Andrew Natsios
Encyclopedia
Andrew S. Natsios is an American
civil servant who has served in a number of Massachusetts
and high level federal government positions. From 2001 to 2005 he served as Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, and was appointed as Special Coordinator for International Disaster Assistance and Special Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan
. In December 2005, Natsios announced his resignation from USAID to join the faculty of the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service
of Georgetown University
in January 2006. He was the Special Envoy to Sudan
, focusing specifically on Darfur
, from 2006 until his retirement in 2007
Natsios is the author of numerous articles on foreign policy and humanitarian emergencies, as well as the author of two books: U.S. Foreign Policy and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (Center for Strategic and International Studies
, 1997), and The Great North Korean Famine (U.S. Institute of Peace, 2001).
and his Masters of Public Administration at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard
.
.
Natsios served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives
from 1975 to 1987. He also was chairman of the Massachusetts Republican State Committee
for seven years. From 1987 to 1989, he was executive director of the Northeast Public Power Association in Milford, Massachusetts
.
In 1986, Natsios introduced legislation to repeal the Massachusetts Teachers' Oath
, a product of the 1930s that remained law in the Commonwealth even after the Supreme Judicial Court
invalidated the law in 1967. The legislation passed without opposition.
He was director of the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance at USAID from 1989 to 1991 and assistant administrator for the Bureau for Food and Humanitarian Assistance (now the Bureau of Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance) from 1991 to January 1993.
A 23-year veteran of the U.S. Army Reserves, Natsios retired in 1995 with the rank of lieutenant colonel
after having served in the Gulf War
.
From 1993 to 1998, Natsios was vice president of World Vision
U.S. He was secretary for administration and finance for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts from March 1999 to April 2000. And he was chairman and chief executive officer of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority from April 2000 to March 2001, where he took over responsibility for managing Boston's controversial Big Dig (even though he had twice voted against it as a state representative).
In May 2001, he was sworn in as the administrator of the United States Agency for International Development
(USAID). Natsios resigned from USAID on January 14, 2006. President Bush appointed him Special Envoy for Darfur
in 2006. He retired as special envoy in 2007 when Rich Williamson was appointed as the new special envoy to Sudan
Along with a number of other notable Greek Americans, Natsios is a member of the advisory board of The Next Generation Initiative
, a leadership program aimed at getting students involved in public affairs.
administration, among other duties, Natsios was involved in Iraq's post-war reconstruction and spoke out in support of the administration assertions that the country's oil wealth would largely cover the cost of reconstruction. At the outset of the war, the administration had asked Congress for $1.7 billion for reconstruction and $489 million for oil-related repairs. "In a televised interview in late April, [2003, Natsios] said that amount was 'it for the U.S.' He said any other reconstruction money would come from elsewhere, including other countries and future 'Iraqi oil revenues,' which he predicted at '$20 billion a year.'" In an interview in October of that year, "Mr. Natsios said he had based those comments on 'the discussion in the interagency process at the time,' adding, 'That's what the Office of Management and Budget was telling us.'" The October report continued: "Trent Duffy, a budget office spokesman, said this week that 'the administration was very clear that the $1.7 billion in initial reconstruction was for the beginning stages and that it was necessary to get a better understanding of the fuller, comprehensive needs going forward.'"
In 2006, having taken considerable criticism for the 2003 ABC
television interview statements, Natsios "broke his silence" and criticized the Iraq reconstruction efforts as they had proceeded under CPA
head Paul Bremer, saying Natsios' and USAID advice and procedures were ignored. "Dan Senor
, former spokesman for Bremer’s CPA, dismissed Natsios’s criticisms, saying the insurgency in Iraq made ordinary contracting procedures impossible."
In his testimony to the House of Representatives Committee on International Relations in June, 2001, Natsios spoke against the idea of trying to get AIDS drugs to people in Africa, famously arguing that rural Africans would not be capable of managing the pill regimen with the precision needed to avoid drug resistance because "People do not know what watches and clocks are", "They use the sun..." (Source: 28 Stories of AIDS in Africa).
, Natsios and his wife, Elizabeth, have three children: Emily, Alexander, and Philip.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
civil servant who has served in a number of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and high level federal government positions. From 2001 to 2005 he served as Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, and was appointed as Special Coordinator for International Disaster Assistance and Special Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
. In December 2005, Natsios announced his resignation from USAID to join the faculty of the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service
Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service
The Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service is a school within Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., United States. Jesuit priest Edmund A...
of Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
in January 2006. He was the Special Envoy to Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
, focusing specifically on Darfur
Darfur
Darfur is a region in western Sudan. An independent sultanate for several hundred years, it was incorporated into Sudan by Anglo-Egyptian forces in 1916. The region is divided into three federal states: West Darfur, South Darfur, and North Darfur...
, from 2006 until his retirement in 2007
Natsios is the author of numerous articles on foreign policy and humanitarian emergencies, as well as the author of two books: U.S. Foreign Policy and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (Center for Strategic and International Studies
Center for Strategic and International Studies
The Center for Strategic and International Studies is a bipartisan Washington, D.C., foreign policy think tank. The center was founded in 1962 by Admiral Arleigh Burke and Ambassador David Manker Abshire, originally as part of Georgetown University...
, 1997), and The Great North Korean Famine (U.S. Institute of Peace, 2001).
Education
Natsios received his undergraduate degree from Georgetown UniversityGeorgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
and his Masters of Public Administration at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
.
Career
Andrew Natsios is a veteran and served in the United States Army ReserveUnited States Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the reserve components of the United States Army....
.
Natsios served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives
Massachusetts House of Representatives
The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
from 1975 to 1987. He also was chairman of the Massachusetts Republican State Committee
Massachusetts Republican Party
The Massachusetts Republican Party is the Massachusetts branch of the United States Republican Party. Governance of the party takes the form of a State Committee which, in accordance with Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 52, consists of one man and one woman from each of the 40 Senate Districts...
for seven years. From 1987 to 1989, he was executive director of the Northeast Public Power Association in Milford, Massachusetts
Milford, Massachusetts
Milford is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. It had a population of 27,999 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Milford, constituting the center of the town, please see the article Milford ,...
.
In 1986, Natsios introduced legislation to repeal the Massachusetts Teachers' Oath
Massachusetts Teachers' Oath
The Massachusetts Teachers' Oath was a loyalty oath required to teach in Massachusetts.In response to political radicalism during the Great Depression, several states passed legislation that required public school teachers to submit signed oaths of loyalty to the state and/or federal Constitutions...
, a product of the 1930s that remained law in the Commonwealth even after the Supreme Judicial Court
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court is the highest court in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The SJC has the distinction of being the oldest continuously functioning appellate court in the Western Hemisphere.-History:...
invalidated the law in 1967. The legislation passed without opposition.
He was director of the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance at USAID from 1989 to 1991 and assistant administrator for the Bureau for Food and Humanitarian Assistance (now the Bureau of Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance) from 1991 to January 1993.
A 23-year veteran of the U.S. Army Reserves, Natsios retired in 1995 with the rank of lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
after having served in the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
.
From 1993 to 1998, Natsios was vice president of World Vision
World Vision
World Vision, founded in the USA in 1950, is an evangelical relief and development organization whose stated goal is "to follow our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in working with the poor and oppressed to promote human transformation, seek justice and bear witness to the good news of the Kingdom of...
U.S. He was secretary for administration and finance for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts from March 1999 to April 2000. And he was chairman and chief executive officer of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority from April 2000 to March 2001, where he took over responsibility for managing Boston's controversial Big Dig (even though he had twice voted against it as a state representative).
In May 2001, he was sworn in as the administrator of the United States Agency for International Development
United States Agency for International Development
The United States Agency for International Development is the United States federal government agency primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid. President John F. Kennedy created USAID in 1961 by executive order to implement development assistance programs in the areas...
(USAID). Natsios resigned from USAID on January 14, 2006. President Bush appointed him Special Envoy for Darfur
Darfur
Darfur is a region in western Sudan. An independent sultanate for several hundred years, it was incorporated into Sudan by Anglo-Egyptian forces in 1916. The region is divided into three federal states: West Darfur, South Darfur, and North Darfur...
in 2006. He retired as special envoy in 2007 when Rich Williamson was appointed as the new special envoy to Sudan
Along with a number of other notable Greek Americans, Natsios is a member of the advisory board of The Next Generation Initiative
The Next Generation Initiative
The Next Generation Initiative is an independent non-profit educational foundation focused on helping students gain real-world skills and experience that will advance their education, and serve them as future leaders in their communities and in the broader public arena.The Initiative works with...
, a leadership program aimed at getting students involved in public affairs.
Administrator of USAID
As director of USAID during the first George W. BushGeorge W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
administration, among other duties, Natsios was involved in Iraq's post-war reconstruction and spoke out in support of the administration assertions that the country's oil wealth would largely cover the cost of reconstruction. At the outset of the war, the administration had asked Congress for $1.7 billion for reconstruction and $489 million for oil-related repairs. "In a televised interview in late April, [2003, Natsios] said that amount was 'it for the U.S.' He said any other reconstruction money would come from elsewhere, including other countries and future 'Iraqi oil revenues,' which he predicted at '$20 billion a year.'" In an interview in October of that year, "Mr. Natsios said he had based those comments on 'the discussion in the interagency process at the time,' adding, 'That's what the Office of Management and Budget was telling us.'" The October report continued: "Trent Duffy, a budget office spokesman, said this week that 'the administration was very clear that the $1.7 billion in initial reconstruction was for the beginning stages and that it was necessary to get a better understanding of the fuller, comprehensive needs going forward.'"
In 2006, having taken considerable criticism for the 2003 ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
television interview statements, Natsios "broke his silence" and criticized the Iraq reconstruction efforts as they had proceeded under CPA
Coalition Provisional Authority
The Coalition Provisional Authority was established as a transitional government following the invasion of Iraq by the United States and its allies, members of the Multi-National Force – Iraq which was formed to oust the government of Saddam Hussein in 2003...
head Paul Bremer, saying Natsios' and USAID advice and procedures were ignored. "Dan Senor
Dan Senor
Daniel Samuel Senor, known as Dan Senor , is a founding partner of Rosemont Capital LLC, and Rosemont Solebury Capital Management. He is also a Fox News contributor and a frequent contributor to The Wall Street Journal among other publications...
, former spokesman for Bremer’s CPA, dismissed Natsios’s criticisms, saying the insurgency in Iraq made ordinary contracting procedures impossible."
In his testimony to the House of Representatives Committee on International Relations in June, 2001, Natsios spoke against the idea of trying to get AIDS drugs to people in Africa, famously arguing that rural Africans would not be capable of managing the pill regimen with the precision needed to avoid drug resistance because "People do not know what watches and clocks are", "They use the sun..." (Source: 28 Stories of AIDS in Africa).
Family
A native of Holliston, MassachusettsHolliston, Massachusetts
Holliston is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States in the Greater Boston area. The population was 13,547 at the 2010 census. It is part of the region known as MetroWest. Holliston is the only town in Middlesex County that borders both Norfolk and Worcester...
, Natsios and his wife, Elizabeth, have three children: Emily, Alexander, and Philip.