Representative Lois Frankel told the House Foreign Affairs Committee that recent administrative changes have undermined elements of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) framework and that Congress should act to preserve its statutory requirements.

Frankel praised the bipartisan Women, Peace and Security Act and said research shows peace agreements last longer when women participate in negotiation and recovery. She told the committee the law established a cross-agency approach to integrate gender perspectives across the Department of State, USAID and other agencies.

"The law is in place, but the executive branch is not following it," Frankel said, saying offices have closed, required reports have not been submitted to Congress, and public data have been removed. She urged the committee to press for compliance and to consider legislative or oversight steps to restore required reporting.

Frankel also warned against proposals to move the Food for Peace humanitarian program to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. "Food for Peace needs to be used as a tool for the foreign service," she said, arguing the program is run by humanitarian experts experienced in fragile and conflict-affected states and that moving it to USDA — a domestic agriculture agency — could undermine emergency overseas operations.

Committee members did not vote on any statutory changes; Frankel’s remarks were entered for the record and members requested further coordination between appropriations and subject-matter committees.