1. United States
2. Mass.
3. Letter

The Trump administration is rapidly destroying the means for US ‘soft power’ in the world. This has far far reaching consequences for our military and economic standing. In particular, I urge you to investigate and restore funding to the Voice of America (run by USAGM), which was illegally terminated over the weekend. For more than 83 years, VOA has provided objective reporting in local languages (hundreds of them) directly beamed to people in repressive countries. Its information has been enormously influential in the opinion of the world on American democracy, and has supported Democratic revolutions countless times. But now Trump has turned off all the transmitters and fired the VOA staff. This will be a permanent and devastating loss to US soft power if it is not immediately reversed. Hold an immediate hearing! Get the courts involved! Stop this action NOW!