The new head of the U.S. Agency for International Development stressed the agency's responsibility to American taxpayers during his first speech to employees on Monday.
USAID Administrator Mark Green was sworn in Monday morning and then gave a speech to staffers gathered together. Green, who the Senate confirmed last Thursday, thanked President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson for nominating him to the position before he touched on many topics. He discussed how the agency can improve itself and touched on remarks he made during his confirmation process in the Senate.
"I believe the purpose of foreign assistance should be ending its need to exist," Green said. "Each of our programs should look forward to the day when it can end and around the world we should measure our work by how far each investment moves us closer to that day."
Green acknowledged that in many parts of the world his goal will be a challenge and said that American taxpayers deserve results from USAID.
"In all areas and in every way, we'll focus our limited resources on what is working and will end what is not," Green said. "Again that's what our taxpayers deserve, that's what our government partners deserve, and that's what our partners all around the world deserve."
Green previously served as a Republican congressman from Wisconsin from 1999 to 2007, ambassador to Tanzania under former President George W. Bush, and president of the International Republican Institute. His arrival to USAID comes at a time when the Trump administration plans to cut 31 percent from the USAID and State Department budget.