Weekly Columns: Holding Bureaucrats Accountable
Washington,
February 20, 2025
Tags:
Budget and Spending
I am disappointed by the repeated misuse and disrespect of taxpayer dollars by bureaucrats at USAID who have put their personal political agenda ahead of American interests.
Excessive, wasteful spending exists within the agency in every corner of the world. Programming from bureaucrats focused on a radical liberal agenda oftentimes runs counter to local norms and core American values, thereby taking lifesaving aid out of the hands of people in need. Of course, not all USAID programs are inadequate. Some save countless lives every day. For example, in Burma, a USAID-funded program provides an early warning system for airstrikes on Chin communities who regularly face the threat of bombing from the brutal junta. This life-saving program is an appropriate use of taxpayer dollars and should be maintained. Conversely, as China and Russia work to destabilize numerous countries across Africa, civil wars are becoming more prevalent and causing civilian populations to flee their homes in terror. Instead of focusing on their core mission, bureaucrats at USAID spent $128 million on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) consultants. Sadly, this is just one example regarding the misguided use of taxpayer dollars. Even senior USAID officials agree the system needs an overhaul according to a recent article in the New York Times. Additionally, making changes like shifting resources away from traditional contractors in favor of more in-country partners could save 32 cents per dollar according to an article published in the Economist. With our nation $36 trillion in debt and counting, taxpayer dollars used for foreign aid should represent our core American values. This means properly utilizing these resources to prevent starvation, save lives, and help those displaced from the conflicts, not wastefully spent on progressive pet projects. As a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, I am committed to reforming this broken system, increasing transparency, and ensuring taxpayer dollars are used effectively to help those who are in need here and across the globe. If you need assistance navigating a federal agency, please contact my office in Holland at (616) 251-6741 or in Portage at (269) 569-8595. |
