At a Senate hearing in June, Marco Rubio claimed that the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) operated as “an independent State Department,” working contrary to U.S. interests. Despite Rubio’s previously claiming “no kids were dying under [his] watch,” former leading USAID administrator Atul Gawande told The New Yorker that according to recent studies, approximately 700,000 lives have been lost globally since USAID was dismantled.
Gawande explains these deaths were primarily caused by the disruption of humanitarian programs offering relief for those fleeing wars and natural disasters, as well as the cessation of health services that aided 14 million people suffering from severe malnutrition.
However, the losses caused by the USAID’s destruction are not limited to outside our borders. USAID also funded agricultural research at UC Davis, including researcher Tara Chiu’s work helping smaller-scale farmers escape the cycle of poverty, a project that has now been terminated due to the cuts.
The dissolution of USAID has not only cost hundreds of thousands of lives but has directly impacted California’s higher education institutions and their ability to support farmers and improve their quality of life.
In order to restore both life-saving programs globally and crucial agricultural research in universities, we must urge Sen. Alex Padilla (D-California) and Sen. Adam Schiff (D-California) to prioritize the restoration of international assistance.
Katherine Lu
San Luis Obispo
This article appears in July 23 – July 30, 2026.
