Reforming and Reorganizing U.S. Foreign Assistance

This is the final report of the bipartisan CSIS Task Force on Reforming and Reorganizing U.S. Foreign Assistance. As the Trump administration attempts to curb government spending, particularly in foreign assistance, this study reviews past attempts at reorganizing the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. Department of State, and it provides recommendations for the new administration. The task force consisted of former civil and foreign service officers and is co-chaired by Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Senator Todd Young (R-IN). The report addresses the potential damage that can occur if these budget cuts are not done in an informed and effective manner. It suggests that an uninformed merger of USAID/State could damage U.S. national security and prosperity and adversely affect U.S. leadership and impact abroad. The task force members have lived and worked through the Obama and Bush administrations and have important perspectives on how such reform and reorganization can be done in a productive way to maximize efficiency and resources.