Charles Goodell was a Liberal Republican from New York, who had replaced Robert Kennedy in the Senate after his assassination. As part of a growing minority of senators speaking out against US foreign policy and the war in Vietnam, he was the first congressional voice to speak about against escalating repression in Brazil. His February 1969 speech registered outrage at the undemocratic measures and increasing deception of US policy toward Brazil. IA-5 sparked his criticism and he targeted press censorship and the suspension of political rights of Brazilian politicians, calling for a reconsideration of US aid to Brazil and The Alliance of Progress’s democratizing mandate. Although he stopped short of proposing legislation to limit US funding to Brazil, his statement marked the first time that a member of US congress had publically criticized the regime and called for a possible reconsideration of aid funding. Newspapers in Brazil that reprinted his statement were seized by the government.