Maryknoll OGC Signs Letter to Senate Urging Against Foreign Aid Funding Rescission

Read this letter as a PDF.

The Honorable Susan Collins
Chair
Committee on Appropriations
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Patt Murray
Vice Chair
Committee on Appropriations
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

July 10, 2025

Dear Chair Collins and Vice Chair Murray,

We write to you as the Interfaith Working Group on Foreign Assistance to advocate for the over 800 million people facing complex crises stemming from violent conflicts, widening food insecurity, and natural disasters worldwide. As faith-based organizations representing Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, and other faith voices, we share a belief in the moral obligation to provide food, safe water, medicine, emergency nutrition and so much more to those affected by poverty, conflict, and marginalization around the world, especially children.  

We urge Congress to continue its decades of commitment to strengthening the United States’ role as a leader in both humanitarian assistance and international development programs, honoring the dignity of all, and supporting flourishing communities. We know that foreign assistance funds that provide food, medical and humanitarian aid, that support global stability and conflict prevention, reduce poverty, and promote climate resilience are deeply interconnected. Providing funds for only one area of work is ineffective and costly. We urge you to oppose the rescission of any foreign assistance funds. 

In just six months, the purposeful termination of global health programs has caused over 108,00 adult deaths and 225,000 child deaths. Over 30 million children have lost access to education, slowing efforts to eradicate poverty and reducing positive pathways for young people who seek to avoid recruitment into violent and criminal transnational groups. Over 70 million people across 60 countries will face increased hunger without food assistance previously provided by farmers in the U.S., with millions of mothers and children facing severe malnutrition and wasting who had been receiving nutrition assistance. Partner countries who are hosting refugees and displaced people have had U.S. funding turned off, including Chad hosting 760,000 refugees from the war in Sudan and Colombia hosting 2.8 million Venezuelans fleeing economic and political upheaval.

Beyond the most urgent human needs, many of the funds included in this package support human rights and responsible and effective governance, while addressing complex emergencies and conflicts. These accounts are key to uplifting the lives of millions in poverty and facilitating increased global peace and stability. Any rescission will substantially harm the U.S.’ ability to help those most in need of aid, which will not only roll back decades of progress made on these global issues, but also jeopardize U.S. national security, its international standing and economic opportunities.  

Despite a small percentage of programs being allowed to continue, many of our organizations and partners are no longer able to provide even lifesaving support due to program terminations, unpaid past invoices for work completed and major bureaucratic hurdles. While Americans are a charitable people and give generously to faith-based organizations, neither private philanthropy—whether from foundations, corporations, faith groups, or individuals—nor other donor nations can match the scope and scale of U.S. government funding, material support, and influence. This rescission package will only exacerbate these issues.

We appreciated your efforts to pass the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act (P.L. 119-4), which President Trump signed into law on March 15^th. Just a few months later, this rescissions package seeks to undo the hard work of appropriators and the bipartisan agreement. Additionally, it is unnecessary as the Committee on Appropriations already reviews rescissions in the annual appropriations process, making this package a costly distraction and undermining the congressional appropriations process.  

We are called to ensure that every individual has the opportunity to live a life worthy of their God-given dignity. For decades, Congress has worked hard to find bipartisan compromise that supports foreign assistance funding, fulfilling our moral obligation as a nation of great wealth by ensuring that the United States provides for those in need around the world. Now the White House is asking that Congress rescind such funds thereby cutting support to basic human needs and eroding the inherent dignity of the human person. Passing this rescissions package will result in otherwise preventable deaths, the spread of infectious diseases including antibiotic resistant infections, and increased global poverty and instability.  

As faith-based organizations, we stand in solidarity with vulnerable and marginalized populations, centered around our shared humanity and values to uphold one another’s humanity. We strive to build peace and prosperity through joint advocacy on U.S. policy and programs related to poverty-focused development assistance, humanitarian aid and crisis prevention. We urge you to protect our nation’s honorable legacy of foreign assistance and serve the least amongst us regardless of borders.

Sincerely,

The Interfaith Working Group on Foreign Assistance, and our member organizations, including but not limited to:

• American Friends Service Committee
• American Hindu World Service (AHWS)
• American Jewish World Service (AJWS)
• Bread for the World
• Christian Connections for International Health
• Church World Service
• Disabled Children’s Fund
• Faiths for Safe Water
• Friends Committee on National Legislation
• Global Refuge
• Inspiritus
• Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
• Mennonite Central Committee, U.S.
• Presbyterian Church (USA), Office of Public Witness
• Sojourners
• United Church of Christ

CC: All Members of United States Senate