To Reform Or Not To Reform Foreign Aid

By Maryann Slater
The Peanut Gallery
on Foreign Affairs:

Currently sitting on the floor of the foreign affairs committee in the House is the issue of reforming foreign aid assistance programs. As America’s aid to other countries has recently been scrutinized, the debate of whether the U.S. should expand its foreign aid funding has formed.

Democrats hold the UN Millennium Goals concerning foreign aid to a high standard and wish to reinstate funding to the United Nations Population Fund. They view foreign aid as a way to assist countries in expanding their developments.

Republicans view foreign aid as a means of upholding and advancing American connections and security interests internationally. Countries that receive American aid are strongly asked to promote free trade markets.
They are also held strictly accountable for the use of their funds provided by the United States. Republicans also sight the immense role that private sectors play in America’s foreign aid policy and acknowledge that these sectors greatly contribute to America’s foreign aid assistance efforts.

Republicans sight that the United States, during this time of recovery from a recession, does not need to reform its policies, but instead continue to utilize the benefits that foreign aid has on America’s international relations. Reform may be seen as unnecessary as America already greatly supports foreign nations with various funding through both the federal government and private sectors.