The U.S. Department of State will reorganize and absorb “certain bureaus, offices, and missions of USAID,” according to a letter sent by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and obtained by Devex on Monday — and the remainder of the agency may be dissolved entirely.
“In consultation with Congress, USAID may move, reorganize, and integrate certain missions, bureaus, and offices into the Department of State, and the remainder of the Agency may be abolished consistent with applicable law,” wrote Rubio, who announced he was acting administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development on Monday.
The letter, which likely serves as a consultation notice, was written to eight lawmakers, including Sen. James Risch, chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, and Rep. Brian Mast, the chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. It advises the lawmakers members of the State Department’s “intent to initiate consultations,” and as such, relies on “consulting with Congress and the appropriate committees.”
About the author
Elissa Miolene
Elissa Miolene reports on USAID and the U.S. government at Devex. She previously covered education at The San Jose Mercury News, and has written for outlets like The Wall Street Journal, San Francisco Chronicle, Washingtonian magazine, among others. Before shifting to journalism, Elissa led communications for humanitarian agencies in the United States, East Africa, and South Asia.
