Washington, DC – Oxfam America congratulates Congressman Howard Berman (D-CA) on his formal election to Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and welcomes the commitment he made in a statement yesterday to begin a "major overhaul of U.S. assistance to other countries." His demonstrated leadership and foresight will be critical to the success of foreign assistance modernization.
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>"US foreign aid has saved millions of lives and helped millions more overcome poverty," said Raymond C. Offenheiser, president of Oxfam America. "Yet foreign aid is still underperforming and often fails to reach the people who need it most. Built for the challenges of the Cold War, US foreign aid in the 21st century has become slow, bureaucratic and fragmented. Chairman Berman's statement rightly acknowledges the pressing need for reform."
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>"History teaches us that strengthening US foreign assistance is impossible without the active involvement of Congress," said Offenheiser. “Such involvement requires the sustained dedication of leaders such as Chairman Berman.”
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>Oxfam America is seeking reform of US foreign aid to make it more efficient, more modern, and more focused on ending global poverty. The organization is advocating for the modernization of the laws, structure, and strategy of US foreign assistance so that the aid is refocused on its primary mission – ending global poverty. As a US-based nongovernmental organization (NGO) with hands-on experience working in developing countries, Oxfam America works to improve US foreign aid by linking local aid recipients to global aid policies.
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