Introduction
Children wait for food aid during a lull in fighting in famine-plagued South Sudan on March 17, 2016. The United States spent about $48 billion on military, development and humanitarian aid in 2015, or about 1.3 percent of the nation's $3.7 trillion federal budget. A large percentage of Americans think far more is spent on foreign aid. (Getty Images/Lynsey Addario)
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Candidate Donald Trump promised to cut aid to countries that “hate us,” and in February, a month after becoming president, he proposed slashing foreign aid by nearly a third. Advocates of a robust aid program point out that foreign military and economic aid represents a mere 1.3 percent of the federal budget and say it is vital in protecting U.S. security interests, spreading democracy and promoting U.S. exports. More than 120 retired military officers wrote to Congress opposing cuts in foreign aid, saying it prevents conflict and helps keep poor countries from breeding terrorism. But critics of U.S. aid policy argue that too much is spent on programs that fail to produce results or winds up funding despotic regimes. With aid programs scattered across two dozen agencies, both critics and advocates of foreign assistance agree the U.S. aid bureaucracy could be more efficient. Some suggest reducing the number of agencies managing aid programs; others want more privatization of U.S. aid efforts.
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Feb. 18, 2022 |
Fragile States |
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Apr. 23, 2021 |
U.S. Foreign Aid |
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Mar. 29, 2019 |
U.S. Foreign Policy in Transition |
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Apr. 14, 2017 |
Rethinking Foreign Aid |
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May 16, 2014 |
U.S. Global Engagement |
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Oct. 02, 2012 |
Rebuilding Haiti |
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Mar. 23, 2012 |
U.S.-Europe Relations |
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Jun. 17, 2011 |
Foreign Aid and National Security |
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Apr. 26, 2002 |
Foreign Aid After Sept. 11 |
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Sep. 27, 1996 |
Reassessing Foreign Aid |
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Sep. 23, 1988 |
Foreign Aid: a Declining Commitment |
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Dec. 01, 1965 |
Development Aid for Poor Nations |
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Dec. 19, 1962 |
Foreign Aid Overhaul |
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Jun. 19, 1957 |
Population Growth and Foreign Aid |
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Dec. 12, 1956 |
Extension of Foreign Aid |
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Jan. 26, 1955 |
Aid to Asia |
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Feb. 04, 1953 |
Trade Policy and Foreign Aid |
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May 03, 1951 |
Future of Foreign Aid |
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Feb. 09, 1949 |
American Aid to Greece |
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Oct. 17, 1947 |
Conditions for American Aid |
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Jun. 11, 1947 |
Financial Aid to Foreign Countries |
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Aug. 06, 1940 |
American Relief of Famine in Europe |
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Feb. 16, 1940 |
Loans and Credits to Foreign Countries |
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