Press Releases

Washington, D.C. — Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee and co-chair of the Litigation and Rapid Response Task Force, Rep. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Gregory Meeks, and the Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee for National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs, Rep. Lois Frankel, in conjunction with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Assistant Leader Joe Neguse, and the Litigation and Rapid Response Task Force, led an amicus brief joined by 202 House Democrats standing up to the blatant executive overreach and illegal dismantling of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in the matter of American Foreign Service Association, et al. v. Trump, et al. 

As the House Leaders argued in their brief, the President’s directive blatantly violated Congress’s lawmaking and spending powers as explicitly outlined in Article I of the United States Constitution, by dismantling a federal agency authorized and repeatedly funded by acts of Congress. The unlawful shuttering of USAID undermines national security and causes irreparable harm to America’s global competitiveness. 

“Elon Musk didn’t establish USAID and he doesn’t have the power to destroy it,” said Ranking Member Jamie Raskin. “Trump and Musk’s lawless attempt to dismantle USAID is seriously dangerous. It would give free rein to authoritarian powers, like China and Russia, to spread their influence over the globe. For more than 40 years, USAID has stopped crises and epidemics from spreading to our shores by promoting stability and strong democracy around the world with humanitarian assistance, health programs and vaccines, water projects and economic development. House Democrats are joining the fight now to ensure Trump and Elon don’t plunge the world into more chaos and misery while trampling our Constitution.”

“Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s destruction and dismantling of USAID is not only disastrous foreign policy and counter to our national security interests; it is plainly illegal. Congress wrote a law establishing USAID as an independent agency with its own appropriation, and only Congress can eliminate it. I have met with USAID workers around the globe and they are patriotic, hardworking Americans promoting our interests abroad while aiding some of the most vulnerable people on this planet. I am honored to lead this brief and to stand with USAID workers,” said Ranking Member Meeks.

“At less than one percent of our federal budget, U.S. foreign assistance strengthens national security, prevents pandemics, expands markets for American businesses and farmers, and promotes democracy worldwide,” said Ranking Member Frankel. “The Trump Administration’s reckless, secretive dismantling of USAID—without Congressional review or a public hearing, is dangerous and a violation of federal law that requires the involvement of Congress before any such moves.”

“Donald Trump and Elon Musk are unlawfully dismantling the United States Agency for International Development. Decimating this critical agency is morally corrupt, weakens our national security and is wildly inconsistent with the United States Constitution. USAID was authorized by Congress, and only Congress has the power to close it. I am grateful to Rep. Greg Meeks, Rep. Lois Frankel and the Litigation Working Group for their leadership intervening in this urgent matter. House Democrats will continue to forcefully and successfully push back against the illegal actions of the Trump administration,” said House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries.  

“House Democrats and the Litigation Task Force are working to vindicate the Constitution, and will not turn our heads to the Trump Administration’s illegal directives to gut agencies and programs proven to keep Americans safe. We will continue to ensure this president and this administration are held accountable to the rule of law,” said Assistant Leader Neguse. 

The amici curiae are lawmakers well-versed in the drafting of the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998—which established USAID as an independent agency—and the recent Appropriations Acts. Their brief asserts that USAID is required to be funded as provided by statute and states that any unilateral attempts to dismantle the agency, such as efforts to “feed[]USAID to the wood chipper” and “[c]lose it down,” are prohibited by Article I of the Constitution, as recently reaffirmed by the Continuing Resolution enacted by Congressional Republicans on March 15, 2025.

The full amicus brief is available HERE. 

The shuttering of USAID, including placing thousands of workers on leave and halting nearly all congressionally approved foreign aid, undermines a critical component of the federal government responsible for global stability and American security. For nearly 40 years, USAID has played a central role in preventing crises, fostering economic opportunities abroad, and mitigating the conditions that contribute to violent extremism and instability. Scaling back its work not only weakens these efforts but also creates a vacuum for global competitors like China, Russia, and Iran to expand their influence.

The brief, in conjunction with the Litigation and Rapid Response Task Force, was led by Ranking Member Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member Gregory Meeks, Ranking Member Lois Frankel, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Assistant Leader Joe Neguse, and was signed by Representatives Representatives Katherine Clark, Pete Aguilar, Adam Smith, Adriano Espaillat, Al Green, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Alma Adams, Ami Bera, André Carson, Andrea Salinas ,Angie Craig, April McClain Delaney, Ayanna Pressley, Becca Balint, Bennie Thompson, Betty McCollum, Bill Foster, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Brad Schneider, Brad Sherman, Brendan Boyle, Brittany Pettersen, Chellie Pingree, Chris Deluzio, Chris Pappas, Chrissy Houlahan, Cleo Fields, Dan Goldman, Danny Davis, Darren Soto, Dave Min, Debbie Dingell, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Deborah Ross, Delia Ramirez, Derek Tran, Diana DeGette, Dina Titus, Donald Beyer Jr., Donald Norcross, Doris Matsui, Dwight Evans, Ed Case, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Emanuel Cleaver, Emily Randall, Eric Sorensen, Eric Swalwell, Eugene Vindman, Frank Mrvan, Frank Pallone, Jr., Frederica Wilson, Gabe Amo, Gabe Vasquez, George Latimer, George Whitesides, Gerald Connolly, Gilbert Cisneros, Glenn Ivey, Grace Meng, Greg Casar, Greg Landsman, Greg Stanton, Gwen Moore, Haley Stevens, Hank Johnson, Jr., Herb Conaway, Hillary Scholten, Ilhan Omar, Jahana Hayes, Jake Auchincloss, James Clyburn, James McGovern, Jan Schakowsky, Janelle Bynum, Jared Huffman, Jared Moskowitz, Jasmine Crockett, Jason Crow, Jennifer McClellan, Jerrold Nadler, Jesús “Chuy” García, Jill Tokuda, Jim Costa, Jim Himes, Jimmy Gomez, Jimmy Panetta, Joaquin Castro, Joe Courtney, John Garamendi, John Larson, John Mannion, Johnny Olszewski, Jonathan Jackson, Joseph Morelle, Josh Gottheimer, Joyce Beatty, Juan Vargas, Judy Chu, Julia Brownley, Julie Johnson,Kathy Castor, Kelly Morrison, Kevin Mullin, Kim Schrier, Kristen McDonald Rivet, Kweisi Mfume, LaMonica McIver, Lateefah Simon, Laura Friedman, Lauren Underwood, Linda Sánchez, Lizzie Fletcher, Lloyd Doggett, Lori Trahan, Lucy McBath, Luis Correa, Luz Rivas, Madeleine Dean, Maggie Goodlander, Marc Veasey, Marcy Kaptur, Marilyn Strickland, Mark DeSaulnier, Mark Pocan, Mark Takano, Mary Gay Scanlon, Maxine Dexter, Maxine Waters, Maxwell Alejandro Frost, Melanie Stansbury, Mike Levin, Mike Quigley, Mike Thompson, Mikie Sherrill, Morgan McGarvey, Nancy Pelosi, Nanette Barragán, Nellie Pou, Nikema Williams, Nikki Budzinski, Norma Torres, Nydia Velázquez, Pablo José Hernández, Pat Ryan, Paul Tonko,Pramila Jayapal, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Raul Ruiz, Richard Neal, Rick Larsen, Ritchie Torres, Ro Khanna, Robert “Bobby” Scott, Robert Garcia, Robert Menendez, Robin Kelly, Rosa DeLauro, Salud Carbajal, Sam Liccardo, Sanford Bishop, Jr., Sara Jacobs, Sarah Elfreth, Sarah McBride, Scott Peters, Sean Casten, Seth Magaziner, Seth Moulton, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Shomari Figures, Shontel Brown, Shri Thanedar, Stacey Plaskett, Steny Hoyer, Stephen F. Lynch, Steve Cohen, Steven Horsford, Suhas Subramanyam, Summer Lee, Suzan DelBene, Suzanne Bonamici, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Sylvia Garcia, Ted Lieu, Teresa Leger Fernández, Terri Sewell, Timothy Kennedy, Tom Suozzi, Troy Carter, Sr., Val Hoyle, Valerie Foushee, Veronica Escobar, Wesley Bell, William Keating, Yassamin Ansari, Yvette Clarke, and Zoe Lofgren.