Washington, DC – Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on South and Central Asia, sent a letter to Secretary Rubio seeking clarity on the President and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)’s claim, without evidence, that the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has spent “$21 million for voter turnout in India.” These assertions created a political firestorm in India, and baselessly sowed distrust in the agency.
A PDF copy of the letter can be found here.
Dear Secretary Rubio:
On February 15th, 2025, the so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” tweeted a list of programs it claimed to have cancelled, including “$21 million for voter turnout in India”—a claim that President Trump has repeatedly cited as an example of wasteful foreign assistance.
The President’s statements, including his unsubstantiated claim that the Biden Administration used these funds to “get somebody else elected,” ignited a political firestorm in India. His remarks dominated front-page news and were seized upon by key Indian political figures as supposed evidence of U.S. interference.
USAID has a long history in India—helping to establish institutions like the flagship Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, collaborating on public health initiatives, and advancing small-scale development innovations. Yet these inflammatory statements have cast unwarranted suspicion on USAID’s work, jeopardizing a decades-long development partnership.
Allowing misinformation about U.S. foreign assistance to go unchallenged damages American credibility, undermines our ability to operate globally, and threatens relationships with key international counterparts. India is a key strategic partner and sustaining this relationship requires skilled diplomacy.
Despite multiple requests from the Committee—on February 19, February 21, and February 24—the State Department has yet to provide clarification regarding this funding. Given DOGE’s claims and the President’s repeated statements, the Department of State and USAID, where you currently serve as Acting Administrator, should be able to promptly provide accurate information about the nature and scope of this activity.
We request that you provide answers to the following inquiries no later than March 21st, 2025:
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Please explain the details surrounding the $21 million grant to India, including the dates of the grant, the contract information, the implementing partner, the proposed activities, and the dates of the activity. Please also provide any documentation, including the Congressional Notification number and date the CN was submitted.
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Please explain the process by which DOGE cancelled these programs, including the timeline of how the cancellation was communicated to relevant stakeholders and implementing partners.
The Foreign Affairs Committee has an important oversight interest in determining the truth in this matter, as well as ensuring that all decisions regarding U.S. foreign assistance programs are made in compliance with the appropriate laws and regulations and with due regard for congressional intent.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter.