Morning Briefing

Speaking Tuesday at a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah said USAID's FY 2013 budget proposal "is slightly lower than last year," but that "future U.S. foreign aid investments will be more 'prioritized, focused and concentrated,'" and he "promised that U.S. aid will still be able to meet global development challenges," VOA's "Breaking News" blog reports (3/21). "While foreign assistance represents less than one percent of our budget, we are committed to improving our efficiency and maximizing the value of every dollar," Shah said, according to a transcript of his testimony. Shah outlined how the "budget prioritizes our USAID Forward suite of reforms," noting efforts in the Global Health Initiative and Feed the Future programs, among others, according to his speech (3/20).