Nepal serves as an example of what has become a core fixture of U.S. foreign assistance: that aid should provide a hand up, not a hand out. Natural disasters are unavoidable, but by providing Nepal with the proper tools to respond to these events, the U.S. is making a wise investment that will ultimately reduce the amount of disaster assistance that Nepal needs. This is not only in their interest, but ours as well.

In two separate hearings, the House Foreign Affairs Committee tackled the separate issues of food aid reform and global food security. These continue to be hot-button issues as the global community continues to find sustainable and effective solutions to end global hunger.

For four years, we were busy creating access to safe sanitation for communities in Liberia. And if not for an unprecedented epidemic of what is now one of the world’s most feared diseases — Ebola — almost no one outside of the country would have known about it.

Godfrey Nyombi is the kind of young leader that represents Africa’s enormous potential. For the past seven years, he has served as the Regional Health Secretary in the remote region of Mtwara, Tanzania, where he works to expand access to quality health care by coordinating the efforts of local authorities with U.S. government agencies, universities, and NGOs.

What a difference a year can make. In 2014, some wondered whether Americans were “war weary” and wanted to pull back from the world. Fast forward past Russia’s invasion of Crimea, ISIS declaring a caliphate and brutally executing Americans, and Ebola landing in Dallas, and no one is asking: should the United States be engaged and lead in the world?

As we continue to see headlines from ISIS to Putin, our nation’s role in the world is a hot topic for the candidates with polls showing that national security and foreign policy are among the top issues for voters. I’m very pleased to see so many of the candidates from both sides of the aisle sharing their views on global development and diplomacy — and why it matters for America’s national interests.

Democratic transitions are difficult and rarely linear. There will inevitably be setbacks, even in countries like Nigeria and Tunisia that are seeing progress today. Because of this, the recent decline in U.S. funding for democracy programs is particularly concerning. By supporting the citizens of these countries who are working to strengthen respect for human rights and make their governments more accountable, the United States is not only supporting like-minded allies, but promoting a more peaceful and prosperous world.

The newly-released Feed the Future progress report highlights how a long-term investment in global food security can make a difference both now and well into the future. Here’s a quick snapshot.

Over the past year, I have had the privilege of leading three fact-finding trips to Africa with members of Congress, retired generals, policy advisors, and leaders from the private sector. Together, we saw firsthand the invaluable work and impact of America’s development and diplomacy efforts in Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania.

As we look toward our nation’s increased engagement with Africa, we welcome legislation like the AGOA reauthorization – smart government officials and smart investors see the synergy between aid and trade. Initiatives like AGOA prove the old “trade vs. aid” debate to be a thing of the past. Such programs create growth and opportunity not just in Africa, but back here in the U.S. as well.