A bill that scales back the Biden Administration’s expansion of woke funding programs at the U.S. State Department passed the House on Friday, but Rep. Mary Peltola of Alaska and all other Democrats except one voted against it.
The bill, which passes 212 to 200, has language that prohibits embassies from flying flags such as the Pride flag and prohibits funding to the Wuhan Institute of Virology, or any funding that supports vaccine mandates. The list of programs it supports or cuts is extensive and exceedingly specific:
- H.R. 8771, appropriates money for the State Department, foreign operations and related programs, but trims 11% from the 2024 fiscal year’s enacted funding, and a 19% decrease to what President Joe Biden had asked for in the next fiscal year.
- The funding resolution that Peltola voted against:
- Has $3.3 billion in foreign military financing so Israel can defend itself against terrorist attacks.
- Prohibits funding for the International Criminal Court, International Court of Justice, United Nations Relief Works Agency, and the United Nations Relief Works Agency and United Nations Commission of Inquiry against Israel.
- Counters the People’s Republic of China by providing $2.1 billion for United States national security interests in the Indo-Pacific and to counter malign influence.
- $500 million in Foreign Military Financing for Taiwan to strengthen deterrence across the Taiwan Strait and up to $2 billion in loans and loan guarantees for such purpose.
- Has full funding the Countering PRC Influence Fund at $400 million.
- Prohibits funds for the PRC and the Chinese Communist Party, prohibiting funds for countries to repay debt owed to China, and prohibits funds for international financial institutions from loans to the PRC.
- Prioritizes funding and policies to combat the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs into the United States.
- Prohibits funds that encourage or facilitate irresponsible migration towards the U.S.-Mexico border.
- Prohibits the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps from being removed from the Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) list.
- Prohibits funds to implement a nuclear agreement with Iran unless ratified by the Senate.
- Prohibits funds to be used to implement the Arms Trade Treaty.
- Supports freedom in the Western Hemisphere, including $35 million for democracy programs for Cuba.
- Eliminates funding for the United Nations’ regular budget, resulting in savings of $761.6 million.
- Eliminates Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund, International Organizations and Programs, Contribution to the Clean Technology Fund, and Contributions to the Inter-American Development Bank.
- Reduces 14 accounts in the bill below the FY19 enacted level, including Contributions to International Organizations, Contributions to International Peacekeeping Activities, Economic Support Fund, Migration and Refugee Assistance, and Peacekeeping Operations.
- Reduces 14 accounts in the bill to the FY19 enacted level, including the United States Agency for Global Media, Peace Corps, and International Development Association.
- Terminates more than 18 unnecessary programs, including the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), UN Women, UN Montreal Protocol, UN Environment Fund, and World Economic Forum.
- Prohibits funding for Special Envoys, Special Representatives, Special Coordinators, and Special Advisors unless such positions are expressly authorized or have affirmatively received the advice and consent of the Senate.
- Eliminates 33 Special Envoys and Special Representatives at the Department of State, including the Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, Special Envoy for Racial Equity and Justice, Special Envoy to Advance the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Persons, Special Envoy for International Labor Affairs, and Special Representative for Palestinian Affairs.
- Prohibits the Treasury Department from carrying out the Biden Administration’s climate agenda at the World Bank and other multilateral development banks, which harms developing countries and opens the door to predatory financing from the PRC.
- Prohibits the Administration’s current practice of co-opting programming, such as that to empower women; advance democracy and freedom; or counter trafficking in persons, to instead advance the Biden radical global climate change agenda.
- Prohibits funds for the Green Climate Fund, Clean Technology Fund, and Loss and Damages Fund.
- Prohibits funds to the Wuhan Institute of Virology, the EcoHealth Alliance, any gain-of-function research, and labs in adversarial nations like China, Iran, Russia, North Korea, or Cuba.
- Maintains all long-standing, pro-life protections.
- Implements the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance Policy, also known as the expanded Mexico City Policy, on all health funds in the bill.
- Prohibits funds for controversial organizations and programs, such as the United Nations Population Fund, World Health Organization, and Gender Equity and Equality Action Fund.
- Supports religious freedom programs abroad and religious freedom protections for faith-based organizations delivering foreign aid.
- Allows only the American flag and other official flags to be flown over U.S embassies.
- Bans “disinformation” and “misinformation” programs that violate the free speech rights of American citizens.
- Prohibits funds for unnecessary regulations and controversial Executive Orders that disadvantage American businesses.
- Refocuses attention on critical diplomatic functions, addressing the backlog of passport applications and ensuring the safety and security of our embassies.
- Prohibits funds to implement Covid-19 mask and vaccine mandates.
Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart of Florida, Chairman of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Subcommittee of the House Committee on Appropriations, issued the following statement after the passage of H.R. 8771:
“I am very pleased with the House’s approval of the State and Foreign Operations bill for the fiscal year 2025 which builds on the policy wins of the fiscal year 2024 enacted bill. This crucial piece of legislation, which funds our national security and foreign policy priorities, cuts wasteful spending while upholding key U.S. values. Among the many victories, we achieved a 19% reduction from the President’s Budget, and an 11% cut from the fiscal year 2024 enacted levels.”
The legislation “continues to reestablish American leadership where it has been severely lacking under the Biden Administration. It upholds key U.S. national security priorities by supporting allies such as Israel and Taiwan and countering adversaries such as Communist China, the terrorist states of Iran and Cuba, and terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah, he said.
