WASHINGTON–U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) sent a letter to Chair and Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), requesting a holdover on Tuesday’s business meeting amid the illegal dismantling of USAID and the wrongful termination of foreign aid contracts.

“We should not confirm any additional nominees for State Department positions until Secretary Rubio appears before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and fully explains the dismantling of USAID, the firing of dedicated public servants, and the unilateral cancellation of contracts without the consultation with Congress. What was billed as a 90-day ‘good faith’ review has become a six-week unconstitutional purge of billions in foreign aid programs, completely shrouded in darkness. As of today, Secretary Rubio has not briefed the committee a single time to explain this wholesale destruction of American soft power and its impacts on our national security. The administration is also refusing to spend appropriated funds, in direct violation of the Constitution and our laws, and has thus far failed to fully comply with a Supreme Court order to pay organizations for work that has already been completed. These issues must be resolved immediately, but at the very least, there should be no business as usual until Secretary Rubio testifies before the Committee.”

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