October 5, 2011 The Honorable Patty Murray United States Senator 448 Russell Senate Office Building Washington,

DC 20510 Dear Senator Murray, As a member of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, Americans across the country are looking to you for leadership. We understand the gravity of the US federal budget and the importance of returning our country to a sound fiscal footing while also continuing to protect vital U.S national interests internationally. On behalf of International Relief and Development (IRD), I wanted to provide you with some information on the potential effects of deep and disproportionate cuts in international affairs funding. As the president and CEO of one of the U.S. governments non-profit implementing partners, I am concerned that additional deep cuts to critical international affairs programs would harm our national and economic security. Statistically speaking, international affairs spending has already been cut 11% this year, shouldering nearly 20% of the total spending cuts in the final FY11 spending agreement even though its only 1.4% of the budget. Now with the additional round of cuts under discussion in the FY12 appropriations process, dangerous reductions totaling at least 20% over the past two years are a real possibility. Cuts of this magnitude are not in Americas strategic interests and could actually cost taxpayers more in the long run through more costly military involvements and responses to humanitarian crises. As a leader of the Select Committee, I wanted to emphasize that the programs funded by the International Affairs Budget strengthen our national security and create American jobs and boost U.S. exports. They also demonstrate our humanitarian values and build goodwill for our nation around the world which translates into increased economic and political cooperation with the United States as well. The International Affairs Budget is a strategic and cost-effective investment that is essential to IRDs programing in over 30 countries across Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. Today I am writing this letter from the failed state of Haiti where our continued role in supporting their postearthquake reconstruction is vital because without U.S. support for critical health, humanitarian and reconstruction activities, Haitians will start fleeing their nation, as they did many years before when faced with a humanitarian crisis. Just to re-emphasize the importance of this funding, let me provide a few more examples of the impact dramatic cuts would have going forward: Afghanistan: Another fragile state is Afghanistan where IRD has significant activities. U.S. Government civilian funding has been vital to our successful community stabilization and counterinsurgency programs . In the Arghandab District, as U.S. troops start their withdrawal, our largely Afghan staff are implementing the Afghanistan Vouchers for Increased Agriculture Plus (AVIPA+) program that has assisted Afghan farmers in dramatically increasing their wheat production and helping launch a market-driven agricultural economy there. If we stop this assistance now, these fragile districts and communities will falter, the newly established markets and agricultural productivity will begin to trail off and communities will once again be forced to deal with Taliban resurgence without any recourse to offer their people. Iraq and Jordan: Iraqi refugees in Jordan who are principally widows and children finally have access to health services because of IRDs implementation of Health Linkages and National Networks for Iraqis in

Jordan (HLNN) program. IRD increased awareness for maternal and child health services in clinics for Iraqi women and children. If U.S. support is withdrawn now, these refugees will be treated even worse than before our intervention and may never be able to return to their homeland because of economic and humanitarian destitution. The Gambia: Aside from initiating agricultural sustainability and expanding health services to women, IRD has improved the livelihoods of cashew farmers in The Gambia by teaching business innovation, marketled development, management and farmer training to promote agricultural sustainability. Our field teams there report regularly that IRD programs are rapidly transforming these rural communities by increasing production, by providing technical training to ensure the long-term sustainability of their products and improving their agricultural profitability so they can maintain a market-led system of development locally, regionally and maybe even globally. If we withdraw our support now, these cashew farmers will lose key aspects of their training, the reforms they are implementing for sustainability will disappear and they risk becoming dependent once again on their fragile government for support. Somalia: For the first time in perhaps a decade, the United States has a chance to provide much needed humanitarian assistance inside Somalia. There are operational local NGOs and humanitarian organizations on the ground, like IRD, who can deliver this assistance and monitor and report on its delivery and effectiveness. El-Shabaab is pulling back in full retreat from many parts of the nation and a fragile transitional government is standing up and asking for U.S. and international support. The impact of Somalias failed state status on the entire region in the Horn of Africa has been devastating in terms of lives lost, U.S. budgetary resources committed for humanitarian support and the instability caused by massive migratory refugee flows into surrounding nations. If international affairs funding is cut now, at this key time of Somalias transition, then we risk a decade more of high costs and deepening regional instability which could invite terrorist and insurgency movements like El-Shabaab into many states in East Africa. This cost to U.S national interests would be devastating.

On behalf of International Relief and Development, I urge you to support a strong and effective International Affairs Budget and oppose disproportionately deep cuts to these programs that are so vital to Americas leadership and global engagement. Thank you for your consideration of my views. Sincerely,

Dr. Arthur Keys, Jr. President and CEO International Relief & Development