Report on Reports: A Consensus for America’s Global Leadership

The USGLC reviewed over 60 reports by think tanks, NGOs, and national security and foreign policy experts from across the political spectrum on ensuring America’s civilian tools of national security advance our security and economic interests around the world. These reports focused on a broad range of issues with a wide spectrum of recommendations – from one suggesting moving USAID into the State Department to the other extreme of consolidating all of government-wide development programs into an elevated Cabinet-level agency headed by USAID. Neither of these two positions carry significant bipartisan support. However, there is consensus on seven key areas – among the vast majority of reports – to strengthen, improve, and reform diplomacy and development. While reports offer different options as to how to tactically implement these areas of reform, these seven areas of consensus provide a smart pathway forward for the reform agenda.