Washington, DC – Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today was joined by the House Foreign Affairs Vice Ranking Member and all Subcommittee Ranking Members on a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, demanding answers to several unanswered questions from Congress on State reorganization, USAID’s “reintegration,” and other significant changes made in the Department on which Rubio is legally obligated to consult with Congress. The letter demands Rubio answer no later than Tuesday, May 20th, ahead of his appearance before the House Foreign Affairs Committee the following day. 

The full text of the letter can be found below. A PDF copy of the letter can be found here. 

Dear Secretary Rubio, 

We are writing to express our deep disappointment by your Department’s continued disregard for legitimate and necessary congressional oversight.  By law, any reorganization plan requires consultation with Congress and several of the actions you are proposing, or may already be implementing, could require legislative approval. Your Department’s lack of communication, consultation, and responsiveness to repeated Congressional requests for information about your proposed reorganization process for the Department of State and integration of functions and personnel from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is unacceptable. We are equally concerned by your flagrant willingness to ignore both the letter and spirit of the law – laws enacted by Congress, many of which you yourself voted for during your 14 years of service in this institution. 

On April 28, 2025, Department representatives briefed Committee Staff on the reorganization plan publicly announced on April 22, 2025. The Department notified the Committee of this plan a mere 20 minutes before publicly posting it—an approach that fails to meet even the most basic standard of Congressional consultation.  

During the April 28 briefing, the Department failed to answer fundamental questions about the rationale, structure, and implementation of the reorganization. When asked how decisions were made, particularly concerning the metrics and targets used to justify personnel and office cuts, briefers were unable to answer. Because the Department failed to respond to basic oversight questions during the briefing, on April 29, 2025, Committee Staff followed up via email requesting written responses by May 2. Weeks later and after several follow-ups, the Department has still failed to provide answers.  

Your Department’s continued stonewalling of any Congressional oversight—whether related to your enabling of DOGE’s unlawful dismantling of USAID or to the illegal freezing of Congressionally authorized and appropriated foreign assistance – reflects a troubling pattern of disregard for transparency, accountability, and the law.     

We are once again formally requesting the Department’s responses to the following requests no later than 6:00pm on Tuesday, May 20, 2025:  

1. A list of the 132 offices referenced in the April 22 consult note to be eliminated, a written explanation of how the Department arrived at this list, and all documents and records supporting such decision-making.
2. A list of the 138 offices referenced in the April 22 consult note to be transferred or moved to different parts of the Department, a written explanation of how the Department arrived at this list, and all documents and records supporting such decision-making.
3. A list of the titles, levels (GS or FS), and bureaus or offices of the 700 positions referenced in the April 22 consult note to be eliminated, a written explanation of how the Department arrived at this list, and all documents and records supporting such decision-making.
4. A list of the titles, levels (GS or FS), originating bureaus or offices, and destination bureaus or offices of the 600 positions referenced in the April 22 consult note to be transferred, a written explanation of how the Department arrived at this list, and all documents and records supporting such decision-making.
5. A list of the positions (including titles, GS or FS levels, and bureaus or offices) for which reduction in force notices have already been issued between January 20, 2025, and the present, a written explanation of how the Department arrived at this list, and all documents and records supporting such decision-making.
6. A narrative justification for the proposed 15% domestic staffing cut and all data, documents, and records supporting this decision. 
7. The expected date by which the new proposed “F” – replacing a former Under Secretary position and exercising significant authority – will be submitted for Senate advice and consent.
8. A narrative justification for how USAID positions will be transferred to, or rehired at, the State Department, which hiring mechanisms will be used, and a legal explanation as to why you were unable to transfer USAID officers to State without chaotically separating them without due process. Provide all documents and records relating to this decision-making process.
9. A narrative explanation and a detailed implementation plan for how monitoring and evaluation capacity will be maintained in bureaus that are proposed to hold new or additional assistance and programming responsibilities.
10. A narrative explanation of and justification for where humanitarian assistance capacities and where other technical capabilities will be situated in the proposed reorganization plan.
11. The expected date(s) that State will formally submit a reorganization-related Congressional Notifications (CNs) to the Committee.