1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you, and other members of Congress, to stand up for the importance of the legislative branch — and to stand up for representation of your constituents! I am a medical student with a public health background and I am appalled that a vigilante organization not approved by Congress or the American people (DOGE) has decided to shut down USAID, and that the executive branch seems to believe it can make such decisions all on its own. If USAID is shut down, millions of people around the world will suffer. Considering PEPFAR alone, more than 500,000 people globally will die of AIDS if this happens, and we will see spread of AIDS and other infectious diseases on a scale never before seen (given how mobile the world population is, the rate at which new diseases are emerging, and the role of US-supported refugee camps in preventing the movement of hundreds of thousands of sick displaced people all over the world). Please do our future selves a favor and maintain USAID. If Congress reviews spending by the organization and determines USAID should be shut down, I would understand that... but a random third-party organization run by a man who has a personal vendetta? That smacks of authoritarianism. Please, please stand up for yourselves and for us, and negate Elon Musk's decision on this matter.