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What a week - a new National Security Advisor is announced (more
on that below) and the Fiscal Year 2018 budget is finally signed into
law all in 24 hours - just six months into the fiscal year!

Here is my big takeaway from the week:

* One year ago the Administration proposed to cut the State
Department and USAID's budget by a third

* Yesterday, with overwhelming bipartisan support, Congress
rejected what the Senate called a "doctrine of
retreat" and the newly passed budget increases
International Affairs programs by 4% (not including
supplementals)

This is a really big win for America - and for our coalition.


This would not have happened without your steadfast support and the
extraordinary bipartisan champions on Capitol Hill, and for that, I am
profoundly grateful.


At the same time, what keeps me up at night is my fear that America is
simply not keeping pace with the global challenges we face -
whether it's the latest humanitarian crisis in Yemen where
nearly 18 million people are food insecure or the increasingly
ambitious moves from China.


I worry that America is getting left behind - it's the
theme of my op-ed this week. Check it out.

http://action.usglc.org/site/R?i=6r_z9BH0-FgXMrqjXxPNFQ


Read below to learn about Ambassador John Bolton, along with lots more
in our latest GLOBAL GAB including Bill Gates' visit to the Oval
Office.

Best,
Liz
Liz Schrayer, USGLC

THE GLOBAL GAB: Bolton, the Budget, and Bill Gates in the Oval
March 24, 2018


BUDGET PLUSES. A few more "good news" details: the Food
for Peace program is up 7% after originally being eliminated in the
Administration's budget request. Plus more resources for
economic development including a 6% increase for the U.S. Trade and
Development Agency (USTDA) and the U.S. Overseas Private Investment
Corporation (OPIC) sees a 13% boost.


BUDGET CONCERNS. At a time of growing crises, humanitarian assistance
is down by more than 2% - much better than the original 34% cut
proposed by the Administration, but frontline aid groups will surely
be asking if it's enough. And the Economic Support Fund and
contributions to UN Peacekeeping see significant cuts. DATA NERDS can
get all the details in our full analysis here.

http://action.usglc.org/site/R?i=P9y7K69bu0nzetGb8B-UsA


JOHN BOLTON. General McMaster is out and Ambassador Bolton has been
named the next National Security Advisor. The controversial pick has
no shortage of supporters and detractors, as we saw back in 2005 when
he was made U.S. Ambassador to the UN as a recess appointment -
unable to be confirmed by the Senate.

* Senator Lindsey Graham praised: "Selecting John Bolton as
national security adviser is good news for America's
allies and bad news for America's enemies."

* Senator Chris Coons warned: "Ambassador Bolton's
stated positions on today's major issues, most notably
North Korea's and Iran's nuclear programs, are
overly aggressive at best and downright dangerous at
worst."

* Council on Foreign Relations President Richard Haass highlighted
a potential tension with the president: "John
Bolton's combative unilateralism, anti-institutionalism
and propensity to advocate for military intervention meshes well
with America First. What it does not mesh well with is Making
America Great Again. Sooner rather than later Donald Trump will
have to choose."

* For more on Ambassador Bolton's background, view our
profile here.

http://action.usglc.org/site/R?i=ZNHawn9aS7scE6auKu6Rvg

TOP BRASS. It was an all-star month on Capitol Hill with
America's leading combatant commanders from CENTCOM and PACOM
along with retired generals pressing Congress on why their civilian
counterparts are so vital:

* COMMANDER of PACOM, Admiral Harry Harris: "In terms of
funding, a weak State Department means you have to have a
stronger Defense Department. And I think it would be so much
better to have both funded to the level they should be
funded."

* COMMANDER of CENTCOM, General Joseph Votel: "The
destruction of ISIS' so called physical
"caliphate" is imminent, but now we must consolidate
gains by investing in the population... and keep ISIS from
returning."

* Nearly 20 of the USGLC's three and four-star military
leaders were on the Hill last week meeting with key members of
Congress - including Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Rep.
Tim Ryan (D-OH). See the photo and Tweet from
http://action.usglc.org/site/R?i=RgBr41LcQAa-Pynok5Me1A

Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR).

* And Lt. General John Castellaw testified before a Senate
subcommittee on the link between food insecurity and our
national security.

CHINA COMPETITION. Tackling what might be the only issue that
President Trump, Democrats, and Republicans all agree on in our latest
USGLC op-ed

http://action.usglc.org/site/R?i=xszupJ3VuHXNvdZYUkuLsg

- here's why it's vital we strengthen an
underutilized part of America's development toolkit. With China
building up ports, highways, railways, and bridges across the
developing world, development finance is a critical agenda with a
growing drumbeat at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue.

* BE SMART. Just last week, China announced a new aid agency to
coordinate their growing global programs and influence. Chinese
State Councilor Wang Yong told the country's parliament
the move will "give full play to foreign aid as a key
means of major-country diplomacy."

* STAVRIDIS SPEAKS OUT. As China continues to flex its economic
and diplomatic muscles, USGLC national security co-chair,
Admiral James Stavridis, makes the case in Bloomberg that the
U.S. needs to craft a long-term strategy to keep pace with China
-

http://action.usglc.org/site/R?i=WaVqDSAAPkv4Me6tIN9KuA

and fast.

HOUSE CALL. The House Foreign Affairs Committee made clear last week
that bipartisan opposition remains strong for new cuts to USAID.
Chairman Ed Royce gaveled in the hearing, stating: "Regrettably,
the administration has proposed cutting USAID's funding by 33
percent... These efforts shouldn't be shorted." The
key witness, USAID Administrator Mark Green acknowledged that
"this budget will not allow us to do everything we might want to
do in a perfect world and it doesn't allow us to take on every
opportunity that we might see."


FOOD FOR PEACE. In yet another impressive display of bipartisan
leadership on U.S. foreign assistance, Senators Corker and Coons and
Reps. Royce and Blumenauer just introduced the Food for Peace
Modernization Act. This smart reform legislation will streamline our
nation's overseas food aid programs, enabling America to reach 9
million more people at a time when 815 million people go to bed hungry
each night. Corker and Coons make the case in The Tennessean.

http://action.usglc.org/site/R?i=qJI25LZ4BkZWt4dx6JlHAw


CONFIRMATION WATCH. Two important nominees just passed through the
Senate: Jody Olsen is the new Peace Corps Director, and former USGLC
Board Member, Marie Royce, has been confirmed as Assistant Secretary
of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the State Department. Next on
deck: Sean Cairncross to head the Millennium Challenge Corporation,
and all eyes will be on the confirmation process and hearings for
Secretary of State pick Mike Pompeo. Ambassador Kenneth Quinn writes
that "Pompeo has the skills to bring American diplomacy back to
life."

http://action.usglc.org/site/R?i=GoEnXcNwAXbdMK4iSLjSMg


RISING STAR. Just promoted to Acting Under Secretary for Public
Diplomacy and Public Affairs, the former FOX and Friends anchor,
Heather Nauert, stopped by the Save the Children Summit telling
advocates: "Our country is proud to be a global leader in
responding to crises around the world, and to getting children the
help they need." Pointing to USAID and PEPFAR's youth
programs, she added: "With an education, cycles of conflict and
displacement can end."


EAST GHOUTA. The latest reports suggest that Syrian rebels are laying
down arms in eastern Ghouta in a deal that will allow thousands of
civilians and fighters to evacuate the besieged town, after the Syrian
military's brutal assault on the Damascus suburb has left more
than 1,500 dead in little more than a month.


FRESH PRINCE. With the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman -
or better known as MBS - in Washington and touring America,
another bipartisan duo called on the Administration in FOX News to
seize this "auspicious moment" to urge the Saudis to do
more to avert famine and end the suffering in Yemen.

http://action.usglc.org/site/R?i=yX7006ncriHGYjUgPggbow


WAY TO GO, POE. Faiths for Safe Water founder, Susan Barnett, honors
retiring House champion, Ted Poe (R-TX), for his steadfast leadership
on clean water around the world.
http://action.usglc.org/site/R?i=h8ivHIG68VElUicc6Zj1Vw


OVAL OFFICE. In a sit-down with POLITICO Playbook the morning before
his private meeting with President Trump, Bill Gates said he had
"two clear messages" for the president:

* "One is about foreign aid... even if you just look at
the benefit to America of stability... this is very
beneficial... there's great things that are coming out of
that."

* "A second message... will be that there's an
opportunity to take on some tough unsolved problems...
preparedness... for a pandemic... or bioterrorism... We
don't have the tools, the preparedness, the capacity to deal
with that."


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