Diaz-Balart Remarks at Oversight Hearing On National Endowment for Democracy

Good morning and welcome to the NSRP Subcommittee hearing on the National Endowment for Democracy. Our witness today is Damon Wilson, President and CEO of NED. Thank you, Mr. Wilson, for agreeing to testify. It should be no surprise to anyone why the Subcommittee’s first hearing of the year is to discuss oversight of the National Endowment for Democracy.

At this moment in our country’s history, under the tremendous leadership of President Trump, our foreign policy has been awakened and strengthened in an unprecedented manner.  The work of NED is a critical tool advancing the foreign policy priorities of this Administration, including by defending international religious freedom in places like Nigeria, Nicaragua and Communist China, and supporting those struggling for freedom in places like Iran, North Korea, and Cuba. 

But just as important as the present, is what happens in the future.  Foreign policy changes from one administration to the next.  Yet the work of the NED remains consistent. As many of you know, I am a strong proponent of democracy and human rights promotion as a fundamental part of our foreign policy and national security. Toward that goal, the NED, and accountable democracy programs generally, are essential to countering adversaries, advancing American national security interests, and standing with those struggling for freedom, regardless of who is in the White House. 

NED was President Ronald Reagan’s idea, and was founded through an act of Congress in the 1980s to counter the “evil empire” of the Soviet Union. From its inception, it has enjoyed strong, bipartisan support due to its uncontroversial mission of promoting freedom, often within our most dangerous adversaries. Obviously, it was successful, as most of Eastern Europe is made up of free, independent countries that are among some of our closest allies. While the Soviet Union no longer exists, threats to freedom and our security remain and have evolved significantly since then. NED has adapted to be responsive to those emerging trends and threats. 

They work in some of the most dangerous and adversarial nations like Iran, like China. They have also been laying the groundwork for peace and stability in places like the South Caucuses which provides an opening for initiatives like the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) connecting Armenia and Azerbaijan. Yes, NED has made mistakes. But, to NED’s credit, they are extremely responsive and quick to recognize and rectify them. When they found a problematic issue with a grantee, they resolved it in a matter of days. Canceled it outright and got the money back. I wish every other federally-funded organization was that swift and responsive to Congress.

Part of that responsiveness is the close engagement between NED and Congress. We continue that today with this oversight hearing, to ask the tough questions, and make sure that NED is carrying out its work which is so critical to furthering U.S. national security interests. Mr. Wilson, I look forward to discussing these critical issues with you further, but I will turn now to my dear friend and colleague, the Ranking Member for her opening statement.