Support US Ties to Pacific Islands, Restore U.S. AID, Uphold COFA

More proof that Republicans do not know or care about history or cooperation. The full price of the loss of US AID is becoming worse and worse. Beyond the deaths to potentially millions of people dependent on food, medical and other aid supplies from the US, there’s an additional problem. The United States has a crucial strategic interest in maintaining strong ties with the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Palau through the Compacts of Free Association (COFAs). These agreements not only provide the U.S. military with access to a vast area for force projection, but also oblige the U.S. to provide economic aid, government services, and disaster relief assistance to these Pacific island nations. However, recent dismantling of USAID and other federal agencies by the Trump administration has undermined America's ability to uphold its COFA commitments. If the U.S. fails to reliably fulfill its obligations, it risks eroding trust and could eventually drive these island states into deeper cooperation with China as an alternative partner. As this quote from Foreign Policy Magazine notes: “It is this uninterrupted corridor from Hawaii to the Philippines that becomes a region of incredible U.S. strategic advantage,” said Brian Harding, an expert on Southeast Asia and the Pacific islands, most recently at the U.S. Institute of Peace. To safeguard American influence and preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific, the administration must restore robust capacity for aid delivery and emergency response tailored to the unique geography and needs of the Freely Associated States. Thank you for your attention to this crucial matter for our alliances in the Pacific.