Van Hollen to Audit Foreign Aid Cuts
The Maryland senator plans to use a congressional audit to assess the global health toll of recent USAID reductions.
By Marina Weber ·
Senator Chris Van Hollen will challenge Chuck Schumer for the Democratic leadership position in the Senate. He announced his candidacy on Thursday, citing a need for new direction. Van Hollen aims to use the Democratic majority to scrutinize the impact of recent cuts to U.S. foreign aid programs.
In an interview with NPR on Tuesday, Van Hollen detailed his strategy. He stated that his top priority is to analyze the damage caused by the Trump administration’s changes to global health initiatives. He described the process as shining a light on the harm done to the country and its international interests.
Van Hollen cited specific figures to illustrate the scale of the problem. He referenced analyses indicating that more than 700,000 people died globally between January 2025 and January 2026 due to USAID cuts. He warned that current trends could result in millions of additional deaths in the coming years.
As the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee, Van Hollen oversees the State Department and the remaining functions of the United States Agency for International Development. He noted that holding a gavel in the majority allows Democrats to call public hearings and educate the public on these consequences.
He specifically mentioned the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Van Hollen argued that the outbreak could have been better contained if the U.S. had not reduced public health funding. He recounted a February 2025 scene at the White House where Elon Musk acknowledged missing a cut to Ebola funding before claiming it was restored. Van Hollen said evidence suggests the funding was not adequately restored.
Van Hollen plans to use the power of the purse to protect congressional intent. He noted that the administration has withheld over $500 million in funds for global health. He added that the administration has used approximately $1.5 billion in appropriated funds for global public health to wind down USAID, rather than for the intended health programs.
He criticized the administration for ignoring report language, which provides guidance on how specific funds like those for vaccinations or clinics should be spent. Van Hollen said Democrats intend to convert this non-binding report language into binding law. This change would allow Congress to go to the courts if the administration diverts funds from their designated purposes.
Regarding the future of USAID, Van Hollen said he does not believe any of the current administration’s policies are worth preserving. However, he is not in favor of simply returning to the status quo prior to the current administration. He said he wants to develop a plan that protects American health and maintains good relations with other countries without reverting exactly to the previous model of USAID.
The State Department did not provide a response to NPR’s request for comment in time for publication.
