for 
USAID? If so, how can that reasonably be accomplished while the 
Administration redirects funding for Power Africa to undefined climate 
change objectives and abandons the bipartisan, bicameral agreement on 
an ``all-of-the-above'' approach under the historic Electrify Africa 
Act?

    Answer. Power Africa will continue to increase access to power and 
the use of clean energy, as well as support investments in regional 
renewable energy programs in sub-Saharan Africa. Competing and urgent 
needs that arose as a result of the COVID 19 pandemic and its secondary 
impacts, conflict, and other crises necessitated difficult tradeoffs in 
our FY 2022 funding request. We believe our work through Power Africa, 
which leverages investments from U.S. and global partners, including 
the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, will be able to 
achieve strong and lasting results with the resources requested.
    In line with the Electrify Africa Act, Power Africa targets 
resources to develop and offer the best tools, services, and solutions 
from the private and public sector, including its 12 USG agency 
partners, to promote transparent market-driven energy development in 
sub-Saharan Africa. This approach builds the essential regulatory 
reforms and procurement practices to support a prosperous and 
democratic future.

    Question. How much of the USAID portion of the FY 2022 budget 
request will be dedicated to Indo-Pacific region? Please provide the 
absolute dollar amount and the percentage of the total.

    Answer. The FY 2022 Request includes $1.2 billion ($1.6 billion 
State and USAID) in foreign assistance to advance a free and open Indo-
Pacific, of which $287 million is Global Health funding (3.95 percent 
of the overall FY 2022 USAID request). These funds will strengthen 
democratic institutions, unlock private-sector led economic growth, and 
improve natural resource management. Working alongside allies and 
partners, U.S. assistance programs will reassert forward-looking global 
leadership and engage China from a position of collective confidence 
and strength, combat climate change, reduce the risk of cyber threats, 
foster democracy resilience and human rights, support inclusive 
economic growth and COVID-19 recovery, and improve natural resource 
management.

    Question. How much proposed USAID funding will go towards economic 
programs in the Indo-Pacific region?

    Answer. Of the $4.7 billion in economic growth (EG) in the FY22 
budget request, USAID proposes $297.8 million to support EG activities 
in the Indo-Pacific region. Funding will help combat the secondary 
impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic through improving private sector 
productivity; trade; agriculture; workforce development; and addressing 
environmental impacts consistent with the Administration's Indo-Pacific 
Framework. In addition, we expect that EG funding requested for the 
Democracy, Development, and Innovation Bureau and the Resilience and 
Food Security Bureau will also support their activities in the Indo-
Pacific region.

    Question. Of the $2.8 billion requested for democracy, rights, and 
governance (DRG), how much will go towards the Indo-Pacific region?

    Answer. Of the $2.8 billion requested for DRG across State and 
USAID, $280.6 million will support DRG activities in the Indo-Pacific 
region. To promote just and responsive governance in the Indo-Pacific, 
USAID is working to: promote the integrity of electoral processes; 
support the independence of media and information integrity; protect 
human rights, including civil and political rights; foster 
accountability and transparency, including fighting corruption; 
strengthen the rule of law; and strengthen civil society.

    Question. Will USAID energy programs provide any support to 
countries seeking to develop natural gas markets, relevant 
infrastructure, and supporting policy and regulations?

    Answer. To align with E.O. 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at 
Home and Abroad, USAID is creating procedures for evaluating all 
assistance that may lead to increased consumption of fossil fuels over 
a certain threshold, including natural gas. Per draft energy guidance 
being developed by the National Security Council, all new programming 
that supports increased consumption of fossil fuels will have to be 
justified on national security, development, or energy access grounds. 
Ongoing programming supporting the natural gas sector will be 
unaffected.

    Question. Will you commit that no climate change funding in this 
budget request will go to China?

    Answer. Yes. USAID is not requesting any climate change funding for 
China in the FY 2022 Budget Request, nor does it intend to create or 
implement any climate change programs in China.

    Question. Afghanistan: In addition to the $266 million in 
humanitarian assistance pledged on June 4, Secretary Blinken has also 
expressed his intent to work with Congress to obligate an additional 
$300 million in civilian assistance for Afghanistan. While the 
Department works to inject hundreds of millions in foreign aid into 
Afghanistan--a reflection of its purported desire to recalibrate the 
bilateral relationship by investing more in development and assistance 
lines of effort--USAID OIG plans to scale back its presence in country, 
reducing staffing and closing its sub-office in Kabul. All of this is 
occurring as the Taliban continues to make rapid advances on the 
ground. According to the Wall Street Journal, the U.S. intelligence 
community now assesses the government in Kabul may fall in as little as 
6 to 12 months after the U.S. and NATO military withdrawal, potentially 
triggering a humanitarian and security crisis.

   In light of the deteriorating security climate, how does 
        USAID plan to sustain the gains made over the past 20 years, 
        particularly as it pertains to the hard earned rights of women 
        and minorities?

   As we look to recalibrate our bilateral relationship with 
        Afghanistan, what more can be done to support the development 
        of health, education, female empowerment, and government 
        transparency?

   How does USAID plan to effectively conduct oversight of U.S. 
        foreign assistance programs in Afghanistan given its diminished 
        presence on the ground?

    Answer. USAID plans to support early recovery, basic needs and 
services, including health and education, food security and 
livelihoods, and womens' rights. In addition, given the increasing 
displacement of Afghans around the country, USAID will continue to 
deliver humanitarian assistance using International Disaster Assistance 
(IDA) based on need and where access and security allow.
    The U.S. Government continues to urge the Taliban to provide access 
to schools, employment and freedom of movement for all Afghan women and 
girls. Our programs will continue to support those goals. USAID 
provides on-going and strategic program oversight despite security 
restrictions in Afghanistan. Monitoring and oversight measures taken in 
Afghanistan include: vetting of implementing partners (IPs), multi-
tiered monitoring efforts, and financial controls. USAID will continue 
to use third-party monitoring to provide programmatic oversight where 
our partners and programs operate. These third-party monitors are local 
partners to each region and have been capable of accessing USAID 
programs across the country. If the security environment affects USAID 
partners' and programs' ability to operate, third-party monitoring 
efforts will correspondingly adjust to fit within the new operating 
status of programs to ensure the safety of on-the-ground staff.

    Question. West Bank & Gaza: Since January 2021, the Biden 
administration has re-established relations with the Palestinian 
Authority (PA) and announced nearly $360 million in planned U.S. 
assistance. This move has occurred despite the lack of progress in PA 
reforms, including its toxic so-called ``pay to slay program.''

   Please detail how USAID plans to address the PA's ongoing 
        support for terrorism in the region, while also ensuring the 
        needs of the Palestinian people are met, including by 
        supporting the PA's ability to deliver basic services.

   How does USAID plan to maintain effective oversight of the 
        nearly $360 million in planned assistance for the West Bank and 
        Gaza? Does this include ensuring all U.S. assistance is 
        consistent with applicable U.S. law, including Taylor Force 
        Act?

   Can you commit to working with the Israelis to ensure any 
        U.S. Government funds that support ``reconstruction'' efforts 
        in Gaza are allocated in a manner that is consistent with U.S. 
        and Israeli national security interests, and does not in any 
        way benefit Hamas, politically or otherwise? Please explain, in 
        detail, your plans for ensuring appropriate levels of 
        coordination with the Israeli Government on the disbursement of 
        such funds.

    Answer. The Biden administration is opposed to the prisoner payment 
system and has consistently urged the Palestinian Authority to end this 
practice. The Department of State leads on this issue. USAID's 
assistance in the West Bank and Gaza is implemented in strict 
compliance with the Taylor Force Act and other applicable laws.
    The Department of State and the USAID Mission in the West Bank and 
Gaza (WBG) have a long-standing, 15-year-old, robust partner vetting 
process to mitigate the risk that U.S. Government resources could 
inadvertently support Hamas or other terrorist groups. Trained 
counterintelligence professionals screen the personally identifiable 
information of key individuals of organizations and individual 
beneficiaries, who meet the vetting requirements outlined in Mission 
Order 21, against public and U.S. Government databases at the FBI-
managed Threat Screening Center. Additionally, USAID partners in the 
WBG have aggressive risk-mitigation systems in place aimed at ensuring 
U.S. taxpayer-funded assistance is reaching those for whom we intend.
    As is the case around the world, the United States will provide 
assistance in the West Bank and Gaza through experienced and trusted 
independent partners that distribute aid directly to people in need. 
USAID also closely coordinates with the GOI Coordinator of Government 
Activities in the Territories (COGAT) on all USAID activities in the 
West Bank and Gaza. All materials entering Gaza for use on a USAID 
funded activity are transported through the Kerem Shalom crossing, 
which is arranged and approved by COGAT. USAID adheres to all GOI 
requirements for approving materials entering Gaza and for end-use 
monitoring.

    Question. Syria: What does the future of [humanitarian]assistance 
to Syria look like? How can we effectively provide relief to millions 
in need without a sufficient number of UN border crossing points?
    We know that there is no replacement for cross-border mechanisms to 
deliver humanitarian assistance in Syria, and that cross-line 
assistance is costly, ineffective, and prone to manipulation. How will 
you ensure that U.S. assistance is not routed through Damascus and 
instead delivered directly to those in need?

    Answer. Rising humanitarian needs and an increasingly complex 
operating environment continue to pose significant challenges for 
humanitarian actors throughout Syria who continue to reach the most 
vulnerable at great risk to themselves. The July 9 reauthorization of 
cross-border assistance through United Nations Security Council 
Resolution 2585 provided crucial relief for the Syrian people, but it 
does not completely fill the vast needs on the ground. That is why it 
is vital for the United States to continue to advocate for unimpeded 
humanitarian access through all possible means--including continued 
authorization and expansion of UN cross-border access and unhindered 
cross-line assistance. USAID has zero tolerance for fraud, waste, or 
abuse by any parties to the conflict, including the Assad regime. All 
USAID humanitarian assistance is implemented through independent 
humanitarian organizations--UN agencies and NGOs--to reach those most 
in need in line with humanitarian principles. No U.S. assistance is 
routed through the Syrian Arab Republic Government.

    Question. Venezuela: The authoritarian regime in Cuba has 
reportedly developed its own COVID-19 vaccine. Can you confirm that 
USAID will not provide any direct or indirect support to a COVID-19 
vaccination campaign in which the Cuban vaccine is used?

   Can you confirm that USAID will not provide direct or 
        indirect support to a vaccination campaign in Venezuela that is 
        non-transparent and discriminatory?

   Can you confirm that USAID support for the World Food 
        Program in Venezuela will not strengthen the ability of the 
        Maduro regime to exert control over the Venezuelan people?

    Answer. USAID has not provided and has no plans to provide direct 
or indirect support to a COVID-19 vaccination campaign in which any 
Cuban vaccine is used. Cuba has not published its trial data for its 
vaccines, nor has the vaccine received an emergency use listing or 
authorization from the World Health Organization.
    In addition, USAID can confirm that there are no plans to provide 
direct or indirect support to a COVID-19 vaccination campaign in 
Venezuela, where current vaccination efforts are non-transparent and 
discriminatory. If at any time in the future USAID does provide COVID-
19 vaccination support, it would only be if there was an equitable and 
transparent National Deployment and Vaccination Plan.
    USAID support for the UN World Food Program--an independent 
humanitarian operation--(WFP) in Venezuela is intended to address the 
emergency food needs of vulnerable Venezuelan children impacted by the 
crisis. All USAID-funded humanitarian activities in Venezuela are and 
will continue to be guided by the humanitarian principles of humanity, 
neutrality, impartiality, and operational independence. Furthermore, 
WFP's clear branding and messaging at the community level about their 
association with the UN and international donors prevent the regime 
from receiving reputational benefits. WFP has identified geographic 
areas for assistance based on the results of its emergency food 
security assessment. WFP is currently piloting its food assistance 
program in the State of Falcon, eventually expanding to more locations 
based on needs outlined in the food security assessment. Falcon is 
among the five states in the country with the highest prevalence of 
severe food insecurity. WFP is maintaining its own independent supply 
chains and food distributions and WFP has indicated no instance of 
interference by the Maduro regime during this pilot program.

    Question. Central America: The Administration has announced $310 
million in foreign assistance to Central America before formally 
submitting the Central America Strategy required by law and without 
explaining what benchmarks, if any, it has established to meaningfully 
reduce illegal migration from the region.

   When can we expect to receive this Strategy?

   Can you explain how the Strategy more closely ties our U.S. 
        assistance to deterring illegal migration to the U.S.?

    Answer. The Root Causes Strategy that was requested by Congress in 
the FY 2021 Appropriation Bill is receiving final review within the 
U.S. Government and we anticipate the strategy will be released by the 
White House in the near future.
    Per President Biden's February 2, 2021 Executive Order, USAID 
collaborated with interagency partners on forthcoming strategies that 
both address the critical factors pushing Central Americans to migrate 
and strengthen multilateral efforts on migration management. I look 
forward to working with Congress to implement these strategies and 
receive your feedback in the coming weeks and months.

    Question. Over the past 30 years, the U.S. Government and USAID 
have spent hundreds of millions of dollars to help build and reform 
Georgia's judicial system. Still, the country's judiciary is moving, 
and quite rapidly, in deeply troubling direction. Georgia's judiciary 
is increasingly controlled by a clan of judges who see their first goal 
as protecting their position, and who will sell their services to the 
highest bidder. Still, USAID programs and tenders go ahead, pumping 
money into a project that has clearly failed.
    Will you commit to re-examining the current program of judicial 
reforms that USAID is running in Georgia, and to develop an assessment 
as to whether the current projects are truly the best way to help 
Georgia move forward?

    Answer. USAID continues to implement a broad program of support for 
democratic reforms in Georgia, including activities focused on 
improving judicial independence, which remains an area where much work 
remains to be done. While progress in the judicial sector is fragile 
and subject to intermittent setbacks, USAID considers there to have 
been substantive improvement in the sector since USAID programs began, 
including during recent years. USAID programming in Georgia is also 
closely monitored and coordinated with our State Department colleagues 
to ensure appropriate stewardship of USG funding, including performance 
monitoring and evaluations. I would welcome the opportunity for further 
discussion of Georgia's challenges and achievements in this area.
    At the same time, Georgia is a steadfast and critical partner of 
the United States in the Caucasus region, and this partnership has long 
been one of mutual benefit and support, most importantly in countering 
the Kremlin's attempts to thwart Georgian independence and expand their 
sphere of influence through military aggression, intimidation, and 
misinformation. We are committed to continuing to support Georgia in 
becoming more democratic, more prosperous, and more able to defend the 
rights (including the legal rights) of its citizens throughout its 
internationally recognized territory. U.S. foreign assistance programs 
are an integral part of furthering U.S. strategic interests in Georgia.
                                 ______
                                 

               Responses of Samantha Power to Questions 
                  Submitted by Senator Benjamin Cardin

    Question. America's leadership in both landmine/unexploded ordnance 
removal and war victim's assistance are vital tools in the development 
tool box. However, coordination between programs run by the State 
Department's Bureau of Political Military Affairs and USAID remains 
limited and inconsistent. While the State Department supports demining 
programs that employ thousands of former combatants, war widows, and 
other people vulnerable to extremist recruitment from Afghanistan to 
Sri Lanka, the potential of these investments to contribute to USAID's 
strategy to counter violent extremism remains poorly understood. At the 
same time, State Department demining programs have provided millions of 
acres of land for safe use in fragile settings, but these efforts are 
rarely coordinated with USAID agricultural programs and other 
interventions which could maximize their development impact. Similarly, 
the Leahy War Victims Fund administered by USAID could achieve greater 
impact if it were aligned with priority demining programs in Libya, 
Yemen and elsewhere to offer hope to war victims while the State 
Department invests in addressing the immediate explosive threat.
    Will you commit to work with the State Department to break down the 
silos between demining and development and ensure that these programs 
and their implementing partners work in close cooperation?

    Answer. Yes, USAID is committed to strengthening coordination with 
the State Department's Bureau of Political Military Affairs (PMA) to 
ensure our implementing partners and beneficiaries benefit from these 
enhanced efforts on risk education, landmine/unexploded ordnance 
removal, victim assistance, and other key development sectors such as 
land rights, agriculture, and countering violent extremism. USAID, 
through the Leahy War Victims Fund (LWVF) and the Senior Advisor for 
Rehabilitation (based in the Inclusive Development Hub in the Bureau 
for Development, Democracy, and Innovation) will strive to maximize 
impact and efficiency in priority countries.
    To help breakdown silos between demining and development, USAID 
intends to:

   Hold coordination and strategy meetings with PMA/Weapons 
        Removal and Abatement;

   Hold discussions with the PMA, USAID/Middle East Bureau, and 
        representative(s) of the LWVF to identify opportunities for 
        future programming; and

   Work together with the State Department's Bureau of Conflict 
        and Stabilization Operations to address countering violent 
        extremism efforts globally. Under USAID's new Senior Advisor 
        for Conflict Integration, these efforts now include intra- and 
        interagency coordination across regional and pillar bureaus in 
        both agencies.

    Question. Given the urgent needs for humanitarian and rights-based 
support to Burmese civil society operating in Burma and along the 
Thailand-Burma border, what is USAID doing to ensure that funds are 
going to local organizations and that they can be used with the 
flexibility necessary to address the rapidly changing situation on the 
ground?
    Background: USAID has shifted approximately $42 million from work 
that would have gone to the Government of Burma, to ``support and 
strengthen'' civil society. There are concerns that much of this money 
is going to beltway-based organizations and that there is not a focus 
on easing some of the restrictions that keep local civil society in 
Thailand and Burma from accessing the funds.

    Answer. The $42.4 million funds redirection announced by the White 
House on February 11 comprised only the FY 2020 bilateral funding 
available to USAID/Burma when the coup began. Additional shifts were 
made to central and regional programs as well as adjustments for FY 
2021 funding. USAID's long-standing relationships with local civil 
society, political actors, ethnic representatives, and media have 
allowed us to work closely with local and international counterparts to 
facilitate critical work and discussions between the various elements 
of the emerging democracy movement.
    Since February 1, USAID/Burma has issued more than 50 new subawards 
and urgent modifications to existing development awards to enable local 
organizations to respond to the coup, augment local partners' roles, or 
continue related activities. More than 20 additional subawards to local 
organizations are under active development and consideration and 
include grants for coup-response work such as legal defense for exiled 
journalists.
    Humanitarian assistance: In FY 2021, USAID has scaled up its 
humanitarian assistance to address the needs of people displaced by 
coup-related violence in the southeastern region, including populations 
displaced near the border with Thailand, as well as in Chin State. In 
addition, with prior year funding, USAID is supporting the OCHA-managed 
Myanmar Humanitarian Fund, which is providing assistance through local 
and international organizations to provide urgent assistance to newly 
displaced people in the southeast.
    USAID has provided humanitarian assistance to meet the most urgent 
needs of displaced and conflict-affected populations in Burma, 
including providing food, water, sanitation, health, nutrition, 
essential household items, and cash assistance. Funding also supports 
strengthened coordination activities for the humanitarian community to 
improve critical response decisions. USAID humanitarian awards include 
geographic flexibility, which enables partners to quickly shift target 
locations and respond to new needs as they arise. Implementing partners 
are led by seasoned international organizations experienced in the 
delivery of humanitarian assistance in complex environments and who 
work predominantly through experienced local organizations throughout 
target areas.

    Question. How is USAID addressing the critique of the development 
aid model that leads to such small amounts going to local groups and 
the correlating critique that local groups have such little say over 
how the money gets allocated?

    Answer. USAID is addressing the complexities of localization at the 
policy, strategic, and operational level--but this also requires that 
USAID make smart, context appropriate, choices. USAID continues to work 
to improve our collaborative methodologies and to standardize practices 
that bring local actors to the table, and when possible, the head of 
the table. The Agency is working to build co-creation and co-design 
into more procurement vehicles, and to use tools that leave the design 
of the activity to a later part of the process where local actors can 
lead. The Agency remains committed to working with new, nontraditional, 
and local partners directly and indirectly. USAID/Burma has more than 
100 local sub-grantees.

    Question. Given the COVID-19 outbreak in Myanmar and along the 
border, is USAID positioned to provide vaccine support, particularly 
through Myanmar ethnic health organizations that are leading the 
response in border areas?

    Answer. USAID is providing substantial assistance to IDPs and other 
vulnerable communities in the southeastern areas of Burma bordering 
Thailand. USAID has development and humanitarian assistance programs in 
those border areas, which includes work responding to COVID-19 and 
laying the groundwork for subsequent vaccine deployment.
    USAID/Burma is supporting the U.S. Embassy to lead discussions with 
other diplomatic missions on the UN's proposed plan for COVID-19 
testing, care, and vaccinations, which would require limited regime 
contact to be able to import, store, and distribute commodities, as 
well as allow ethnic health and non-governmental organizations and 
local private sector to support implementation.
    While USAID is looking at cross-border options to increase the 
provision of assistance in southeastern Burma, there are complex 
political and operational challenges, including complicated technical 
requirements for transporting COVID-19 vaccines, that inhibit the use 
of cross-border operations for assistance at scale. Currently, USAID is 
able to reach IDPs and other affected populations with development and 
humanitarian assistance working from within Burma by leveraging 
partnerships with local civil society networks and local ethnic health 
organizations.

    Question. More than 90 percent of the world's learners have been 
impacted by COVID-19-related school closures, and history has taught us 
that the longer students are out of school, the less likely they are to 
return. This is even more relevant for vulnerable groups, such as girls 
and children with disabilities. You have stated that USAID is committed 
to making education systems more resilient and equitable, including by 
leveraging partnerships like the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) 
and Education Cannot Wait (ECW). However, the President's Budget 
Request proposed funding Basic Education at below FY 2021 enacted 
levels. Specifically, how will USAID support global education and 
leverage these complementary partnerships?

    Answer. USAID is committed supporting basic education, which has 
gained urgency in light of COVID-19 impacts. In response to the COVID-
19 pandemic, the United States implemented a combination of immediate 
response efforts to mitigate learning loss and psychosocial impact, as 
well as medium- to long-term investments to build more resilient and 
equitable education systems and societies with the capacity to better 
manage future shocks and prevent learning loss. Despite widespread 
school closures, USAID collectively reached more than 25.4 million 
learners in 57 countries through international basic education 
programs--and expanded access to high-quality education for all in FY 
2020. For more information on USG response to impacts of COVID-19 on 
the education sector, please see the newly released report, U.S. 
Government COVID-19 International Basic Education Response.
    Complementing our bilateral education work are USAID's critical 
partnerships with the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), Education 
Cannot Wait (ECW), and other key education stakeholders. USAID provided 
technical and leadership support to GPE and ECW's COVID-19 response. 
USAID Missions continue to work with GPE, ECW, and all stakeholders in 
supporting our country partners in responding to COVID-19 to mitigate 
learning losses, return to learning, and equip education actors and 
institutions to be increasingly resilient.

    Question. 128 million conflict-affected children lack education 
services, denying them the right to an education and making them more 
vulnerable to violence, trafficking, child labor, child marriage, and 
recruitment by armed groups. Education Cannot Wait (ECW) delivers 
rapid, collaborative responses to the educational needs of children and 
youth affected by crises and is the first global movement and fund 
dedicated to education in emergencies and protracted crises. In 2020, 
ECW activated its First Emergency Response funding window to re-program 
current grants and deliver nearly $100 million in new funding to 26 
countries in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. ECW relies on support 
from donors like the U.S. Can you talk about USAID's education work in 
conflict and crisis settings and how ECW complements this work?

    Answer. Working to ensure that children and youth, particularly the 
most marginalized and vulnerable, have increased access to quality 
education is one of four priorities in USAID's Education Policy. This 
priority includes reaching children and youth in conflict and crisis 
settings. For example, in Northeast Nigeria, where access to 
educational opportunities due to the Boko Haram insurgency and the 
resulting displacement of families and communities have been disrupted, 
USAID activities provide continuity of education, improve the quality 
of teaching and learning, increase equitable access to education, 
stabilize institutional capacity to deliver education, and integrate 
peacebuilding and safety into school communities.
    Building on USAID's bilateral work, the Agency's contributions to 
Education Cannot Wait (ECW) furthers our ability to help provide safe, 
relevant, and quality education in conflict and crisis-affected 
settings. ECW has a reach and a response time that leverages and 
complements USAID's bilateral development investments by pooling the 
financial resources of traditional and non-traditional partners to 
respond to the dynamic needs of crisis and conflict-affected contexts. 
ECW also tests interventions and aggregates learning to improve the 
global knowledge base of what works in education in emergencies 
benefitting all actors in the sector, including USAID.
    USAID Missions understand this unique role ECW plays. For example, 
USAID's Mission in Burkina Faso recognized the value add of ECW and 
will use its funding to contribute to ECW's Burkina Faso Multi-Year 
Resilience Programme. USAID supports ECW at both the technical and 
political levels through roles on the High-Level Steering Group, 
Executive Committee, and at the country-level through the Local 
Education Group or the Education Cluster, a donor coordination group.

    Question. As Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee 
on State Department and USAID Management, International Operations, and 
Bilateral Development, my Subcommittee has responsibility for reviewing 
the budget and operations of the State Department and USAID. The 
absence of U.S. Government leadership in the UN Joint SDG Fund, the 
sole funding vehicle for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, 
has undermined its ability to raise the financing needed to accelerate 
their implementation globally. Unfortunately, the President's budget 
omitted specific support for the UN Joint SDG Fund which is why I 
requested that the Subcommittee include a line item of $50 million in 
funding for the UN Joint SDG Fund. American leadership of the Joint SDG 
Fund would also enable the U.S. to prioritize initiatives relating to 
SDG 16, which in my view is the key to achieving all the other 
sustainable development goals, as it seeks to develop ``peaceful and 
inclusive societies . . . provide access to justice for all and build 
effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.''

  a.  How can USAID play a role in ensuring that SDGs are achieved by 
        2030, especially SDG16?

  b.  How does USAID aim to promote SDG16 in its 2022 budget proposal?

    Answer. USAID is committed to robust engagement and leadership on 
the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While USAID has not made a 
commitment to the UN Joint SDG Fund, USAID programs contribute to the 
implementation of the SDGs as the Agency's programming guidance calls 
for our assistance programs to take into account host country 
sustainable development strategies, most of which are framed around the 
SDGs. As such, in key technical areas such as food security, health, 
water and sanitation, inclusive economic growth and education, as well 
as in gender, rule of law, and tackling inequality, USAID's programs 
align well with--and directly contribute to--specific SDGs.
    USAID strongly supports SDG16, including through our extensive 
support for programs to strengthen democracy, human rights, and 
governance; address democratic backsliding; and strengthen justice 
systems that uphold the rule of law. USAID also works to strengthen 
country capacities to combat corruption, including through prevention, 
detection, investigation, prosecution, and international cooperation.
    With Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 resources, USAID intends to increase the 
Agency's support for implementation of SDG16 by:

   Reinvigorating democracy, human rights, and governance to 
        address democratic backsliding and broadening support for human 
        rights and rule of law, while increasing engagement with 
        multilateral partners. USAID's FY 2022 budget request includes 
        $2.8 billion across USAID and the Department of State for 
        democracy, human rights, and governance programming.

   Escalating our fight against corruption, including through 
        prevention, detection, investigation, prosecution, and 
        international cooperation. The FY 2022 request includes $50 
        million for a major new anti-corruption initiative, which will 
        allow the Agency to ensure targeted and new responses to 
        address illicit finance, transnational organized crime, and 
        strategic corruption, in line with specific SGD16 targets. In 
        addition, I have established the Anti-Corruption Task Force to 
        develop a fuller agenda in this area.

   Bolstering our ``rapid response'' capability to quickly 
        seize opportunities to strengthen democracy throughout the 
        world when there is an unexpected political opening or an 
        attempt to roll back democratic progress. The FY22 request 
        includes $60 million for the Complex Crises Fund to respond to 
        such scenarios, as well as others that present a high risk of 
        instability, in addition to a $100 million request for the 
        Democracy Fund.

   Advancing our fight against digital repression and 
        disinformation, and supporting independent journalists and 
        media outlets facing closing space. The FY22 request includes 
        $30 million to counter disinformation, encourage information 
        integrity and effective investigative journalism, and protect 
        at-risk journalists.

   Countering Foreign Malign Authoritarian Influence by 
        increasing the resilience of partner countries specifically 
        targeted by disinformation, weaponized corruption, election 
        interference, and the suppression of independent media, often 
        with support from other anti-democratic global powers. This 
        would be a likely focus of the $135 million request to cover 
        major deliverables of the Summit for Democracy that President 
        Biden has called for.

   Strengthening Policy and Programming by emphasizing 
        compliance with SDG16 and supporting more peaceful, just, and 
        inclusive societies in the forthcoming USAID Rule of Law 
        Policy, integrating SDG16 targets and indicators in assistance 
        activities, and integrating SDG16 in USAID's rule of law 
        trainings and technical tools.

    Question. Middle East Partnership for Peace Act: Last year, 
Congress appropriated $250 million over 5 years for the Nita M. Lowey 
Middle East Partnership for Peace Act, or MEPPA. I was pleased to see 
the Administration include MEPPA in its FY22 Budget Request. MEPPA 
funds critically needed people-to-people programming and joint economic 
partnerships between Israelis and Palestinians.

  a.  What is the status of MEPPA's implementation? When do you 
        anticipate the first tranche of obligated funds to be 
        disbursed?

  b.  What can Congress do to assist USAID in expediting 
        implementation, given the recent violence?

  c.  What do you believe are appropriate and productive uses of these 
        funds to help build the circumstances where a two-state 
        solution can be reached?

  d.  I understand that there are numerous nations who are interested 
        in partnering with the United States in this endeavor. Can you 
        elaborate on your conversations with foreign governments and if 
        the Biden administration intends to explore this multilateral 
        interest?

    Answer. MEPPA opens up incredible possibilities for positive change 
at an urgent moment for Israelis and Palestinians. Engagement between 
the two sides is sorely needed and I am hopeful that this law will help 
contribute to an expansion of a constituency for peace and a future 
where communities with deep historical divides work together. USAID is 
working diligently, alongside colleagues at the Development Finance 
Corporation (DFC) and the Department of State, to prepare for the 
launch of MEPPA by the end of the year. We are currently focused on 
standing up the Advisory Board and readying programming under the 
Partnership for Peace Fund (PPF) to launch immediately after the 
Congressionally-authorized date of December 27, 2021.
    For the Advisory Board, I have appointed a Designated Federal 
Official--who will support the functions and operations of the Advisory 
Board--and we are finalizing drafts of both the Charter for the 
Advisory Board and the Membership Balance Plan, documents required per 
the Federal Advisory Committee Act to legally establish the Board.
    Under the PPF, USAID will be able to facilitate assistance awards 
to local and non-traditional peacebuilding partners (i.e. private 
sector and/or local faith-based groups) for innovative, adaptive, and 
locally led development approaches in support of building, expanding, 
and transforming popular support for peaceful coexistence between 
Israelis and Palestinians. The PPF will target a diversity of sectors, 
including peacebuilding, renewable energy, water productivity, climate 
resilience, health care, positive youth development, and those that 
complement the DFC's Joint Investment for Peace Initiative.
    Finally, USAID is actively discussing MEPPA with other 
international donors and exploring opportunities for collaboration and 
partnership once the Fund is launched.
                                 ______
                                 

               Responses of Samantha Power to Questions 
                     Submitted by Senator Tim Kaine

    Question. Per Senator Kaine's exchange with Administrator Power at 
the SFRC hearing on the President's FY22 budget for USAID, the Senator 
requests that USAID produce a chart comparing vaccine donations around 
the world, including what the U.S. is doing to demonstrate U.S. 
generosity, versus what Russia, China and other countries (Canada, 
Europe, Australia, India, etc.) have contributed.
    This chart should reflect total U.S. bilateral donations to each 
country globally, the mechanisms (bilaterally or through COVAX), cost 
and source of funding (to include if a loan), the brand or vaccine 
manufacturer, and support equipment (for example cold storage units or 
injectors). It should also note what Russia and China and others have 
provided to that same country and if theses vaccines were donated or 
provided at cost or profit (to the extent that USAID is able to gather 
this information understanding that Russia and China are not 
transparent about their distribution).
    This chart should be updated and shared with Congress every 60 
days.
    Do you agree to provide such a chart to Congress?

    Answer. Below please find a chart outlining U.S. donations, by 
country, as of July 13, 2021. Due to the lack of verifiable, publicly 
accessible data on China and Russia global vaccine donations and sales, 
we are unable to provide a chart that directly compares them to U.S. 
donations.

             U.S. Donations as of July 13, 2021, By Country
------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Country                   Vaccines          Delivery Date
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afghanistan                                3,000,000              7/7/21
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bangladesh                                 2,500,000             6/29/21
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bhutan                                       500,000              7/9/21
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bolivia                                    1,008,000              7/7/21
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brazil                                     3,000,000             6/23/21
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Colombia                                   2,500,000             6/30/21
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Costa Rica                                   500,000             7/12/21
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ecuador                                    2,000,000             6/30/21
------------------------------------------------------------------------
El Salvador                                1,500,000            7/6/2021
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiji                                         150,000             7/12/21
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Guatemala                                  1,500,000              7/7/21
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Haiti                                        500,000             7/13/21
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Honduras                                   1,500,000             6/25/21
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Laos                                       1,000,000             7/12/21
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Malaysia                                   1,000,000              7/2/21
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mexico                                     1,350,000             6/14/21
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Moldova                                      150,000              7/9/21
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nepal                                      1,534,000              7/9/21
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pakistan                                   2,500,000             6/28/21
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Paraguay                                   1,000,000              7/8/21
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Peru                                       2,000,000             6/28/21
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Republic of Korea                          1,012,000             6/14/21
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sri Lanka                                  1,500,000             7/13/21
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Taiwan                                     2,500,000             6/18/21
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Uruguay                                      500,000              7/7/21
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vietnam                                    2,000,000            7/6/2021
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total                                     38,204,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                 ______
                                 

               Responses of Samantha Power to Questions 
                 Submitted by Senator Edward J. Markey

    Question. The recent warnings of famine and continued lack of 
humanitarian access to Tigray are extremely concerning. What specific 
obstacles are USAID partners still facing to reach civilians, and what 
is urgently needed to fight famine?

    Answer. USAID believes that famine may already be happening in 
Tigray. If the conflict doesn't end and humanitarian access does not 
improve, the already devastating situation will get even worse. The 
ongoing conflict has left 5.2 million people out of a total of 6 
million, approximately 90 percent of the population, in need of 
assistance.
    In response to the acute food needs across Tigray, USAID/BHA is 
supporting the Catholic Relief Services (CRS)-led Joint Emergency 
Operation (JEOP), as well as the UN World Food Program (WFP) and other 
humanitarian partners, to provide emergency food assistance--including 
commodities such as U.S.-sourced cereals, pulses, and vegetable oil--to 
vulnerable people in the region. As of July 2021, USAID/BHA has 
provided CRS-led JEOP and WFP with $179 million and $100 million 
respectively. Combined, the JEOP and WFP had reached nearly 3.6 million 
people across Mekele and five of Tigray's six zones with food rations 
from late 2020 to early June 2021.
    On June 9, USAID Administrator Samantha Power announced $181 
million in additional funding to respond to the crisis, totaling more 
than $360 million in USG funding for the Tigray response in 2021 so 
far. The USG continues to lead advocacy efforts to increase 
humanitarian access and scale up the response. This assistance will 
address food insecurity by providing nearly 100,000 metric tons (MT) of 
food, sufficient to feed 3 million people for nearly 2 months, as well 
as fertilizers, seeds, and tools for farmers to replant crops 
intentionally destroyed by armed actors. The new funding also includes 
support for protection services, case management for survivors of 
gender-based violence (GBV), safe spaces, programs to reunite separated 
households, psychosocial support services for women and girls, and 
training for social workers and community caseworkers. Finally, the 
assistance will enable additional health and water, sanitation, and 
hygiene (WASH) support, critically needed to repair damaged or 
destroyed facilities and infrastructure and restore critical services.
    However, we are growing increasingly concerned that the unilateral 
ceasefire declared by the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) on June 28 is 
resulting in a de facto blockade of Tigray. We are calling on the GoE 
to restore electricity, telecommunications, and banking activity and to 
allow the entry of fuel into Tigray. The Semera (Afar) to Mekele route 
for access into Tigray is our best hope of getting humanitarian 
assistance to those in need inside Tigray. To deliver urgently needed 
lifesaving assistance, all parties to the conflict must permit 
unhindered movement of humanitarian supplies, commodities, and 
personnel into Tigray by road and air.

    Question. On June 30, OpenDemocracy released an investigative 
report highlighting that aid donor funds in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania 
may have been used for anti-gay ``conversion therapy'' at several 
USAID-funded health clinics. This is a discredited and dangerous 
practice that targets LGBTQI+ people and perpetuates stigma and 
discrimination. What is USAID doing to determine the extent to which 
global health dollars were used to undermine LGBTQI+ rights in light of 
this reporting, and how do you plan to strengthen non-discrimination 
policies to hold implementers accountable to true LGBTQI+ inclusion?

    Answer. So-called ``conversion therapy'' and all practices 
attempting to change an individual's sexual orientation, gender 
identity, and/or gender expression are a violation of human rights that 
is inherently degrading and discriminatory. The U.S. Government opposes 
these practices. Conversion therapy is a violation of the USG's 
commitments to ``do no harm'' and to follow evidence-based practices.
    Immediately upon learning of the allegations, the U.S. Government 
reached out to the implementing partners named in the articles to 
verify the allegations and conduct an investigation. Individuals and 
organizations within the LGBTQI+ civil society communities were also 
consulted. In an interagency process, relevant U.S. Government agencies 
and each country's USAID mission investigated and assessed the 
identified implementing partners. The process found no evidence of 
systematic ``conversion therapy'' programs or practices at the clinics, 
and all implementing partners are categorically opposed to the 
practice. However, the unacceptable actions of some individuals merited 
changes to prevent further incidents and strengthen protection and 
support for key populations. The findings of the investigations have 
informed several efforts to ensure that our programs do no harm and do 
not enable discriminatory activities.
    The U.S. Government is implementing concrete changes, both with the 
implementing partners as well as in related programming worldwide, in 
response to these incidents. These changes include working with local 
LGBTQI+ civil society to strengthen the LGBTQI+ competency of 
implementing partners services as well as affirming non-discrimination 
policies by all implementing partners. In addition, community-led 
monitoring of health services will help the U.S. Government recognize 
and address similar challenges in the future. Additionally, USAID is 
currently working to establish an Accountability Mechanism that 
individuals, communities, civil society, and other stakeholders can use 
to report concerns about the economic, social, and environmental impact 
of USAID activities.

    Question. The continued plight of those displaced by the Nagorno-
Karabakh conflict in 2020 is troubling. This year, the United Nations 
launched a 2021 Interagency Response Plan for Armenia highlighting the 
need for $62 million to support populations affected by the fighting. 
What plans does USAID have to thoroughly review the needs in Nagorno-
Karabakh and Armenia in order to provide appropriate assistance in line 
with those needs?

    Answer. Since September 2020, USAID has provided more than $4.5 
million in total assistance to respond to the complex humanitarian 
crisis resulting from the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and associated 
COVID-19 resurgence. USAID provided food, shelter, emergency health 
assistance, and social services to communities displaced from Nagorno-
Karabakh in Armenia. This includes $2.5 million in emergency 
humanitarian assistance, to provide cash assistance to food-insecure 
displaced persons and in-kind assistance to host-family households, 
addressing health, shelter and WASH sectors to mitigate the spread of 
COVID-19 for displaced individuals and collective shelters.
    While the displacement situation is dynamic and continues to 
evolve, USAID continues to work closely with the Department of State to 
assess urgent post-conflict humanitarian needs and possible future U.S. 
Government engagement on an ongoing basis. The agency also continues to 
seek opportunities to help build constructive cross-border interaction 
and cooperation as the basis for peace and stability across the South 
Caucasus.
    More broadly, USAID continues to support Armenia's goals to promote 
a resilient and democratic society, enhance economic growth, and 
strengthen its energy security.

    Question. There have been several recent reports of human rights 
violations against peaceful protesters in Colombia. USAID must support 
those who seek to have their grievances heard by their government 
representatives. What activities is USAID supporting to bolster human 
rights and civil society programs in Colombia?

    Answer. Across sectors--whether in human rights, justice, 
governance, environmental protection, ethnic inclusion, or economic 
development--USAID engages civil society and increases their capacity 
to represent their communities and advance positive change. In 
Colombia, USAID currently has 17 awards to local organizations, valued 
at nearly $70 million. Those local partners are diverse--local 
organizations, human rights organizations, victim-led organizations, 
cooperatives, family and corporate foundations, and academia. Since 
2016, USAID provided sub-grants to 655 local organizations, each with a 
capacity development component, which demonstrates efforts to engage 
with local partners to advance local solutions.
    USAID often serves as a bridge between civil society and the 
Colombian Government. For example, at the height of the 2021 protests, 
USAID supported the Colombian Family Welfare Institute (ICBF) to 
convene dialogues with 16,000 youth across 157 municipalities. Those 
dialogues informed the Colombian Government's Youth Pact and inter-
agency policy that will invest $8.7 billion in education, employment, 
mental health, security, environment, and culture for youth over the 
next 10 years. USAID is currently helping the Colombian Government to 
implement those commitments to increase investments in at-risk youth.
    The protests also opened new political space for young people in 
the form of youth councils, which President Duque announced amid the 
protests. USAID-trained youth leaders were elected to office for the 
first time and are now leading policymaking in their communities. USAID 
is supporting the elected councils and other authorities to ensure that 
they participate effectively in public policy making, continuing to 
connect them with civil society and the constituents they represent.
    In human rights, USAID focuses on the protection of vulnerable 
populations and the prevention and investigation of human rights 
abuses. USAID works with the Colombian State and sub-national 
authorities to strengthen human rights systems, such as the National 
Protection Unit protection for human rights defenders and Ombudsman 
Office's Early Warning System. USAID also works closely with civil 
society to elevate their issues to policymakers and adopt ``self-
protection'' methods to analyze and mitigate security risks. USAID 
specifically worked to improve human rights accountability within the 
police. Finally, announced after the protests, but the result of long-
term technical assistance, USAID helped the Colombian National Police 
create a human rights monitoring system to monitor internal human 
rights trends and shape policy to improve accountability. Over 6 years, 
USAID's Human Rights Activity provided nearly 90 sub-grants to civil 
society organizations, universities, and other local partners.

    Question. Diversity, equity, and inclusion have been cited by 
President Biden as a top priority for this administration in E.O. 
14035. To address this issue requires an honest assessment of the 
dignity and equality offered by the various hiring mechanisms used to 
employ staff who often work in war zones and complex emergencies. Is 
USAID analyzing the disparities across hiring mechanisms within its 
workforce, and what steps are you taking to improve staff equity? What 
can Congress do to help in this regard?

    Answer. USAID is committed to increasing diversity, ensuring 
equity, improving inclusion, and expanding accessibility (DEIA) across 
our workplace and operations, in line with major commitments from the 
Biden-Harris administration. I have prioritized DEIA since my first day 
in the office, when I signed and approved USAID's DEIA Strategic Plan. 
Since that day, I have continued to emphasize the importance of DEIA, 
while also working to create a workplace free from discrimination, 
harassment, and retaliation.
    USAID's DEIA Strategic Plan includes two objectives related to 
equity, which emphasize promoting equitable policies and practices 
across the employment lifecycle (e.g., recruitment, hiring, promotions, 
compensation, and professional development) that contribute to a more 
equitable workplace. In response to Executive Order (EO) 14035, USAID, 
similar to other Federal agencies, is conducting an internal equity 
assessment that will also support these objectives. Phase 1 of the 
assessment will be completed by October 2021, and focuses on USAID's 
direct hire workforce (i.e., federal employees) as directed by the EO.
    Given that Personal Services Contractors (PSCs) and Institutional 
Support Contractors (ISCs) make up the majority of USAID's workforce, 
the Agency has also committed to additional assessment phases that will 
focus on USAID's non-direct-hire workforce, including individual PSCs 
both in the United States and at Missions abroad, ISCs, and other 
hiring and contracting mechanisms. These mechanisms are governed by 
distinct legal and procurement frameworks. Our priority is to identify 
ways to achieve equity within each mechanism, while advancing broader 
DEIA initiatives to ensure that all members of our workforce feel 
respected, safe, included, and empowered to achieve our important 
mission and can thrive in a workplace free from discrimination, 
harassment and retaliation. Findings and recommendations from Phase 1 
of the assessment will be integrated into USAID's updated DEIA 
Strategic Plan, as well as the U.S. Government-wide DEIA Strategic 
Plan.
    Internal equity assessment notwithstanding, we have already taken 
action to advance its DEIA goals, including those centered on workplace 
equity. I meet regularly with USAID's various employee resource groups. 
Last year, the Bureau for Management identified potential options for 
enhancing equity for contractor mechanisms at the Agency, including 
increasing the number of Mission cooperating country national PSCs with 
warrants, providing paid parental leave for U.S. PSCs, and providing 
all contractors with access to developmental opportunities, such as the 
Agency's formal Mentoring Program. USAID is planning an in-depth 
barrier analysis that will look across the employment lifecycle to 
identify and address potential roadblocks to workplace equity in 
policies, programs, processes, and practices and will use the analysis 
to identify additional actions.
    We expanded our support for the Donald M. Payne International 
Development Fellowship Program, which recruits highly competitive 
candidates from underrepresented backgrounds to join USAID's Foreign 
Service. We are developing several groundbreaking memorandums of 
understanding with Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), including 
Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving 
Institutions, and Tribal Colleges and Universities as part of a broader 
push to both recruit from and more closely partner with these important 
institutions. These are just some of the many actions USAID is taking 
to advance equity and inclusion within our workplace.
    We openly recognize that achieving this ambitious agenda will 
require dedicated time, resources, and support. I would appreciate 
continued Congressional support in providing resources to help 
diversify our workforce and continue expanding support for programs, 
such as the Payne Fellowship Program. In addition, we would appreciate 
continued Congressional support to facilitate more robust data 
collection by removing legal and administrative hurdles.
    Congressional support for an exemption to Paperwork Reduction Act 
requirements related to demographic data collection, particularly 
related to ISCs and sexual orientation and gender identity, would 
assist in this regard. I would also appreciate your support for 
potential authorization language expressing support for our ongoing MSI 
partnerships. This will help to ensure that we are on track with our 
goals and commitments.
                                 ______
                                 

               Responses of Samantha Power to Questions 
                    Submitted by Senator Marco Rubio

    Question. Since this past Sunday, we have seen unprecedented and 
historic protests across Cuba. Unlike previous protests, Cubans are 
courageously marching in the streets--not just in Havana, but in more 
than 31 cities across the island.
    It pleases me to see that USAID has, under the direction of 
Congress, done much to create conditions which empower Cubans to speak 
out for their rights. I understand that USAID programs have provided 
humanitarian assistance to the families of political prisoners, 
educated Cubans on how to circumvent the regime's controls on internet 
access and raise awareness in the region that the Marxist regime does 
not, in fact, provide for Cuban's human and social rights.
    But, as I stated in my letter to President Biden on Monday, more 
needs to be done to assist the Cuban people in this historic moment.
    What can you tell me of the Agency's plans to further support the 
Cuban people?

    Answer. Consistent with U.S. law, USAID's Cuba democracy 
assistance: 1) provides basic needs assistance (largely food and 
medicine) to activists, political prisoners, dissidents, and their 
families; 2) supports and strengthens Cuban civil society; and 3) 
facilitates the free flow of information.
    USAID currently provides basic needs assistance (food, medicine, 
and hygiene products) to more than 2,400 people on the island, 
including activists, religious leaders, marginalized communities, 
political prisoners, former political prisoners and their family 
members. Given the significant increase in arbitrary arrests and 
detentions in recent days, USAID anticipates demand for basic needs 
assistance to political prisoners and dissidents to increase 
substantially. USAID is in daily contact with partners to assess needs 
and is prepared to fully fund its three instruments (valued at $5 
million over 3 years) to respond to this population to the largest 
possible extent.
    USAID supports human rights, fundamental freedoms, and democratic 
values by strengthening civil society through training on leadership 
skills, advocacy, community organizing, and documenting human rights 
violations. These efforts empower civil society activists to engage an 
increased number of Cuban citizens to advocate for greater rights and 
freedoms. Similarly, documentation of human rights violations will 
prove instrumental to assemble evidence of human rights abuses in 
international legal fora.
    Additionally, USAID works to increase the free flow of information 
to, from, and within the island. USAID's support for independent 
journalists and networks on the island are key to keep the citizenry 
informed of their rights and of citizen-led actions, as well as the 
human rights abuses of the Government of Cuba. USAID has helped train 
hundreds of journalists over the last decade whose work has appeared in 
major international news outlets.
    This programming is particularly relevant at this moment as local 
advocacy and access to information have proven instrumental in 
prompting Cubans to resist the regime. Similarly, needs-based 
assistance provides a lifeline to political prisoners, their families 
and other dissidents. Once an individual in Cuba has been identified as 
a dissident, they face harassment, arbitrary detention, and in some 
cases, are disappeared. These individuals, as well as members of their 
direct family, are deprived of all state services, food and medicine, 
and the right to earn an income.

    Question. I sincerely hope that the Administration acts on my 
recommendations to provide food and medicine to the people of Cuba. 
However, any aid that is provided to the people cannot be given through 
the regime, which will just use these assistance as leverage to control 
the people.
    What controls are--or will be--in place to ensure that humanitarian 
assistance provided to Cuba will not benefit the Castro-Diaz-Canel 
regime?

    Answer. USAID currently has three instruments with U.S.-based 
organizations to provide needs-based assistance (food, medicine, and 
hygiene products) to victims of repression, including political 
prisoners, their family members, and other individuals who are 
persecuted because of their political or religious beliefs. Despite the 
COVID-19 pandemic and the regime's repressive restrictions, USAID 
partners distributed more than 14,520 pounds of food, medicines, and 
hygiene products to persecuted activists, political prisoners and 
family members during the January-March period alone, helping counter 
the regime's repression tactics. This assistance reached more than 
2,400 people on the island including around 500 political prisoners 
detained in over 40 prisons.
    Each organization has protocols in place to individually vet all 
beneficiaries to ensure that they are imprisoned or persecuted due to 
political or religious activism. It should also be noted that none of 
the assistance is channeled through government-affiliated institutions. 
Rather, assistance is distributed through trustworthy and independent 
coordinators or religious organizations to ensure it reaches the 
targeted population.
    Given the significant increase in arbitrary arrests and detentions 
in recent days, USAID anticipates the need for basic needs assistance 
to political prisoners and dissidents to increase substantially. USAID 
is in daily contact with partners to assess needs and is prepared to 
fully fund its three instruments (valued at $5 million over 3 years) to 
respond to this population to the largest possible extent.

    Question. Since these protests started in Cuba, I have been 
critical of this Administration's delays in voicing its support for the 
Cuban people. To be honest, most of the initial statements by the 
Administration severely missed the mark. These protests are not just 
about severe food and medical shortages--these have been constant facts 
of everyday life in Cuba for decades. These protests are about the 
longstanding and deliberate decisions taken by a Marxist-Leninist 
regime that denies the Cuban people their liberty and life.
    Do you agree with the fact that these protests are rooted in the 
longstanding denial of Cubans' basic rights?

    Answer. As I stated during my testimony, you have only to hear the 
cries on the street for freedom; the complaints about the inability to 
access basic health services at a time of a raging pandemic; the 
reality that you cannot associate, speak, or do anything freely, to 
understand the frustrations of the Cuban people. This is a regime that 
has not ever met its citizens' aspirations for freedom and human 
rights. Instead, it abuses and represses the rights of its people day 
in and day out. The Cuban people want to enjoy individual dignity, and 
the Cuban regime denies them that.

    Question. As we all saw last week with the tragic assassination of 
President Jovenel Moise, the situation in Haiti continues to 
deteriorate. The U.S. has spent billions of dollars in foreign 
assistance to Haiti towards these goals, but the results created by 
this assistance is now under threat.
    What is USAID doing to step up assistance to Haiti, especially 
assistance to local government authorities there?
    How is USAID ensuring the safety of its contractors and grantees 
operating in Haiti?

    Answer. USAID's Strategic Framework for Haiti, which was informed 
by extensive consultations with civil society, faith-based 
organizations, the private sector, government officials, and donors, 
prioritizes the localization of our aid and the engagement of new 
partners--particularly, civil society and faith-based organizations 
with a track record of delivering for their communities. As a starting 
point, the Agency is making available $15 million to new and 
experienced local civil society organization (CSO) partners to drive 
local, inclusive solutions to Haiti's development challenges, including 
from those demanding democratic and citizen-responsive governance from 
the Government of Haiti (GOH). USAID/Haiti has also stood up a new 
Resilience and New Partnerships Engagement Unit (RNPE) to serve as the 
Mission's coordinating vehicle to engage with those stakeholders in 
Haitian society that can complement and multiply the impact of 
development assistance. Our partnership with the government, at both 
the local and central levels, will continue to be targeted to areas of 
demonstrated political will.
    In 2019, USAID established the Partner Liaison Security Operation 
(PLSO/Haiti) as a tool to enhance communication between USAID and its 
over 50 implementing partners (IPs) country-wide regarding security 
information to help better manage and mitigate their respective 
security concerns. The PLSO/Haiti team provides current real-time 
information, guidance and updates on security-related safety and 
disaster preparedness factors throughout Haiti for IPs to help 
safeguard their staff and operations. PLSO/Haiti provides security 
related briefings to IPs, conducts virtual and in-person training, 
travels to IP sites for comprehensive security assessments, and assists 
IPs in responding to security incidents. The mechanism also has a 24-
hour hotline and real-time text messaging security alert system in 
English/Haitian-Creole. All IPs are provided with weekly reports that 
include security tips and current security related news events. The 
PLSO/Haiti team also conducts regular check-ins with the IPs Chief of 
Party (COP) staff, is in regular communication with the U.S. Embassy 
Regional Security Office, and has developed extensive networks of 
contacts with the Haitian National Police in Port-au-Prince and 
regional areas.

    Question. The Duque Government has found that remnants of terrorist 
organizations (the FARC and ELN) have been using the current, and 
largely legitimate, protests to stoke violence in places such as Cali. 
USAID is tasked with promoting stability in this region, particularly 
with the destabilization from the Maduro regime in Venezuela and these 
terrorist groups.
    How are you supporting the Duque administration in coca 
eradication, combating narco-terrorism, and preserving all of the 
progress made after two decades and billions of dollars spent through 
the immensely successful U.S.-Colombia partnership?

    Answer. Since the Venezuela Regional crisis began in 2018, USAID 
has provided humanitarian assistance including emergency food, health, 
and other direct assistance for Venezuelan migrants, refugees and host 
communities. USAID also prioritizes multi-sectoral humanitarian 
assistance for Colombian internally displaced individuals, as well as 
food assistance for COVID- affected Colombians.
    In Colombia, USAID funding continues to address the regional 
Venezuelan migration crisis, supports efforts to expand the state 
presence and creates the right conditions for economic opportunities to 
flourish, including by promoting alternative livelihoods in areas of 
high coca production. The USAID priorities in Colombia also include 
land titling, ethnic community support, human rights and rule of law 
activities.
    United States' COVID-19 support to Colombia has expanded testing to 
vulnerable communities and helps increase vulnerable citizens' access 
to high-quality care. USAID has established biosafety and infection 
prevention protocols and strengthened the Colombian health systems' 
resiliency to withstand future shocks. Testing, tracing and isolation 
plans and strategic communication were also devised to assist 
individuals outside of the Colombian health system.
    In Colombia, USAID continues to assist in mitigating on-going 
social unrest. In Cali, Medellin and Bogota, we continue to facilitate 
ongoing dialogue between various strike organizers' leadership and 
Colombian officials.

    Question. In early April, the Biden administration announced that 
it planned to restart economic, development, and humanitarian 
assistance to the Palestinians. This includes $75 million in economic 
and development assistance in the West Bank and Gaza, $10 million for 
peacebuilding programs through the U.S. Agency for International 
Development (USAID), and $150 million in humanitarian assistance for 
the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

   What are your plans to ensure that no American dollars get 
        into the hands of terrorist organizations or are diverted to 
        pay terrorists?

   Is the Biden administration intending to adhere to U.S. law, 
        including the Taylor Force Act, to ensure that any U.S. dollars 
        you send over are tightly targeted to benefit the Palestinian 
        people and not the Palestinian Authority or Hamas?

   If so, please share how you intend to do so.

    Answer. USAID provides assistance in a manner consistent with U.S. 
law, including the Taylor Force Act, ensuring that no assistance is 
provided to or through terrorist organizations or to the Palestinian 
Authority. The Department of State and the USAID Mission in the West 
Bank and Gaza (WBG) have a long-standing, 15-year-old, robust partner 
vetting process to mitigate the risk that U.S. Government resources 
could inadvertently support Hamas or other terrorist groups. Trained 
counterintelligence professionals screen the personally identifiable 
information of key individuals of organizations and individual 
beneficiaries, who meet the vetting requirements outlined in Mission 
Order 21, against both public and U.S. Government databases at the FBI-
managed Threat Screening Center. Additionally, USAID partners in the 
WBG have aggressive risk-mitigation systems in place aimed at ensuring 
U.S. taxpayer-funded assistance is reaching those for whom it is 
intended. As is the case around the world, the United States will 
provide assistance in the West Bank and Gaza through experienced and 
trusted partners that distribute aid directly to people in need.

    Question. Training journalists on investigative techniques is 
necessary to ensure public accountability related to the PRC's export 
of digital surveillance technology, which is often used to prop up 
repressive regimes, as well as combat the Chinese Communist Party's 
other influence operations abroad. Your role--along and in coordination 
with the Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights--is 
critical on this issue.
    Is USAID's going to support training journalists to counter China's 
export of repressive digital surveillance technology and other CCP 
influence operations?

    Answer. USAID's programming in media assistance began over 30 years 
ago and we currently have programs in over 40 countries worldwide 
totaling approximately $150 million. As part of our media strengthening 
efforts, we focus on improving the skills of journalists, including 
building local capacity and resilience to coercive influence. USAID 
training on investigative journalism requires significant mentoring and 
entails great personal risk to journalists and is not conducted to 
promote specific agendas.

    Question. It has been well documented that COVID-19 compounds the 
effects of other infectious and non-infectious diseases, like HIV/AIDS, 
tuberculosis, and malaria. Since 2017, the U.S. Government has invested 
more than $44 billion in addressing these global health challenges. I 
have always believed that these are worthy causes of U.S. Government 
spending, but these gains may be at risk.

   What actions is the Administration taking to support 
        countries severely affected by COVID-19 to address the 
        complications COVID-19 causes on populations severely affected 
        by other diseases?

   Particularly, how are we ensuring that our partners and 
        allies in Latin America and the Caribbean as well as Africa are 
        able to access what they need to help their citizens and 
        address the toll of the pandemic?

    Answer. We must prevent, prepare for and respond to COVID-19. At 
the same time, we must address its second-order effects, including by 
supporting overburdened health systems, mitigating negative shocks to 
households, building community resilience, and bolstering country 
systems to avert development backsliding in a range of areas. USAID is 
working closely with partner countries across the world, including in 
sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean, to address the 
range of COVID-19 impacts and the second-order effects. Examples follow 
from the Agency's work to implement the President's Emergency Plan for 
AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), our work on tuberculosis (TB) control, and the 
President's Malaria Initiative (PMI).
    PEPFAR and TB in sub-Saharan Africa: USAID has built on existing 
HIV/AIDS programming, using PEPFAR partners, to support U.S. Government 
efforts with African Ministries of Health and partners to rapidly 
implement COVID-19 case management, monitoring and evaluation, oxygen 
infrastructure, diagnostics and laboratory, supply chain strengthening 
and vaccine readiness technical assistance. In South Africa, for 
example, the U.S. Government, including USAID, leveraged the PEPFAR 
platform and over 5,000 community health workers to support efforts to 
control infections and provide clinical care to protect those most 
vulnerable to COVID-19, including people living with HIV.
    USAID's tuberculosis (TB) investments in Africa have strengthened 
countries' capacities to detect and prevent the spread of other 
airborne infections, such as COVID-19, including bi-directional 
screening and testing for TB and COVID-19, identifying cases through 
joint contact investigations, and supporting the expansion of digital 
X-ray screening tools and introduction of genotyping technology. In 
many countries, TB staff have been diverted to work on COVID-19 because 
they had the necessary skills. In South Africa, to mitigate COVID-19's 
devastating impact on TB services, USAID urgently developed TB recovery 
efforts, as South Africa is one of seven high TB burden countries most 
affected. USAID is also providing technical assistance and support to 
African countries to restart and adapt immunization service delivery 
strategies.
    PMI in Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean: Led by USAID, 
PMI is adapting malaria programs to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 
and reduce backsliding of progress against malaria across PMI priority 
countries and those in the Americas. Within weeks of the World Health 
Organization (WHO) declaration of COVID-19 as a Public Health Emergency 
of International Concern, PMI developed guidance for PMI staff on 
adapting malaria programs to COVID-19. For example, PMI and USAID's 
regional malaria program's investments have strengthened country-led 
community health worker platforms in more than 23 countries to deliver 
malaria interventions and expand surveillance of fever to both mitigate 
the impact of COVID-19 and accelerate progress in malaria. PMI 
successfully supported countries to adapt programs to enable them to 
safely continue and implement large-scale campaigns of preventive 
interventions, including distribution of insecticide treated mosquito 
nets and seasonal chemoprevention for children, protecting over 160 
million people from malaria in 2020. PMI also worked with global 
stakeholders and manufacturers to minimize supply chain disruptions and 
increased costs due to COVID-19 for critical malaria commodities 
including mosquito nets and treatments.
    PEPFAR in Latin America and the Caribbean: In the region, five 
countries used $223,000 in PEPFAR HIV funds to adapt their current 
programming to respond to COVID-19 through September 2020. Several 
PEPFAR mechanisms received COVID-19 supplemental funding for 13 
countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. This support has included 
donations of medical equipment, technical assistance to train providers 
on clinical case management, the provision of COVID-19 polymerase chain 
reaction (PCR) diagnostic tests, reagents, and sample collection 
materials, and the creation of communities of practice to share 
resources and information regarding COVID-19 management.

    Question. COVID-19 disrupted the education of countless children 
throughout the world. For children without access to school or distance 
learning services during the pandemic, learning loss and other harms 
pose a generational threat. The situation is even worse for children of 
families that must also contend with the loss of their jobs, or the 
death of a close family member. This disruption in education threatens 
to hold back these countries by years, if not decades, in their 
development.

   How should we respond to disruptions to education in 
        developing countries due to COVID-19?

   How are we working with partner countries to build 
        resilience and prepare for future shocks like COVID-19 that 
        could further disrupt education systems in the future?

    Answer. Despite numerous challenges in the education sector, the 
USAID reached more than 25.5 million learners in FY 2020 through 
international basic education programs designed to improve measurable 
learning outcomes and expand access to high-quality education for all. 
In response to the pandemic, USAID is working with partner countries to 
mitigate the loss of instructional time, prepare for heightened 
uncertainty, and equip education actors and institutions to be 
increasingly resilient. For more information on the response to impacts 
of COVID-19 on the education sector, please see the newly released 
report, U.S. Government COVID-19 International Basic Education Response 
(https://www.edu-links.org/resources/us-government-covid-19-
international-basic-education-response).

    Question. USAID has a long history of working with faith 
communities and faith leaders. These are organizations that can often 
address cultural and religious barriers, as well as gain access in 
delivering services at the community and household level. In most of 
the places where USAID works, faith is an integral part of the lives of 
those we partner with.

   Does USAID intend to change any requirements for faith-based 
        organizations who seek to partner with the U.S. Government 
        through grants and cooperative agreements, particularly with 
        respect to maintaining their religious identity?

   What role does USAID see local faith leaders have in 
        addressing many of these development challenges and how will 
        USAID support that work?

    Answer. USAID highly values its faith-based partnerships. 
Consistent with USAID's Rule on Participation by Religious 
Organizations in USAID Programs at 22 CFR 205.1, religious 
organizations that apply for and/or receive funding from USAID are free 
to maintain their religious identity and to carry out their mission so 
long as USAID funding is not used for explicitly religious activities 
or in any other manner prohibited by law, and provided that USAID-
funded programs are offered separately in time or place from any 
religious activities.
    In humanitarian disasters, local religious leaders and 
organizations are often first responders to crises and the last line of 
defense for communities in need. In development contexts, local 
religious leaders wield their influence across USAID sectors and can be 
effective partners towards achieving development goals. USAID is 
committed to maximizing positive development outcomes by ensuring that 
key community stakeholders and influencers are engaged at all levels. 
This will be achieved through ongoing efforts aimed at increasing 
awareness and capacities of USAID staff and implementing partners to 
engage local faith-based and other community actors.

    Question. Christians, Yazidis, and other Iraqi communities are 
still struggling to recover from the genocide committed by the Islamic 
State. USAID has provided much needed assistance ($400 million), and 
the Iraq and Syrian Genocide Relief and Accountability Act passed 
Congress and was signed into law in 2018.
    What is USAID's long term vision for genocide response in Iraq?

    Answer. The effectiveness of USAID's response in Iraq is 
underpinned by numerous social and political factors, including the 
Iraqi Government's willingness and ability to sustain projects 
initiated by USAID and international partners. It is important to note 
that challenges remain including political, security, and economic 
disincentives for the return of all religious and ethnic minorities to 
their homes. Despite these challenges, USAID remains committed to 
supporting the return of these individuals to the communities from 
which they were ripped away. USAID will continue to advocate that 
access to justice for survivors and stable and inclusive local 
governance is critical to build on and extend the gains made so far to 
ensure future generations can thrive despite Iraq's long-standing 
struggles.
    To that end, USAID is committed to sustained support to all 
displaced Iraqis--especially persecuted religious and ethnic minorities 
who were displaced and targeted by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria 
(ISIS)--to ensure their recovery. USAID's work with interventions with 
at-risk communities and areas have focused on providing rapid response, 
repatriation, rehabilitation, humanitarian assistance as well as 
increasing access to basic services and building resilient communities. 
This assistance includes rehabilitating essential services, providing 
psychosocial support, supporting livelihoods, and enabling private 
sector investment to promote sustainable economic development and 
dignified employment.

    Question. What are USAID's plans to provide assistance to other 
groups that have been recognized by the United States as victims of 
genocide--like the Armenians, Uyghurs and others?

    Answer. Guided by the Elie Wiesel Genocide and Prevention Act, 
USAID seeks to prevent genocide by taking the following measures: 
result-focused multilateral and diplomatic engagements, early and 
frequent consultations with civil society and local actors, and 
improved data analytics and qualitative assessments.
    Genocide or mass atrocities can often be predicted ahead of time--
malign actors do not generally appear suddenly. Incidents often begin 
at a much smaller scale but go unnoticed and unaddressed until it's too 
late. That is why USAID is actively engaging in conducting assessments 
and pilot interventions to identify at-risk communities and areas where 
access to basic services are limited or unequal for religious and 
ethnic minorities. The results will help us understand how to better 
target USAID programs and establish early warning systems in these 
communities.
    USAID also engages local organizations and civil society 
organizations (CSOs) on these issues. These partnerships ensure local 
organizations and CSOs have the tools necessary to understand and 
report drivers of genocide and other atrocities, which in turn, informs 
USAID and broader USG programming. A strong network of self-reliant 
partners will then help us to respond quickly to strengthen communities 
and prevent violence.
    Examples of our current efforts to engage local organizations and 
civil society groups include USAID's programs in Niger that focus on 
increasing access to justice and addressing societal cleavages. USAID 
programs in Burkina Faso build government capacity to prevent and 
prosecute human rights violations, increase access to justice, and 
reduce the appeal of violent extremism. USAID also promotes women's 
participation in peacebuilding by delivering training on conflict 
mitigation for women in four Democratic Republic of Congo territories. 
In the wake of the recent conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, USAID is 
supporting local communities in Armenia to meet the acute and ongoing 
humanitarian needs of displaced populations and ensure access to 
critical health and social services. We anticipate that the focus of 
USAID assistance will transition from emergency humanitarian assistance 
to longer-term recovery and integration of displaced persons who remain 
in Armenia. USAID will continue to track conflict-related displacement 
and humanitarian needs and opportunities to support the safe, 
voluntary, and dignified return of displaced populations to their home 
communities as conditions allow. USAID is also supporting persecuted 
populations that have fled the People's Republic of China, now residing 
in third countries--for instance Uyghurs, Kazakhs and other religious 
and ethnic minorities--and has plans to expand this assistance.

    Question. In the past few weeks, we have seen an alarming 
deterioration of the security situation in Afghanistan.

   What is USAID's plan to address the critical humanitarian 
        and development needs of the people of Afghanistan following 
        the withdrawal of the U.S. military?

   How will USAID adapt to the changing security environment to 
        ensure the continuation of support for the Afghan people?

   What is the plan for USAID implementing partners currently 
        operating in Afghanistan?

   In Afghanistan, we've invested significant resources to 
        expand access to quality education, especially for girls. With 
        the withdrawal of U.S. and coalition forces by August 31 how 
        will USAID step up efforts to protect the rights of women and 
        girls in Afghanistan to an education going forward and build on 
        the important gains we've made for women and girls?

    Answer. USAID will continue to implement programs under its active 
strategy where conditions permit while anticipating pivoting over the 
short- to medium-term toward basic needs and services, food security 
and livelihoods, and womens' rights. In addition, given the increasing 
displacement of Afghans around the country, USAID will continue to 
deliver humanitarian assistance based on need and where access and 
security allow.
    The U.S. Government continues to provide funding to support women 
and girls and unequivocally to message the importance of women and 
girl's empowerment participation in all aspects including education, 
workplace, and political inclusion.
                                 ______
                                 

               Responses of Samantha Power to Questions 
                  Submitted by Senator Jeanne Shaheen

    Question. In the past 2 years, Lebanon has experienced an 
unimaginable number of crises all at the same time. In addition to the 
global pandemic and being host to the largest number of refugees per 
capita, last year Lebanon experienced a massive explosion at the port 
of Beirut which killed hundreds, injured thousands and left hundreds of 
thousands of people homeless due to the blast's destruction of their 
homes. Lebanon has also seen an economic crisis which has resulted in 
over 90 percent devaluation in its currency, widespread unemployment 
and poverty. The people are now experiencing shortages of food, fuel, 
medicine and hope. The economic crisis in Lebanon is truly staggering 
and has been ranked by the World Bank as one of the top three ``most 
severe crises episodes globally since the mid-nineteenth century.'' 
That is why Congress passed a new $50 million fund in the FY21 bill 
that would help fund the future leaders of countries in economic 
crisis--and why we specifically name Lebanon in the report (see below). 
These funds are designated for trusted American universities, which are 
essential for not only providing current employment and economic 
lifelines to tens of thousands of people in Lebanon but also for 
rebuilding the countries' civil society, building up institutional 
capacity within the country, preventing ``brain drain,'' and promoting 
American public diplomacy in a region increasingly being influenced by 
Iran and China. So far, these funds have not been distributed by USAID.

        ``REPORT LANGUAGE:

        Higher Education.--For purposes of implementing subsection 
        (a)(3), the term `countries impacted by economic crises' means 
        countries whose economies are adversely affected by political 
        instability, conflict (including in neighboring countries), or 
        catastrophic manmade disasters, such as the port explosion in 
        Lebanon on August 4, 2020. Funds made available under this 
        subsection are in addition to assistance provided by paragraph 
        (2).''

   Can you provide a timeline for the delivery of these funds?

   How much of this funding will go to universities in Lebanon?

   In what form will this funding take?

   What else is USAID doing to support these universities 
        during this difficult time?

    Answer. The crises faced by the people of Lebanon go beyond just 
the August 2020 port explosion and COVID-19. Lebanese people continue 
to pay the price of the decades of mismanagement, corruption, and bad 
government, and across the board. USAID's programs seek to support the 
Lebanese people through programs that help businesses retain staff and 
assets to build a foundation for economic recovery; empower municipal 
governments and civil society to deliver vital services; and keep 
students in school.
    USAID has a long history of supporting higher education in Lebanon. 
While the Agency continues to work on the appropriate allocation and 
purposes of the funds directed by Sec. 7060(a)(3) of the FY 2021 
appropriations bill, it anticipates the majority would be provided for 
Lebanon, due to these needs.
    In addition to this FY21 funding, USAID continues to support higher 
education in Lebanon through ongoing programming, including the 
University Scholars Program, which provides merit-and-needs based 
scholarships for students to attend AUB and LAU, and the Higher 
Education Capacity Development Program, which supports Lebanese higher 
education institutions in improving their administrative, academic, and 
job-readiness capacity to better prepare graduates for employment and 
success in the labor market. In response to the pandemic, USAID has 
supported partner countries, including Lebanon, to mitigate the loss of 
instructional time through transitions to hybrid and distance learning, 
prepare for heightened uncertainty, and equip education actors and 
institutions to be increasingly resilient.
                                 ______
                                 

               Responses of Samantha Power to Questions 
                    Submitted by Senator Todd Young

    Question. USAID's Higher Education Solutions Network, which is 
overseen by the Bureau for Development, Democracy, and Innovation 
(DDI), is focused on connecting academics and development practitioners 
to enable research to support international development programming.
    Several Indiana universities, including Purdue University, Indiana 
University, University of Notre Dame, and others are working with 
global partners to advance research under the Network. Despite the 
success of this higher ed network, the FY 2022 Budget Request does not 
specify a funding level for it. Were there to be a cut relative to FY 
2020 levels, it would work against the success that USAID has had in 
supporting development-focused research over the past several years.

  a.  What is USAID's planned commitment to enhance its support of 
        initiatives in partnership with U.S. universities to develop 
        innovative solutions to global development problems in FY 2022, 
        including through the Higher Education Solutions Network?

  b.  How do you intend to leverage USAID's investments in monitoring, 
        evaluation, and research translation, such as those created 
        through the Long-term Assistance and Services for Research 
        Partners for University-Led Solutions Engine (LASER PULSE) 
        under the HESN 2.0, to support and strengthen USAID programming 
        moving forward?

    Answer. USAID is programming $25 million in FY 2020 funding for 
HESN to engage higher education institutions in researching, testing, 
and scaling high-impact development approaches and solutions; building 
human and institutional capacity between higher education institutions 
in the U.S. and partner countries; and bringing cutting-edge research 
and evidence to development programming across Missions and Bureaus.
    The LASER program--along with other HESN 2.0 flagship programs such 
as the Research Technical Assistance Center (RTAC)--has been used 
widely by USAID Missions, Bureaus, and Operating Units to monitor, 
evaluate, and plan improvements into their programming. By offering a 
network of international researchers that can partner with U.S. 
research institutions, LASER and RTAC have opened doors with regards to 
on-the-ground evaluations; stakeholder groups involvement, removing 
language and local dialect barriers, and navigating local custom/
tradition considerations. Activities have included:

   Evaluating early grade reading programs for potential 
        replication;

   Studying private sector partnerships for long-term 
        alignment;

   Evaluating the impacts of cultural genocide on ethnic 
        minorities; and

   Examining efforts to determine how to best support learning 
        outcomes for children with disabilities.

    Leveraging a decade of experience forging and managing HEI-
development partnerships, USAID will continue supporting existing 
higher education partnerships and catalyzing Mission programming in the 
field, and to create new and meaningful global HEI partnerships in the 
coming years through the ongoing expansion and evolution of the HESN 
portfolio.

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