1. United States
  2. Maine
  3. Letter

Americans Deserve to Know What Happened to Billions in USAID Funds

To: Sen. King, Sen. Collins, Rep. Pingree

From: A constituent in Portland, ME

July 30

As your constituent, I request a complete public accounting of all budgetary resources available to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on January 20, 2025, and their subsequent disposition. OVERSIGHT REQUIRES RELIABLE INFORMATION Congress provided USAID with substantial budgetary resources and must oversee how those resources were used. Yet no complete public reconciliation has been made available tracing those resources through final disposition. THE PUBLIC RECORD IS FRAGMENTED Appropriations laws show what Congress provided. The Rescissions Act shows what Congress canceled. Office of Management and Budget records address apportionment and execution. State Department announcements describe transferred functions. Government Accountability Office opinions address legal issues, while Inspector General reports describe operational effects. AUDITORS COULD NOT VERIFY KEY INFORMATION USAID’s fiscal year 2025 auditors could not issue an opinion because they lacked sufficient evidence supporting financial transactions and account balances. GAO ALSO LACKED NEEDED RECORDS GAO reported that OMB, State, and USAID did not provide revised apportionment schedules and other information needed to verify withholding in several foreign-assistance accounts. CONGRESS STILL CANNOT TRACE THE FUNDS Congress and the public therefore cannot determine from one reliable record how much was obligated, spent, withheld, terminated, rescinded, transferred, deobligated, expired, or remains available. Without that reconciliation, Congress cannot determine whether the Impoundment Control Act and other laws were followed, taxpayer funds were used as intended, resources were wasted, or further action is needed. CONGRESS SHOULD REQUIRE A FULL RECONCILIATION Congress lacks the factual record needed to evaluate the administration’s funding actions. I urge you to: (1) TRACE ALL FUNDS. Ask the Government Accountability Office to identify all budgetary resources available to USAID on January 20, 2025, and trace their disposition, including amounts obligated, spent, withheld, terminated, rescinded, transferred, deobligated, expired, or still available. It should also determine whether each action complied with the Impoundment Control Act and other applicable law. (2) HOLD A HEARING. Request a hearing by the appropriate committee to examine why no comprehensive public reconciliation exists. The committee should receive sworn testimony from relevant current and former officials of USAID, its Office of Inspector General, the Office of Management and Budget, the Department of State, and other agencies responsible for the funds or records. (3) RELEASE RECORDS. Ask the Office of Management and Budget to release USAID’s complete apportionment schedules, Standard Form 133 reports, and other records needed to reconcile USAID’s budgetary resources from January 20, 2025, through final disposition. Thank you.

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