WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — The House subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency will meet Wednesday to examine U.S. foreign aid spending.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., chairwoman of the subcommittee, said the hearing comes as Americans are “shocked” to discover how their taxpayer dollars have been spent overseas.
The subcommittee has said it will “expose egregious foreign aid spending that has undermined U.S. interests, review proposed reforms, and aid the Trump Administration’s efforts to rein in America’s bloated bureaucracy.”
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The hearing follows the Department of Government Efficiency’s downsizing of the U.S. Agency for International Development as the Trump administration works to dismantle the agency that oversees foreign aid and development programs.
Democrats are expected to question three witnesses, including Max Primorac, a Heritage Foundation research fellow who formerly served as USAID’s chief operating officer and is expected to argue that foreign aid organizations have weakened the U.S. influence.
“What I will do is show how the woke agenda harmed the American brand name. It made us synonymous with values that are rejected by most of the world,” Primorac told the Daily Signal.
The hearing will begin at 11 a.m. ET.
Democrats defend aid amid USAID cuts
USAID is likely to be a major topic at the hearing. The agency has laid off thousands of workers and cut programs worldwide as the Trump administration continues its efforts to crack down on government spending.
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USAID has seen its Washington, D.C., headquarters shuttered over the last month as thousands of its programs have collapsed worldwide.
While Republicans, including President Donald Trump, have criticized USAID for wasteful spending and pushing a liberal agenda, Democrats argue agencies like USAID play a critical role in maintaining U.S. influence abroad.
“We got the best military in the world, but we also have diplomacy, and we also have our international allies, our friends,” said Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas. “But also, one big tool that the U.S. has is soft power. That is, being able to provide assistance to countries … it’s in our best interest.”
DOGE staffers resign over cuts
Amid the turmoil at DOGE, 21 staffers resigned Tuesday in protest of the widespread cuts the agency is spearheading, refusing to comply with the downsizing effort.
The employees, formerly with the U.S. Digital Services department, wrote in a letter, “We will not use our skills as technologists to compromise core government systems, jeopardize Americans’ sensitive data, or dismantle critical public services,” as first reported by the Associated Press.
In response, Musk labeled the staffers as “political holdovers” and claimed they would have been fired if they had not resigned.
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Greene has recently come under fire for saying federal workers “do not deserve” their paychecks.
“Those jobs are paid for by the American tax people who work real jobs, earn real income, pay federal taxes, and then pay these federal employees. Federal employees do not deserve their jobs. Federal employees do not deserve their paychecks,” she said Tuesday during a House committee meeting.
Greene earns $174,000 annually as a member of Congress.
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Meanwhile, questions remain about the leadership of DOGE.
The White House confirmed that Amy Gleason, a former U.S. Digital Services official, is the interim administrator of the agency.
A recent court filing indicated that Musk is not in charge but serves as a senior advisor to the president.
