Senator says he will block two ambassador nominees unless PEPFAR funds released

A Republican senator told Semafor he will withhold support for committee action on two ambassadorial nominations scheduled for Wednesday unless the administration releases funds for the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, commonly known as PEPFAR.

The senator said the Foreign Relations Committee vote on one nominee and the likely addition of a second nominee provide leverage to ensure the money is distributed as Congress appropriated it. He added that he would vote against the nominees on the Senate floor if the funds are not released.

PEPFAR was established under former President George W.

Bush and has received bipartisan support for two decades. Republicans protected the program from cuts in last year's rescissions package. The senator recalled seeing the program's effects during a trip to Africa last year. He estimated that about $1.3 billion is ready for immediate release and said lawmakers have appropriated roughly $10 billion for the program over the past two years.

The program has faced repeated disruption since the start of the second Trump administration. An executive order on the first day of the term paused nearly all foreign aid disbursements, and a later waiver for life-saving humanitarian assistance did not prevent grant terminations or delays.

The administration dismantled USAID, which implemented many PEPFAR-related programs. Aid groups report clinic closures, staff layoffs, and service reductions around the world. Washington is ending PEPFAR funding in South Africa, citing unmet policy demands unrelated to health.