Rep. Andy Biggs unveils bill to block funding for Biden's global equity czar
Bill would block taxpayer money from being used to fund woke initiatives abroad.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}FIRST ON FOX: Rep. Andy Biggs unveiled legislation on Tuesday to prohibit the White House from using taxpayer money to fund "woke" initiatives abroad.
Biggs, R-Ariz., said the bill was needed to prevent President Biden from forcing other countries to adopt the Democratic Party's views on racial justice and gender equity.
"Americans have already rejected the Biden Administration’s radical social agenda, and yet it continues to try and force it on countries that have also rightly rejected it," the congressman told Fox News Digital "Imposing woke ideology on other countries is just another example of the Biden Administration’s foreign policy failures."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Joining Biggs in introducing the bills were House Republicans: Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Bob Good of Virginia and Debbie Lesko of Arizona.
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(AP Newsroom; AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
The bill comes in response to the State Department's decision last month to create a special representative for racial equity and justice. Administration officials say the position was created to combat systemic racism overseas.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}As part of that goal, the special representative is tasked with ensuring that all State Department policies and programs take racial justice into mind.
"Embedding equity across our work is imperative to ensuring better-informed and more effective foreign policies and programs that support all people regardless of their race or ethnicity," a State Department spokesman said at the time of the announcement.
Biggs' bill, dubbed the Stop Imposing Woke Ideology Abroad Act, would prohibit U.S. tax dollars from funding the special representative's salary and expenses. It also prohibits federal funds from going to implement the State Department's equity action plan.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The United Nations Headquarters in New York City. This is where the Security Council meeting was hosted on June 6. (iStock)
The plan was released earlier this year in conjunction with the White House. It seeks to revamp foreign policy to focus significantly on advancing the plight of racial and ethnic communities across the globe.
To that degree, the framework proposes to spend millions to boost the adoption of racial justice and gender inclusivity policies by foreign governments.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Using taxpayer dollars to fund the Biden Administration’s woke programs abroad is a complete misuse of federal funding and further strains our relationships with countries abroad," said Biggs. "This legislation ensures we protect American interests and curb the Biden Administration’s detached social agenda abroad."
The State Department refused to discuss the matter, citing a long-held policy of not commenting on pending legislation. The White House did not respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks after viewing the "Burma's Path To Genocide" exhibit at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, Monday, March 21, 2022. (Kevin Lamarque, Pool via AP )
Since taking office, Biden has made addressing racial and general inequity a top priority across all levels of the government. The issue has been nowhere more apparent than when it comes to foreign policy and defense.
Last week, Democrats included a provision within the national defense bill that allows U.S. tax dollars to be used for training foreign militaries on how to recruit women and combat sexual harassment. The program also allows the Pentagon to pick up the tab for foreign officers to attend training and conferences on the topic.