House Democrats call for urgent hearing on Trump plans for USAID

Democrats on the House Foreign Affairs Committee are calling on Chair Brian Mast (R-Fla.) to convene an urgent hearing with senior Trump administration officials, raising concerns over potentially illegal efforts to shutter the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), joined by Democratic members of the committee, urged Mast to convene a hearing with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Peter Marocco, director of foreign assistance, within the next two weeks, with lawmakers set to go on recess on Feb. 13. 

The letter comes as Rubio, appointed acting administrator of USAID, has sent notice to Congress that U.S. foreign assistance doled out by USAID is under review “with an eye towards potential reorganization.” 

“As you know, USAID is by statute an independent establishment outside of the State Department. Any proposal to modify that structure requires an Act of Congress,” Meeks wrote in the letter. 

The Hill reached out to Mast’s office for comment. Mast said he supports ending USAID as a separate entity and would likely support it being moved under the State Department. 

But Democrats are fuming amid two weeks of chaos and uncertainty surrounding the operations of the agency, which have effectively halted. 

USAID offices were closed Monday and employees were told to work remotely. Dozens of senior officials have been furloughed and hundreds of contract employees laid off. Trump issued a 90-day freeze on nearly all foreign assistance, and while the State Department issued waivers for some life-saving humanitarian aid, confusion over instructions disrupted aid agency operations.