At the end of the week, House will consider the first set of appropriations, or rather a “minibus,” to end their first legislative week back in D.C. since early June. The week has been riddled with problematic legislation, and the minibus, H.R. 7608, or The Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2021 is no exception. The legislation sets funding levels for Agriculture, Interior, State, Veterans Affairs, among other items.
The issues begin with the legislation’s price tag of $259.5 billion. And, it has no pay-for mechanisms helping to reduce the burden of debt on future generations of hardworking Americans. The bill also includes funding for the World Health Organization, which undermines President Trump’s decision to pull out, and hurts many pro-life protections, like the Kemp-Kasten Amendment. Additionally, the legislation enacts the Global HER Act, which permanently repeals the Mexico City Policy preventing taxpayer funds from being used to fund abortion abroad.

Yet these anti-life provisions are just an aspect of what appears as part of the legislation’s main goal: to undercut the family. The House Committee on Appropriations summary includes a section entitled, “Human Rights of All People including LGBTI Communities,” — "I” in LGBTI meaning intersex — which funds programs that advance sexual orientation and gender identity initiatives into the country’s global programs. $10 million is appropriated for the Global Equality Fund, $6 million for the protection of LGBTI persons, and $500,000 for the Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTI Persons. 

Sadly, the bad stuff doesn’t end there. The legislation includes language blocking Trump’s Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents rule, which encourages Americans receiving SNAP to find employment rather than continue depending on governmental assistance. This rule was consistent with President Trump’s 2018 Executive Order on “Reducing Poverty in America by Promoting Opportunity and Economic Mobility.” As the Executive Order states: 

“The Federal Government should do everything within its authority to empower individuals by providing opportunities for work, including by investing in Federal programs that are effective at moving people into the workforce and out of poverty.” 

By preventing the Trump administration from implementing this rule it is clear democrats seek to entrap Americans into the welfare system rather than empower them to become self-sufficient members of our society. Our welfare system has turned into an entitlement program and points to the fact that our country has spent many wasted taxpayer dollars on individuals refusing to go back to work after receiving unemployment from the Coronavirus’s economic consequences. Democrats should be ashamed of their refusal to bring the Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents rule into fruition.
 
Lastly and in one more dig against the President’s agenda, the minibus blocks funds from being used to complete the President’s border wall. This has been a long-time goal of the liberals in Congress.
 
In summary, H.R. 7608 is concerning. For these reasons, please join us in asking your Representative to vote NO on H.R. 7608.
 
For a full overview of the legislation, please read the democratic section by section summary here. And, the republican minority appropriations committee’s press releases and concerns here.