1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

I am writing to request that you use your congressional authority to demand that the U.S. State Department release the federal funds it is withholding from all Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs grantees. The expiration date for what was described as a temporary 15-day funding pause was February 27 and yet federal funds are NOT flowing to proven programs such as the Fulbright Program, the Gilman Scholarship, the IDEAS program and the Critical Language Scholarship Program. This undermines U.S. national security, our economy, and global influence in several critical ways and is upending the lives of everyday Americans. The abrupt and unwarranted cessation of funds has caused untold harm to the health, safety, and welfare of individuals and organizations at every stage of the grant pipeline. More than 3,500 American youth, students, and professionals are abroad right now, and they are essentially stranded without the vital financial stipends needed for their livelihood. This includes Pell Grant recipients who rely on the Gilman Scholarship to afford access to a study abroad experience. The suspension of funds also threatens the wellbeing of the more than 7,400 international exchange participants now in the United States, the future of the more than 9,000 American students, scholars, and faculty who plan to participate in an exchange in the next six months, and the 17,500+ from around the world who wish to do so. As Senator Lindsey Graham has said: “smart investments in development and diplomacy make up only 1% of our federal budget – but they have an incredible return on investment when it comes to protecting our security, our prosperity, and our values.” Halting inbound and outbound exchanges directly damages U.S. economic and national security and creates a vacuum that could easily be filled by competing nations. Further, approximately 90%, or $665 million, of the State Department exchanges budget is spent on Americans or in America. Importantly, these are programs that Congress has authorized and appropriated funds for—for over two decades in the case of Gilman and seven decades in the case of Fulbright. Insisting that these funds be restored and these programs maintained is part of the important role Congress plays in securing the future global competitiveness and safety of our country. President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio made a pledge to make “America, safer, stronger, and more prosperous.” Suspending these programs fails to deliver on that promise. Thank you for your consideration of this urgent request.