Freezing foreign assistance makes the U.S. weaker, less safe, and less prosperous. Here’s how:

As we know all too well, diseases don’t respect boundaries. U.S. investments in global health have saved millions of lives; but they also help contain disease threats, such as the current outbreak of Ebola in Uganda, to keep us safe and healthy here at home.

To pause these programs makes us less safe, to say nothing of the threat it poses to millions of people around the world who rely on U.S.-funded programs for health care that keeps them alive.

A lot of foreign assistance begins right here at home, with U.S.-produced goods and products, like food, nutritional supplements and medicine, that are shared around the world. To pause foreign assistance risks American jobs and exports, leaving millions of dollars of resources to waste.

At a time of rising global conflict and crisis, now is an ill-advised time for the U.S. to step away from its role as a global leader. The confusion, instability and loss of trust that the sudden disruption of historic U.S. support is currently causing provides an opportunity for America’s adversaries to gain ground.

At just 1% of the federal budget, for a relatively modest amount of money, this work does a world of good. Sen. Jeff Merkley, Sen. Ron Wyden and Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, I hope I can count on your support to maintain these vital programs — and the legacy of U.S. leadership that they’ve helped create.

MICHAEL KALKOFEN
Beaverton