The Foreign Service Journal, July-August 2019

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JULY-AUGUST 2019 13 MESSAGE FROM THE HILL Support Our Diplomats to Maintain U.S. Leadership BY REPRESENTAT I VE ANN WAGNER he United States faces a range of serious challenges, including humanitarian crises of unprec- edented scale, rising authori- tarianism around the world and trans- national criminal networks. Rivals like China and Russia exploit rising instability to undermine democratic values and respect for human rights. In this uncertain threat environment, U.S. diplomacy is more important than ever. As a former ambassador, I know firsthand that U.S. priorities such as safe- guarding human rights, fostering peace, and promoting economic development and good governance are simply not possible without a capable and resolute diplomatic corps. In the coming years, we will increasingly rely on you—our Foreign Service officers and specialists in embassies, posts and consulates around the world—to navigate a complex and unpredictable international system. Some, however, question the necessity of robust U.S. leadership. Correspond- ingly, funding for the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Devel- opment has been deemphasized. This is misguided. To paraphrase the oft-quoted General James Mattis: if we don’t fund the State Department, we must buy more bullets. One of my top priorities in Congress is to make sure that you have the resources you need to accomplish your mission— and I know that most of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle would agree. In March, I testified before the State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee to advocate for robust funding for the State Department and USAID. In my testimony, I outlined a few spaces in which congressional support can have a special impact. The first of these is in the area of preventing complex crises. Preventing Complex Crises Peace and stability are prerequisites for prosperity. But as we see in Syria, Burma and elsewhere, many states are engaged in large-scale violence against their own citizens. The humanitarian crises these conflicts have spawned have ripple effects that can destabilize whole regions. The Department of State has tools to mount flexible, efficient response efforts on the front end of an evolving crisis. For example, the Complex Crises Fund is a critical global account that enables the United States to respond swiftly and effi- ciently to unforeseen crises, filling a gap when other monies are unavailable. U.S. Foreign Service officers and USAID workers in the field rely on the CCF to mitigate incipient humanitarian crises and prevent complex conflicts from spinning out of control. Data analysis from the Institute for Economics and Peace indicates that strong funding for the CCF could actually save taxpayer money in the long run: if countries in conflict received increased funding for peace- building activities, the cost of conflict would be reduced by 16 dollars for each dollar invested in early peacebuilding. Ending Human Trafficking Ending the scourge of human traf- ficking is a task that requires extensive cooperation among all members of the international community. The State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (known as the TIP Office) has been instrumental in building partner-nation capacity and providing incentives for the implementa- tion of effective anti-trafficking measures worldwide. That office also researches the annual Trafficking in Persons Report, a diplo- matic tool that has contributed to signifi- cant improvement in many countries. USAID’s anti-trafficking programs protect marginalized communities that are Representative Ann Wagner (R-Mo.) represents Missouri’s Second Congressional District. She is vice ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. She served as U.S. ambassador to Luxembourg from 2005 to 2009. T