By Susan Kosinski Fritz
It’s easy to miss the profoundly important institutions that quietly keep the wheels of our democracy — and our economy — turning.
One of these is the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), now under threat of dismantlement, a move that would have devastating consequences not just globally, but right here in New Jersey.
USAID has long been a symbol of American generosity and strategic foresight, operating on less than 1% of the federal budget while saving lives abroad and fueling economic growth at home.
In my three-decade USAID career, I served as mission director for Ukraine and Belarus, East Africa, and Serbia and Montenegro.
I can tell you foreign assistance benefits Americans in many ways, including in treating viruses such as Ebola and the bird flu in other countries to reduce the possibility of them coming to ours. U.S. foreign assistance creates markets for U.S. goods, which in turn adds jobs to our economy.
Former USAID recipients are now important trading partners and markets for U.S. goods. Creating economic opportunities and reducing corruption in developing countries in Latin America and elsewhere stems the flow of migration from those countries.
Lastly, foreign assistance increases stability in countries experiencing conflict. I served in USAID following the war in Bosnia and later in Kosovo after its conflict with Serbia and where we have boots on the ground. I also served in Ukraine during the low-level conflict there. Spending less than 1% of our federal budget to stabilize other countries is an investment that allows us to spend less money on the military (which is about 13% of the federal budget).
When he was Secretary of Defense, Republican Robert Gates advocated for increased USAID funding because he knew that that a small investment in USAID meant a decreased need for military engagement and spending.
In New Jersey alone, over $3 million in USAID contracts and grants flow directly into our economy, supporting universities, private sector innovators, and nonprofit organizations.
Rutgers University, for example, received a $1.6 million grant to support rural livelihoods in Southern Africa—an investment that not only advances global development but also fosters cutting-edge research and job opportunities in our own backyard.
The economic ripple effect is undeniable. USAID’s partnerships with New Jersey-based companies like Johnson & Johnson and Merck extend the state’s influence in global health initiatives while strengthening local economies. Nonprofits like the Worldwide Orphans Foundation leverage USAID support to address global challenges, all while employing New Jersey residents.
The first grant that I managed at USAID was to Rutgers University for a very successful program to help Poland to decentralize government funding and decision making to the local level. Almost 30 years later, while serving in Ukraine, I came across the same Polish organization strengthened by Rutgers, the Foundation in Support of Local Democracy.
However, this time they were providing assistance to Ukraine to help it to decentralize its funding and decision making based on Poland’s successful experience. USAID graduated its assistance to Poland in 2000, 11 years after it began. Once a foreign aid recipient, Poland now provides development assistance to other countries – totaling almost $2.6 billion in 2023 alone. Moreover, Poland now ranks as the United States’ 36th largest export market.
This is not about party lines—it’s about principles.
Congress must refuse to pass any federal budget that doesn’t explicitly protect USAID. Legislators — our representatives — must stand up for this critical agency, not because it’s politically expedient, but because it’s morally and economically right. Foreign assistance is in our country’s best interest and we receive just as much or maybe even more benefit from providing foreign assistance than our beneficiaries.
We’re not subjects in a kingdom ruled by whims. We are citizens in a democratic republic, bound by a Constitution that demands our loyalty — not to parties or personalities, but to the values it enshrines.
Congress, do your job. Protect USAID. Protect New Jersey.
Susan Kosinski Fritz, of Seaside Heights, retired from the USAID Senior Foreign Service in 2020. During her 31-year USAID career, Fritz served as mission director for Ukraine and Belarus, East Africa, and Serbia and Montenegro as well as in a variety of other positions. She has a master’s of Public Administration degree and a master’s Certificate in Measurement and Evaluation from American University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rutgers University.
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