= United States Agency for International Development = '''United States Agency for International Development''' ('''USAID''') is a [[UnitedStates/DepartmentOfState|DOS]] international development agency. <> ---- == Composition == The agency reports directly to the [[UnitedStates/DepartmentOfState|Secretary of State]]. The agency is led by an '''administrator''' and '''deputy administrator'''. ---- == History == [[UnitedStates/JohnFKennedy|Kennedy]] proposed a bill to centralize U.S. international development agencies shortly after his inauguration. By September 1961, the '''Foreign Assistance Act''' had passed. In November, Kennedy signed it and an executive order charging [[UnitedStates/RobertMcNamara|McNamara]] with establishing the central agency under the [[UnitedStates/DepartmentOfState|DOS]]. There have been several attempts to dismantle or abolish the agency. * [[UnitedStates/RichardNixon|Nixon]] proposed dividing the work between three new institutions. * [[UnitedStates/JesseHelms|Helms]] pushed an abolishing bill through the [[UnitedStates/HouseOfRepresentatives|House]], though it did not pass the [[UnitedStates/Senate|Senate]]. ---- CategoryRicottone