Jul 2 2011
In a Washington Times opinion piece, Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) points to recent developments and experiences that have led him to conclude that "vast amounts of U.S. aid money is being spent with little documentation or verification of quantifiable results." He discusses his visits to Haiti and Pakistan and notes findings from recent audits by the USAID Office of Inspector General.
"Until we can certify and demonstrate that each and every precious dollar is dealt with in a responsible way, the president should not be asking for more money. Meanwhile, we must prioritize accountability and transparency in the administration of U.S. aid dollars abroad," he writes. "At a minimum, USAID should be able to provide basic information about each aid project ... Furthermore, information about overhead costs for administration of aid and identification of third-party entities or partners should also be made public in a timely fashion."
Chaffetz concludes, "It is not enough to cut spending at home. In an age of austerity, we must also more closely monitor how our money is spent abroad" (6/30).
 This article was reprinted from kaiserhealthnews.org with permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent news service, is a program of the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonpartisan health care policy research organization unaffiliated with Kaiser Permanente.
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