Hamilton on Foreign Policy #267: Reform foreign aid; don’t abandon it – Hamilton Lugar School (IU News)

April 9, 2025 | By Congressman Lee Hamilton (D-IN-09), who served in Congress from 1965-1999 and is the Co-Chair of USGLC’s Indiana Advisory Committee

“Foreign aid is a key tool of foreign policy. It’s not just charity. It’s how we exercise “soft power,” maintaining relationships and strengthening our influence around the world. It includes not only food, housing and disaster assistance but promotion of democracy and human rights. It also benefits our own economy by expanding markets for our farmers and manufacturers… Helping people who are in need aligns with our values as a nation. We can’t fix all the world’s problems, but we can and should be a force for good… shutting down aid will devastate vulnerable people, and it will harm America. Foreign aid should be reformed, not eliminated.”