Congressional representatives have introduced opposing legislation regarding the future of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), reflecting deep partisan divisions on foreign assistance policy. 

Rep. Sara Jacobs has introduced the Protect U.S. National Security Act, designed to prevent the Trump administration from dismantling or defunding USAID. The legislation would prohibit the use of government funds to eliminate the agency and require annual certification by the Secretary of State to ensure compliance.

“USAID plays a crucial role in stabilizing countries, saving lives, and strengthening U.S. national security,” Jacobs stated. The bill aims to preserve America’s soft power capabilities and prevent adversaries from filling any void left by USAID’s possible elimination.

On the opposite side of the debate, Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Chip Roy have introduced H.R. 1123, which seeks to abolish USAID entirely. Their legislation would halt all taxpayer funding to the agency and reclaim any undisbursed grants, transferring USAID’s remaining assets to the State Department.

The bill, which has garnered 14 Republican co-sponsors, is framed as an effort to eliminate what its supporters consider wasteful government spending.

The competing legislation highlights a fundamental disagreement about America’s role in the world. While some Republicans view foreign aid as unnecessary spending, many Democrats and some Republicans defend USAID’s work as vital to promoting American influence and security interests abroad. This congressional showdown comes amid growing pressure on foreign aid budgets internationally, with other nations like the UK also considering cuts to international assistance in favor of increased defense spending.

As these bills move through Congress, the future of American foreign assistance hangs in the balance, with significant implications for global humanitarian efforts and U.S. diplomatic influence.

Read the press release on the Democrat bill here

Read more details on the Republican bill here.