1. United States
2. Iowa
3. Letter

The decision to slash humanitarian aid funding is leading to preventable deaths, especially among vulnerable populations like children, in some of the world's poorest nations. Respected organizations on the ground report an alarming rise in fatalities directly attributed to the cutbacks. In South Sudan alone, HIV-positive orphans and severely malnourished infants are dying due to the suspension of life-saving programs once funded by American assistance. Beyond human lives, US national interests are also jeopardized through reduced disease surveillance, disrupted counterterrorism efforts, and loss of soft power influence. While reform was needed, the current approach of dismantling aid infrastructure is cruel and reckless. I urge you to take immediate action to reinstate humanitarian funding and prevent this unfolding catastrophe that betrays American values and principles. The minimal cost pales in comparison to the moral imperative of protecting the world's most vulnerable.