Peter Welch: “I want to speak about what Elon Musk is doing to destroy the U.S. Agency for International Development. Here is what is…”

“I want to speak about what Elon Musk is doing to destroy the U.S. Agency for International Development. Here is what is happening. Mr. Musk--of course an unelected billionaire who knows really nothing and cares less about how the Federal Government works--is demolishing one of the most important Agencies we have for countering Russia, China authoritarianism, and anti-American extremism around the world, all being done in the name of ``efficiency.'' One former State Department official said: Disbanding U.S. aid is the strategic equivalent of scuttling the Navy. Mr. Musk bragged about feeding USAID into a wood chipper. What he is really doing, after locking USAID's staff out of their offices and blocking their access to email, is destroying the careers of thousands of professionals who administer programs that are critical to U.S. national security, not to mention the well-being of their families. I want to acknowledge something. Many Americans ask me and they ask the Presiding Officer, why should we send aid to other countries when we have so many problems here at home? And we do have problems at home, so that is a legitimate question. In my view, we haven't done enough in Congress to solve our own problems--the cost of food, housing, healthcare, or dealing with drug addiction, gun violence, homelessness, the challenges facing our farmers and small businesses, and the devastation to communities from wildfires, flooding, droughts, and other national disasters.…”