Washington, DC – House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard L. Berman (D-CA) issued the following statement today after Secretary of State Clinton’s announcement that the State Department plans to launch a Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review:

“I share the Secretary’s view of the importance of undertaking a comprehensive and strategic planning process that will clarify the goals and objectives of our foreign policy and foreign aid programs, define the roles of the various civilian agencies in implementing them, and identify the appropriate resources and mechanisms for achieving them.

“As the process moves forward, special focus and attention should be paid to the long-term goal of reducing poverty and promoting broad-based and sustainable economic growth in developing countries, which must not be subordinated to short-term political and diplomatic objectives. Contributing to the advancement of internationally-recognized development goals serves not only our moral and humanitarian interests, but also our national security imperatives because it increases stability and reduces the likelihood of failed states.

“We in Congress look forward to working with Deputy Secretary Lew and Policy Planning Director Slaughter and the USAID Administrator as they spearhead this process; it corresponds to section 302 of H.R. 2410, the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011, which passed the House of Representatives on June 10."

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