Editor:

In these times of domestic discontent, our country must not lose sight of the importance of international assistance to those in need. Foreign aid is not only critical for the wellbeing of the U.S. but a test of our country’s morality in the face of deep social division.

The U.S. has long been the standard-bearer for espousing goodwill and it is crucial that our humanitarian efforts on the international scale continue.

The Reach Every Mother and Child Act, recently reintroduced into the U.S. Senate, would ensure millions of women and children abroad receive the assistance they desperately need. This legislation utilizes proven solutions to many challenges that aid recipients face, maximizing the effectiveness of every dollar spent. Additionally, this act encourages involvement from the private sector through partnerships and establishes rigorous reporting requirements that ensure full transparency and oversight so that taxpayers can be confident that money spent on this issue is not wasted.

Therefore, I urge Virginians to call on U.S. Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner to cosponsor the Reach Act. The U.S. must maintain its leadership in international humanitarian issues, and assistance to mothers and children in need is a great place to start.

Lindsay Bencick

Farmville