Peace Corps Worldwide

Retired and former USAID and State colleagues, implementing partners, and friends are organizing to protest at the Capitol on Wednesday, February 5, at 11:30 am. We will meet behind the Capitol on the sidewalk near the visitor’s entrance. We want to highlight the devastating impact of the administration’s actions on aid recipients and of Congress relinquishing their responsibilities and power to Trump, as well as the damage of the psychological warfare being inflicted on Federal employees. Related reading: Meeks, Shaheen, Frankel, Schatz Demand Immediate Action to Address Trump Administration Efforts to Undermine American Soft Power, press release from the House Foreign Affairs Committee | January 31, 2025. The Path Forward: A Letter to My Constituents, by Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD-8) | February 1, 2025.

I lost my job on Tuesday. Along with almost 400 talented and committed people who have dedicated their lives to improving the lives and health of people around the world. But this is not about my job. My job is a drop in an immense bucket of suffering that the halt on foreign aid is causing, with cascading impacts beyond what I can describe. There is much out there about the scale of these impacts, so I want to focus on my own experience of these last days and the impact on my specific work. On day 1 of the new administration, one of the executive orders was a halt of obligations, or funding currently with USAID (US Agency for International Development) going to projects. I was worried about this (along with orders about return to the office, since as someone who relocated to be nearer to our families, I . . .

Editor’s note: We interrupt our usual programming to share the following message, which is being circulated in the international development community related to the abrupt suspension of U.S. foreign assistance—a move which will ultimately make our country less safe, secure, and prosperous: Please call your Members of Congress hourly and say the following: “The administration must lift the foreign assistance stop work order before it’s too late. In 90 days no implementing partner will exist to restart any foreign assistance activities. Mass layoffs are happening and 173 U.S. small businesses are folding. The USG is not paying its bills. USAID contractors are owed hundreds of millions for work performed in November and December before the stop work order went into effect. This is illegal per the prompt payment act. The stop work order prevents American businesses on contract with the USG to get reimbursed for ANY costs it incurs until . . .

January 28, 2025 Press Release WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA-08), issued the following statement in response to President Donald Trump ordering all federal agencies to cease spending on all financial assistance and grants. “Donald Trump’s latest illegal scheme to freeze nearly $3 trillion in federal aid is a reckless and unconstitutional act that punishes American families,” said Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA-08). “This order blatantly ignores the Constitution, which gives Congress the power over federal spending. His action upends the will of the people while spreading chaos across the federal government. Donald Trump has caused a crisis that will cut assistance to firefighters, teacher’s pay at low-income schools, life-saving medical services, funding to food banks, and will prevent veterans from receiving assistance. Trump’s actions also bring a full stop to construction sites in our area, ranging from fixing our highways to strengthening our water infrastructure – putting hundreds . . .

Editor’s note: Personnel changes in the senior ranks of the Peace Corps, like those at all federal agencies, are not uncommon after a presidential election, and non-career political appointees are required to submit letters of resignation. As political appointees, Director Carol Spahn, Deputy Director David White, Jr., and others departed the agency at midday on Monday. The Peace Corps community commends and congratulates this leadership team that oversaw the return to service of over 3,000 Peace Corps Volunteers since March 2022. — Glenn A. Blumhorst, Peace Corps Worldwide Managing Editor January 20 Update From the Peace Corps Agency (announcement on PeaceCorps.gov): The President of the United States appoints the Peace Corps Director and Deputy Director, and the appointments must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. The Peace Corps enjoys bipartisan support in Congress. Senators and representatives from both parties have served as Volunteers. The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and . . .