February 9, 2020

USGLC Statements Ahead of FY21 Budget Proposal

WASHINGTON – As details start to emerge on the Administration’s Fiscal Year 2021 budget request, the USGLC released the following statements:

Admiral James Stavridis and General Tony Zinni, Co-Chairs of the USGLC’s National Security Advisory Council

“Deep cuts to America’s diplomacy and global development programs are entirely out of touch with the threats facing our nation. We’ve long said that U.S. foreign assistance is not charity but a strategic investment in our own security that saves lives and keeps us safe. Simply put, we can’t fight today’s global threats with one arm tied behind our back.”

The USGLC’s National Security Advisory Council includes more than 200 retired three- and four-star generals and admirals.

Liz Schrayer, President and CEO, U.S. Global Leadership Coalition

“Once again proposing to cut nearly a quarter of our civilian footprint around the world is just woefully out of touch with America’s national interests. Everyone knows it is going to be rejected with strong bipartisan opposition from Congress because it’s just hard to fathom that with growing threats from the coronavirus to instability from Venezuela to Yemen – not to mention the ongoing rise of China – that anyone would consider taking our diplomats and development tools off the global playing field.”

 

The U.S. Global Leadership Coalition (www.usglc.org) is a broad-based influential network of 500 businesses and NGOs; national security and foreign policy experts; and business, faith-based, academic, military, and community leaders in all 50 states who support strategic investments to elevate development and diplomacy alongside defense in order to build a better, safer world.