State Department describes plans for cuts, offers few specifics: sources

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

#POLITICS SEPTEMBER 15, 2017 / 5:48 PM / UPDATED AN HOUR AGO

State Department describes plans for cuts, offers few specifics: sources

Patricia Zengerle
3 MIN READ

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - State Department officials briefed Senate staff on Friday on plans to cut up to $10 billion from the department’s budget over five years, but offered few specifics to ease concerns that the administration risked weakening U.S. standing in the world.

The plan is the result of an ongoing assessment of the department ordered by President Donald Trump’s secretary of state, Rex Tillerson.

It includes broad goals such as “maximizing the impact of foreign assistance” and “improving governance” for information technology platforms, according to a copy of the presentation seen by Reuters.

Members of Congress have been vying with the Trump administration for more influence over foreign policy. In particular, many lawmakers, including some of Trump’s fellow Republicans, worry about his plans to slash the State Department budget to help boost military spending.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-diplomacy/state-department-describes-plans-for-cuts-offers-few-specifics-sources-idUSKCN1BQ2WR

[Eliot Rosewater]

1. Makes sense, we dont need a state dept if we are going to hand the country over to Putin.