House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Brian Mast (R., Fla.) is drawing attention to the Biden administration’s attempt “to pour millions of taxpayer dollars into international programs irrelevant to national security, including LGBT initiatives in Zimbabwe” , reports National Review.
Mast wrote a letter Wednesday to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Agency for International Development administrator Samantha Power criticizing the Biden administration’s proposals for spending tens of millions of dollars during its final days. Among which include programs and efforts to fight climate change in the Middle East and to promote LGBT awareness in Zimbabwe, Africa.
“In recent weeks, my office has been made aware of hundreds of millions of dollars of proposed obligations for initiatives that offer no clear national security benefit to the U.S. or its allies,” Mast’s letter reads.
“The American people sent a clear message in November that they will no longer tolerate uncontrolled spending on programs that are incompatible with the United States’ interests abroad. As their representative, I cannot, in good faith, allow you to spend millions of dollars to combat climate change in the war-torn Middle East or fund LGBTQI awareness in Zimbabwe – both of which are among your recent proposals,” the letter adds.
Mast, a decorated U.S. Army veteran, has been a leader in calling out the Biden administration’s unashamed use of taxpayer dollars. In December, Mast released a report detailing the State Department’s usage of American dollars to spread progressive ideology worldwide, with programs ranging from drag shows in Ecuador to the censorship of conservative news organizations domestically.
The Biden State Department also provided assistance to illegal migrants crossing the southern border from Mexico to help them navigate the American asylum system, the report found.
In response to a request for comment from National Review, a State Department spokesperson responded: “The policies and current spending of the administration align with bipartisan foreign policy and national security goals that span many administrations – such as advancing democracy and human rights, protecting and ensuring access to natural resources, and increasing access to education and innovation.”
“The State Department will continue to work with Congress on spending priorities for appropriated funds, as required by law, to advance the nation’s foreign policy objectives.”