Regarding “U.S. cattle industry facing screwworm fly threat in Texas,” published June 4, (Page 7): Multiple New World Screwworm cases have been confirmed in the United States. This flesh-eating parasite has infected cattle, goats and now a dog. Researchers estimate that American cattle ranchers could lose billions of dollars this year if the parasite continues to spread, and dogs and horses across the country could be killed.

In the 1960s, the Indigenous Screwworm was eradicated from America thanks to robust foreign assistance. A joint operation between the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) enabled dropping sterile flies around the U.S.-Mexico border.

Last year, the Trump Administration gutted USAID, including a program to monitor and contain the spread of Screwworm in Central America. Diseases do not respect borders. When we gut international assistance, Americans suffer. I don't want my cats to die because our government allowed parasites to spread out of control.

USAID represented less than one percent of the federal budget, yet saved millions of lives each year and prevented Ebola, Screwworm, and other diseases from reaching our shores.

U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly and Sens. John Fetterman and Dave McCormick should restore our strategic international assistance programs.

Giovanni Salsa,

Cranberry Township