“I served in several senior roles in the government, in the national security arena, and I saw firsthand the importance of foreign assistance for our national security.”

“This is about our grandkids and making sure they can live in a safe, prosperous, stable world. And in order for that to happen, America’s got to be in a leadership role. American retreat is not an option if we want a better future.”

"When you have an entire generation of people being wiped out and the free world turns its back, it provides a convenient opportunity for people to spread extremism. It's in our national security interests as well as in our moral interest to continue funding this program [PEPFAR].”

"Development isn’t charity. It’s one of the smartest investments we can make in our shared future — in our security and our prosperity.”

“The ultimate importance to the United States of our security and development assistance programs cannot be exaggerated.”

“The notion that threats to American national-security interests don’t merit a robust foreign-aid program is preposterous. The spread of infectious diseases, such as Ebola and Zika; the threat of radical Islamist terrorist movements across North Africa, which are destabilizing to our friends and allies; the mass-migration crisis that is changing the face of American and European politics … are all direct threats to the national-security interests of the United States.”

“America’s role in the world should reflect the hope and promise of our country, and possibilities for all mankind, tempered with a wisdom that has been the hallmark of our national character. That means pursuing a principled and engaged realism that employs diplomatic, economic, and security tools as well as our values to advance our security and our prosperity.”

“Strong national security is dependent on having a strong diplomatic arm, a strong development arm, a strong intelligence arm, a strong capability to try to have strong economies in the world. I mean, all of this is related to our national security.”

“I never miss an opportunity to call for more funding for and emphasis on diplomacy and development….Whatever we do should reinforce the State Department’s lead role in crafting and conducting U.S. foreign policy, to include foreign assistance, of which building security capacity is a key part.”

“We live in a dangerous world and a world of opportunity. Increasing our diplomatic and development resources is absolutely critical and money well spent to deal with the dangers and seize the opportunities.”

“For the United States, supporting international development is more than just an expression of our compassion. It is a vital investment in the free, prosperous, and peaceful international order that fundamentally serves our national interest.”

“I for one – just speaking for myself – think the diplomatic portion of the federal budget is very important and you get results a lot cheaper, frequently, than you do on the defense side… I’m not in favor of reducing what we call the 150 account.”

“Foreign Aid is not charity. We must make sure it is well spent, but it is less than 1% of budget & critical to our national security.”

"For decades, Republicans and Democrats have agreed on foundational principles of U.S. leadership in the world. We engage with the world. We consistently and reliably support our allies. We lead by example, especially on our core values. We fight for the rule of law, for human rights, and for democratic institutions because doing so makes us safer and more secure.”

“Foreign assistance is an insurance policy. Investing over there, even though we have needs here, makes us safer.”

“If you want to make sure that good things happen in the United States and we have bright future, we need to make certain that good things happen around the globe. And we are a part of making that happens.”

“For most of the last century, the United States-led system of open global markets has dramatically increased our prosperity. And it has lifted more than a billion people out of extreme poverty in the past 20 years alone, greatly serving our economic, political and humanitarian interests worldwide, including in Asia.”

“We should be using existing foreign assistance dollars to advance U.S. economic interests."

“I just want to point out that foreign assistance is just 1% of our budget, but it pays large dividends… We must make these investments not just because it is the right thing to do, but also because it helps contribute to economic growth, and just as importantly, stability.”

“With 90 percent of consumers living outside of the United States, the biggest economic opportunity for our country is to sell those consumers products that the United States of America makes.”

“We can be proud that American assistance over the years – from vaccines to food aid to shelter to clean water and sanitation programs – has saved millions of lives and improved living conditions for countless people around the world.”