Financial Services and General Government and National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2026

Floor Speech

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Mr. BURLISON. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of this amendment that ends Federal funding for the National Endowment for Democracy, a program that Elon Musk, while leading DOGE, publicly said was a scam, that it was rife with corruption and an evil organization that should be dissolved. President Trump and his administration attempted to do that, and yet here we are trying to fund it.

This program was sold to the American people as a force for advancing freedom, but instead it has become a foreign slush fund.

Let me be clear: Americans should not be forced to finance political outcomes in countries where they have no voice, no vote, or no oversight. This is not America First but a scam under the disguise of foreign policy. Under no circumstances should Congress put foreign governments ahead of those that we were elected to serve.

The United States must lead by example. This means not managing the political affairs of the rest of the world on the backs of the American taxpayer.

Ms. LOIS FRANKEL of Florida. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Diaz-Balart).

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