Early this morning, the Senate passed the $9 billion rescissions package by a narrow 51–48 vote. Among the cuts were over $8.3 billion in foreign assistance, devastating setbacks for American global leadership and life-saving programs around the world. And yet, in the face of long odds and intense political pressure, we stood tall. We came within a single Senate vote of stopping the entire package from heading to the President’s desk.

This is what people power looks like.

Thanks to you, the Alliance for American Leadership mobilized a campaign unlike anything seen before on this issue. We built advocacy briefs for all 50 states. We met with congressional offices. We held volunteer calls, hosted Hill meetings, organized text and phone banks, and flooded LinkedIn with 50 posts about the economic impact on every state.

We united bipartisan voices. And because of our work, the White House was forced to reverse course and preserve $400 million in funding for PEPFAR. PEPFAR has saved 26 million lives since it began 2 decades ago. Saving PPEFAR is a monumental win, made possible by your advocacy.

The passage of this rescissions package is a major setback, but it is not the end. It’s proof that our movement matters. We showed up. Our voices, and the voices of illegally fired workers and families, were heard. And we made a difference. We showed that foreign assistance is not a forgotten issue. It is a national priority. It is a voting issue. It is a moral issue. And most importantly, it’s a local issue.

Because of this bill, essential foreign assistance programs will be shut down. Thousands of federal workers, academic researchers, non-profits and farmers will lose vital benefits and economic benefits of engaging in international assistance programs. Millions of lives hang in the balance across the globe.

The legislation will now go back to the House for a final vote. If passed, this will solidify cuts to the majority of international assistance programs, dedicated federal workers at USAID and the Department of State, and threaten more than 14 million lives across the globe.

All Representatives need to hear from their constituents, but Representatives Amodei, Fitzpatrick, Malliotakis, and Turner need to be encouraged to vote “no” again. Representatives Bacon and LaLota initially voted “no” on rescissions, but then changed to “yes” votes at the last minute, helping the legislation pass.

Other Republican Representatives traditionally supportive of foreign assistance who need to hear from you include: Kim (CA), McCaul (TX), Baumgartner (WA), Hill (AR), Joyce (OH), Kean (NJ), Lawler (NY), Miller (OH), Miller-Meeks (IA), Moore (UT), Smith (NJ), and Wagner (MO).

The Alliance will be partnering with our local advocates to make phone calls, meet with staff, and encourage the House of Representatives to vote NO on the upcoming rescissions vote.

To every volunteer, donor, staffer, and advisor who stepped up, thank you. You showed what American leadership looks like. You proved that advocacy matters and makes a practical difference. You gave your time, your energy, and your voice, and America is better off for it.

We are not alone. We are growing. And together, we will win.

With resolve,
Asher Moss