Senate Homeland Security panel debates USAID spending and transparency after administration pauses aid

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Feb. 5, 2025, heard competing accounts about U.S. foreign assistance as the administration paused major USAID programs and sought an audit of the agency.

Chairman Paul opened the hearing by calling for scrutiny of what he described as “reckless and wasteful spending” overseas and said the United States “should not be the sugar daddy for the entire world,” citing the national debt and a series of examples he said illustrated waste. He framed the hearing as part of an audit and reexamination of USAID spending.

The hearing drew sharp pushback from the committee’s Democrats, led by Ranking Member Peters, who said the session risked becoming a “pep rally” for dismantling agencies and warned that the administration’s actions could be unlawful and harmful to Americans and global partners. Peters and other Democrats repeatedly called attention to inspector-general activity and to potential consequences for humanitarian programs and U.S. farmers.

Why this matters: Senators and witnesses offered contrasting views on whether the pause and audit represent needed accountability or a disruptive, potentially…