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

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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.
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