U.S. Capitol This Week May 13-17
U.S. Congress
This week, the Subcommittee on Africa held a hearing regarding fund allocation for foreign assistance in Africa. During the meeting, no congressman objected to sending additional funds or asked for more oversight of the funds. Molly Phee, Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of African Affairs of the Department of State, admitted to the subcommittee Chair that funding is not a problem but the lack of oversight is, “we have no control [over the funds] once they’re there.” As noted by former Acting Chief Operating Officer at USAID during the Trump Administration, Max Primorac, at a hearing last month, the lack of oversight is one of the problems that continue to persist in U.S. foreign assistance. Particularly troubling is the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), one of the most heavily funded U.S. global health initiatives in history. Despite the increase in funding for PEPFAR, the HIV transmission rate has increased. Perhaps more attention should be paid to how to better address HIV infections, the main goal of the program, and less to helping abortion groups gain a presence in African countries as PEPFAR grant recipients.
A coalition of pro-life groups, including C-Fam, sent a letter to the Chairman and Vice-chair of the Appropriations Committees asking them to maintain pro-life language in appropriation laws. They also asked to “deny increases in funding to programs and streams that are used by abortion providers or entities that promote abortion, including Title X, UNFPA, Gender Equality and Equity Action Fund, and international family planning.” While appropriations bills deal with budgetary issues, they have become the battleground for anti-family legislation. Protecting life in appropriations bills has long been part of the American ideal, as can be noted since the Hyde Amendment of 1977.
The Subcommittee on Global Human Rights and International Organizations held a hearing last week on Brazil’s crackdown on free speech. Investigative journalist Michael Shellenberger, disappointed with the clear bias of Democrats in favor of Brazil’s current administration, said that there was no mention of “politicians and journalists being arrested, thrown in prison, and having their bank accounts frozen.” Instead, Rep. Susan Wild (D-PA) said that Brazil’s turn toward authoritarianism was necessary to “save [their] democracy.” Shellenberger believes that “Around the world, including in Brazil, they [George Soros and son, Alex Soros] are working with the US government to spread disinformation, demand censorship, and kill off civil society.”
