Rep. Grace Meng on US Funding Cuts: 'The Country Who Took Their Future Away'

Opposition to Republican Funding Bill

• ❌ Rep. Grace Meng expresses strong opposition to a Republican bill, arguing it cuts programs that help vulnerable populations while lowering taxes for the wealthy.
• 📉 The bill is criticized for cutting the 2026 National Security budget by 22% and reducing foreign aid, leading to an "America alone" stance.

Impact on Global Programs

• 🌍 The legislation is projected to force 40 million children out of school worldwide, create recruitment opportunities for terrorist organizations, and harm opportunities for girls.
• 💧 It will strip 3.6 million people of access to clean water and prevent 218 million women from making reproductive health decisions.
• 💰 Funding for international family planning programs is slashed, and the "global gag rule" is expanded, while efforts to prevent gender-based violence are cut by 20%.

Cuts to Education and Humanitarian Aid

• 📚 Hundreds of millions of dollars are cut from international basic education programs, which have supported 34 million learners and trained 3 million teachers since 2017.
• 💔 Humanitarian assistance is reduced by over 42%.

Personal Story and Student Impact

• 👧 In Nepal, a 12-year-old named Rodica, who was in a US-funded program, had her classes shut down due to funding loss.
• 😥 Rodica expressed fear about not continuing her education and potentially being forced into marriage, stating that students now see the US as "the country who took their future away."

Criticism of Oversight and Foreign Aid

• 💡 Meng criticizes the bill for cutting funding to the Office of the Inspector General, despite calls for more oversight of foreign aid.
• 🇺🇸 Foreign aid is defended as a vehicle for American ingenuity, generosity, and security, supporting American workers, farmers, scientists, Peace Corps volunteers, and foreign service officers.