119-hres199

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 199 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
H. RES. 199

 Condemning woke foreign aid programs.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 March 6, 2025

Mr. Burchett submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
 the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

 RESOLUTION

 Condemning woke foreign aid programs.

Whereas the United States spent $2,000,000 on a transgender health grant in 
 Guatemala, awarded in 2024 to Asociacion Lambda for ``gender-affirming 
 health care'', plus economic empowerment and advocacy for trans-led 
 groups, with $350,000 disbursed so far;
Whereas the United States spent $20,000,000 on Iraqi Sesame Street, entitled 
 ``Ahlan Simsim'', funded to support educational programming for children 
 in Iraq, with disbursements ongoing;
Whereas the United States spent $1,500,000 on diversity, equity, and inclusion 
 workplace programs in Serbia, a United States Agency for International 
 Development

    (USAID) grant from 2023 to 2024 to Grupa Izadji to push 
 diversity, equity, and inclusion in workplaces, aiming to boost LGBTQI+ 
 economic engagement, with about $1,140,000 paid out so far;
Whereas the United States spent $45,000,000 on diversity, equity, and inclusion 
 scholarships in Burma, funded to provide diversity, equity, and 
 inclusion-focused educational opportunities, with details on 
 disbursements unavailable at this time;
Whereas the United States spent $10,000,000 on male circumcision in Mozambique;
Whereas the United States spent $250,000 on gender equality workshops in 
 Morocco, through a 2023 Department of State grant to Association 
 Marocaine pour les Droits des Femmes for workshops promoting gender 
 equality and women's entrepreneurship;
Whereas the United States spent $100,000 on a drag HIV awareness campaign in 
 South Africa;
Whereas the United States spent $85,000 on a bee conservation musical in Brazil, 
 funded in 2023 to raise awareness about bee conservation through a 
 musical performance in Sao Paulo;
Whereas the United States spent $70,000 on an Irish diversity, equity, and 
 inclusion musical, funded a ``live musical event'' in Ireland in 2022 to 
 promote United States-Ireland shared values of diversity, equity, 
 inclusion, and accessibility, not a full musical, but a concert-style 
 gig at the United States Embassy;
Whereas the United States spent $60,000 on indigenous diversity, equity, and 
 inclusion training in Bolivia, through a 2023 USAID grant for diversity 
 and inclusion workshops for indigenous leaders in La Paz;
Whereas the United States spent $50,000 on vegan cooking classes in Kenya, and 
 USAID funded this 2023 program to teach plant-based cooking in Nairobi 
 to promote sustainability;
Whereas the United States spent $40,000 on a feminist podcast series in Chile, 
 funded in 2022 by the Department of State for a podcast on feminist 
 issues in Santiago;
Whereas the United States spent $32,000 on a transgender comic book in Peru, 
 through Department of State funding in 2021 to Peru's Education 
 Department via Fulbright for ``The Power of Education'', a comic 
 featuring an LGBTQ+ hero tackling social and mental health issues;
Whereas the United States spent $30,000 on a trans youth art exhibit in Vietnam, 
 through a 2022 Department of State grant for an art exhibit by 
 transgender youth in Ho Chi Minh City;
Whereas the United States spent $25,000 on a transgender opera in Colombia, 
 through a Department of State grant in 2022 to Universidad de los Andes 
 in Bogota for ``As One'', an opera about a transgender woman's coming-
 of-age story, framed as public diplomacy (total project $47,020 with 
 non-Federal funds);
Whereas the United States spent $25,000 on a transgender fashion show in 
 Thailand, through a 2024 grant for a fashion show featuring transgender 
 designers in Bangkok;
Whereas the United States spent $20,000 on drag queen training in Pakistan, 
 funded in 2022 by the Department of State to train drag performers in 
 Pakistan as part of a cultural exchange program;
Whereas the United States spent $15,000 on a queer film festival in Ecuador, 
 through a 2024 grant to fund an LGBTQ+ film festival in Quito, Ecuador, 
 for ``public diplomacy''; and
Whereas the United States spent $10,000 on a queer poetry slam in India, through 
 a 2024 grant for a poetry event in New Delhi celebrating queer voices: 
 Now, therefore, be it
 Resolved, That the House of Representatives--

    (1) is firmly opposed to funding these programs and 
 programs like these, viewing them as wasteful expenditures of 
 taxpayer dollars on frivolous or ideologically driven 
 initiatives;

    (2) requests more oversight of Federal aid programs, 
 including a comprehensive audit by the Government 
 Accountability Office of all grants awarded by the Department 
 of State and United States Agency for International Development 
 since 2021;

    (3) urges the immediate suspension of similar discretionary 
 grants pending a review of their alignment with core national 
 interests and fiscal responsibility;

    (4) demands transparency by mandating public disclosure of 
 all grant applications, justifications, and outcomes on a 
 searchable online database not later than 90 days after the 
 date on which such a grant is awarded;

    (5) recommends redirecting funds from such programs to 
 domestic priorities, including infrastructure repair, veteran 
 health care, or disaster relief efforts;

    (6) encourages the inspector general of each relevant 
 agency to conduct annual reviews of grant efficacy, with 
 findings reported to Congress and made available to the public;

    (7) proposes a cap on annual spending for cultural exchange 
 and advocacy grants abroad, limiting such expenditures to no 
 more than 0.1 percent of the Federal discretionary budget;

    (8) insists on a requirement that all future grants over 
 $10,000 receive explicit congressional approval via a 
 streamlined review process; and

    (9) expresses its intent to draft legislation prohibiting 
 the use of Federal funds for overseas programs promoting niche 
 social agendas absent a clear and direct benefit to United 
 States national security or economic interests.
 <all>