WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued a statement on the Trump Administration's announcement that following its “foreign assistance review,” it is seeking to terminate half of the programs under the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), including the Zambia and Indonesia Compacts and the Gambia and Kenya Threshold programs. Since its creation under President George W. Bush, MCC has enjoyed broad bipartisan support for its unique data-driven approach to poverty reduction and good governance, with projects that promote U.S. private sector investment and directly compete with China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
“The Trump Administration’s recommendation to terminate half of the Millennium Challenge Corporation’s compacts and programs is a gift to our adversaries. As Senate Foreign Relations Committee Democrats warned in our minority report, The Price of Retreat, cutting these programs and reneging on our commitments is a mistake that will undermine U.S. international partnerships and cede geopolitical influence to China.
“MCC generates opportunities for a wide array of American companies—from Cargill to Microsoft—and lays the foundation for economic growth in developing countries. This proposal is a mistake that will undermine U.S. national security and diminish economic opportunity for Americans.”
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