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Senate hearing focuses on State Department reorganization and overhaul of U.S. foreign aid
Summary
Secretary Rubio told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee the administration plans to fold many foreign-aid and functional units into regional bureaus and embassies, saying the goal is faster, more locally driven diplomacy. Lawmakers from both parties pressed him over cuts to USAID programs, PEPFAR operations and notification to Congress.
Secretary Rubio told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday that the Biden administration’s proposed reorganization will move many functional bureaus and foreign-assistance decisions to regional bureaus and U.S. embassies.
Rubio said the goal is “to drive power and action … to the regional bureaus and to our embassies,” and that the reorganization will be refined after a comment period and followed by a formal congressional notification. “We have taken input and are taking input now through the notice process, and then we’ll come back to you with a formal congressional notification,” he said.
The reorganization proposal and related changes to USAID funding prompted sustained questioning from senators of both parties, who…
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