Senator Menendez.testimony Thank You

President and CEO Samuel A. Worthington Chair Charles MacCormack,

Save the Children Vice Chair Ritu Sharma Fox,

Women’s Edge Treasurer Amy Coen,

Population Action International

Board of Directors Nancy A. Aossey,

International Medical Corps

Kenneth Bacon, Refugees International David Beckmann, Bread for the World Carol Bellamy, World Learning Sekyu Chang,

Korean American Sharing Movement Julius Coles, Africare Helene D. Gayle, CARE USA Anne Lynam Goddard, Christian Children’s Fund

Lee H. Hamilton, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars Neal Keny-Guyer, Mercy Corps Elizabeth Lathem, US Committee for UNDP Lelei Lelaulu, Counterpart International Jo Luck, Heifer International John McCullough, Church World Service Stephen F. Moseley,

Academy for Educational Development

Daniel E. Pellegrom, Pathfinder International Linda Pfeiffer, INMED Robert Radtke,

Episcopal Relief and Development Yolanda C. Richardson, Centre for Development and Population Activities George Rupp, International Rescue Committee Zainab Salbi, Women for Women International Ron Sconyers, Physicians for Peace Kathy Spahn, Helen Keller International Richard Stearns, World Vision Tsehaye Teferra,

Ethiopian Community Development Council

Sam Worthington (Ex-Officio)

1400 16th. St., NW Suite 210 Washington, DC 20036 PHONE: (202) 667-8227 FAX: (202) 667-8236 E-MAIL: [email protected] http://www.interaction.org

June 19, 2007 Senator Robert Menendez United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 Dear Chairman Menendez: Thank you very much for the opportunity to testify at last week’s hearing on “Foreign Assistance Reform: Successes, Failures, and Next Steps.” As you are aware, the InterAction community has closely observed and directly engaged with the administration throughout the current foreign assistance reform process. This, however, was our first opportunity to formally raise a wide range of issues and concerns before Congress Many of InterAction’s member organizations were represented at the hearing, and they welcomed your very effective opening comments, which we shared with the CEOs of international non-profits across the country. Your attention to the issues we hold dear, and the questions you asked, went to the heart of our government’s relationship with the world’s poor. As you said, U.S. foreign assistance must include both the engagement of multiple stakeholders and a focus on making the world a better place for its poorest inhabitants. We look forward to working with a newly confirmed Director of Foreign Assistance and Administrator of USAID who understands this vision, and hope such a director is confirmed expeditiously so as not to stall the important work of USAID. InterAction is currently engaged in wide-ranging efforts to assess and, we hope, to ultimately help shape the evolution of U.S. foreign assistance. Our current efforts include: in-country studies on the impact of the reform process; work that delineates appropriate civil-military boundaries in delivering development programs and humanitarian assistance; building understanding as to the link between the eradication of extreme poverty and U.S. national security interests; examination of how to maximize coherence within our government’s myriad foreign assistance efforts; and, ultimately, determining which core principles should shape the foundation of U.S. foreign assistance in any possible reauthorization of the Foreign Assistance Act. I look forward to working with you and your staff as you engage in this very important inquiry into how we can advance a real U.S. foreign assistance reform that builds on the lessons learned by our community, the priorities and expertise of Congress, and the interest of the American people to be a good neighbor in a better, safer world. Sincerely,

Samuel A. Worthington President & CEO InterAction Printed on recycled paper

Interaction is a membership association of US private voluntary organizations engaged in international humanitarian efforts including relief, development, refugee assistance, environment, population, public policy, and global education.