WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressmen Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Andy Levin (D-MI), and Steve Cohen (D-TN), led 23 colleagues in a bipartisan letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging him to appoint a Global Anti-Corruption Coordinator at the U.S Department of State quickly to help ensure anti-corruption efforts across the government are managed effectively.

In December 2021, Secretary Blinken announced the Biden administration’s intent to name a coordinator. Now, more than six months later and nearly four months into Putin’s war of aggression in Ukraine, the administration has not followed through.

“As Russia's unwarranted invasion of Ukraine enters its fourth month, it is imperative we have someone appointed to the State Department that will focus on anti-corruption initiatives,” said Congressman Fitzpatrick, Co-Chair of the Ukraine Caucus. “I am proud to support the push for the swift appointment of a Global Anti-Corruption Coordinator.”

“Since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, a key part of the U.S. response in the fight against autocracy and aggression has been waging war on kleptocracy,” said Congressman Levin, member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “We need a strong anti-corruption leader in place at the State Department to coordinate interagency efforts with our allies around the world and ensure corrupt actors have nowhere to hide their ill-gotten gains.” 

“We welcomed your announcement on December 9, 2021 of your intent to establish a State Department Coordinator on Global Anti-Corruption. Tackling corruption strengthens democracies by rooting out malign influence, enhancing transparency of the policymaking process, and creating a more even playing field for citizens from all backgrounds, and has been recognized as a national security priority by the Biden administration,” the lawmakers wrote. “Now is the time to fill the position and create strong U.S. leadership on this critical national security priority, particularly as we face renewed global interest in combatting corruption in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”

This letter was signed by: Reps. Carson, Cicilline, Cleaver, Connolly, Espaillat, Gallego, Grijalva, Jackson Lee, Kaptur, Keating, Khanna, Krishnamoorthi, Lieu, Malinowski, McGovern, Norton, Phillips, Porter, Sires, Spanberger, Titus, Torres and Wilson (SC).

To read the full letter text, click here.

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