Condemning woke foreign aid programs.

Whereas the United  States spent $2,000,000 on a transgender health grant in Guatemala,  awarded in 2024 to Asociación 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 São 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 Bogotá 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.