Press Releases

U.S. Representative Don Beyer (D-VA), Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Members Grace Meng (D-NY) and Lois Frankel (D-FL), and Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA), Chair of the Reproductive Freedom Caucus's Contraception, Family Planning, and Education Task Force, today led 79 Representatives in demanding an investigation into the U.S. Department of State’s decision to spend an additional $300,000 in taxpayer dollars to destroy nearly 500 metric tons of life-saving emergency food aid and $9.7 million worth of contraceptives, rather than distributing the aid as intended or working with another trusted partner willing to take over distribution. In the letter addressed to Acting Inspector General for the U.S. Department of State Arne B. Baker, the lawmakers condemned the State Department’s decision as financial mismanagement that squanders taxpayer dollars and a moral failure, abandoning vulnerable populations who depend on U.S. aid to survive. 

They wrote to Acting Inspector General for the U.S. Department of State Arne B. Baker:

“We write to request an investigation into waste and mismanagement on the part of the U.S. Department of State, which has reportedly chosen to destroy nearly 500 metric tons of emergency food aid and $9.7 million worth of contraceptives rather than delivering the much-needed aid as intended.

“According to reporting, the State Department intends to destroy roughly $800,000 worth of high-energy biscuits intended to feed children under five years of age. That comes after alleged severe mismanagement of the food aid, including multiple officials failing to respond to memos regarding future plans for the biscuits for months. After that failure of leadership, the Department now plans to spend $130,000 – on top of the original $800,000 – to incinerate the planned food aid.

“Following a similar pattern, the State Department also reportedly still intends to destroy $9.7 million of contraceptives, including IUDs and birth control implants, at the cost of $167,000 to the American taxpayer. Concerningly, the reporting found that these contraceptives are perfectly viable for delivery; they are long-lasting, with an expiration date of 2027, and most do not include USAID labels that would require rebranding. Incinerating contraceptives that are viable, with no rush and clear demand, is the equivalent of lighting U.S. taxpayer dollars on fire.

“This pattern of intentional incineration at the expense of the U.S. taxpayer is financially wasteful, morally bankrupt, and an attack on the American humanitarian tradition. These actions place ideological beliefs and politics above a faithful commitment to U.S. law, contracts, and humanitarian agreements. Given that these officials have given no indication that they will place the law over their personal vendettas against our humanitarian tradition, external oversight is necessary.

“We therefore request that your office immediately open an investigation into this documented waste of existing State Department supplies and waste of additional taxpayer funds to destroy those supplies, as well as the Department’s refusal to use these commodities for their intended purposes or partner with organizations or countries willing to take on responsibility for these commodities. Please provide an update on the status of such investigation by August 8, 2025.” 

The letter to Acting Inspector General Baker was sent by U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (VA), Grace Meng (NY), Lois Frankel (FL), Judy Chu (CA), Robert Garcia (CA), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL), Betty McCollum (MN), Emanuel Cleaver (MO), Sarah Elfreth (MD), Nikema Williams (GA), Brendan Boyle (PA), Yassamin Ansari (AZ), Jonathan Jackson (IL), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY), Mike Quigley (IL), Greg Landsman (OH), Stephen Lynch (MA), Dave Min (CA), Maxine Waters (CA), Lateefah Simon (CA), Nanette Barragán (CA), Lloyd Doggett (CA), Debbie Dingell (MI), Sylvia Garcia (TX), Sarah McBride (DE), Seth Moulton (MA), Deborah Ross (NC), Josh Gottheimer (NJ), Mike Thompson (CA), Maggie Goodlander (NH), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA), Sean Casten (IL), Ami Bera (CA), Dina Titus (NV), Troy Carter (LA), Mark DeSaulnier (CA), Chellie Pingree (ME), Steve Cohen (TN), Dwight Evans (PA), Nydia Velázquez (NY), Haley Stevens (MI), Marc Veasey (TX), Darren Soto (FL), Danny Davis (IL), Mike Levin (CA), Mark Takano (CA), Suzan DelBene (WA), Julia Brownley (CA), Marcy Kaptur (OH), Adam Smith (WA), Jan Schakowsky (IL), Norma Torres (CA), Laura Friedman (CA), Rashida Tlaib (MI), John Garamendi (CA), Wesley Bell (MO), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL), Kelly Morrison (MN), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL), Hank Johnson (GA), Frederica Wilson (FL), Chrissy Houlahan (PA), Yvette Clarke (NY), Val Hoyle (OR), Kweisi Mfume (MD), Lori Trahan (MA), Jennifer McClellan (VA), Ed Case (HI), Brittany Pettersen (CO), Eric Swalwell (CA), Julie Johnson (TX), Paul Tonko (NY), André Carson (IN), Jerry Nadler (NY), Eugene Vindman (VA), Jill Tokuda (HI), Robin Kelly (IL), Bill Keating (MA), Madeleine Dean (PA), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC).

A signed copy of the letter is available here.