(WASHINGTON)— PEN America has responded to the effort underway to shut down the USAID:

Summer Lopez, co-chief executive officer, said: “The malicious, specious attacks on USAID, alongside the freeze on virtually all foreign assistance, are a catastrophic abdication of the U.S.’s historic role in the international community and a callous abandonment of those who fight against oppression the world over and who have relied on the support of USAID to do their work. And far from a show of strength, it sends a message of flat-out surrender to authoritarian and authoritarian-minded governments everywhere, who will celebrate the damage done to independent media and civil society in their countries. This will empower brutality, jeopardize freedom of expression and other human rights, and leave vulnerable writers, journalists, activists, and organizations without assistance as they fight for justice and freedom around the world. The stated intent to shut down an agency established by Congress is a violation of the law and constitutes dangerous executive overreach, plain and simple. Congress must act  urgently to maintain its own constitutional authority and to preserve the lives and rights of people the world over.” 

About PEN America

PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible. Learn more at pen.org.