and Counterterrorism posts); some
transferred to USAID (e.g. the Glob-
al Food Security Coordinator); and
many integrated into other areas of
the State Department. Senate Foreign
Relations Chairman Corker quickly
chimed in with praise for the secre-
tary’s plan.
BUDGET SNAFU. A new report by POLIT-
ICO reveals concerns from Capitol
Hill that the State Department could
take the rare step of “deliberately not
spending all the money Congress
gives it” when it comes to diplomatic
and development programs. Given
that Congress controls the purse
strings, we could witness a rare pub-
lic battle between the Administration
and Capitol Hill. Important to watch.
GREEN LIGHT. In his first press conference
as the USAID Administrator, Mark
Green told reporters: “I believe philo-
sophically the purpose of foreign as-
sistance is to end the need for its exis-
tence.” Green is already in Sudan
this week pushing the government to
expand humanitarian access for food
and aid – a critical issue in the con-
flict-torn country – and he also met
directly with displaced families. He’s
off to Ethiopia next to visit Feed the
Future and PEPFAR program sites. A
smart start.
THE GENERALS.
After coming under fire
from the isolationist alt-right camp
and former White House advisor Steve
Bannon over the past few months, the
Afghanistan strategy and speech ap-
peared as a win for the generals
– Mattis, Kelly, and McMaster –
among the White House inner circle,
with an important vote of confidence
for McMaster, the National Security
Advisor. Together, the new strategy
signals that the decorated general and
his well-regarded deputy, Dina Powell,
had won this battle when it comes to
America’s global engagement.
OCTOBER OR BUST. As Congress returns to
Washington next Tuesday, they will
have 12 working days to pass a spend-
ing bill and avert a government
shutdown when the fiscal year ends
on September 30th. With many un-
certainties, including for spending
on the International Affairs Budget,
expect a two to three month stop-
gap measure to pass near the end of
month just to keep the government
running while Congress negotiates a
broader budget deal.
HEARTLAND HEROES. The voices of top US-
GLC state leaders are popping up
throughout the August Congressional
recess:
-- The head of the Indiana Pacers
and former UN World Food Pro-
gram chief, Jim Morris, alongside
the former Indiana Republican
Party Chair, Jeff Cardwell, make the
case to Hoosiers in the Indy Star on
why “now more than ever before…
the world needs American leader-
ship, compassion, and generosity.”
-- In the Kansas City Star, U.S.
Army veteran Bob Bennett and
former National Security Council
staffer Jamie Metzl remind Mis-
sourians how “Our state benefits
enormously when America engag-
es with the world and would suffer
if we were to shrink from it.”
-- The Chairwomen of the Wichita
Regional Chamber of Commerce,
Sheryl Wohlford, tells the Wichita
Eagle: “When America leads, Kan-
sas wins.”
THE FINALISTS. The State Department an-
nounced its five finalists for this year’s
P3 Impact Award. Among the top con-
tenders: the Accenture and Upwardly
Global Partnership, a CARE-Cargill
partnership, and Goldman Sachs 10,000
Women for their innovative public-pri-
vate partnership programs.
MOSQUITO WARS. After a decade of fight-
ing malaria, Bill Gates tells Americans:
“While we’re still decades away from
wiping malaria off the map for good,
one thing is clear: the mosquito has
met its match.”
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