Congressman Harris Votes to Cut State Department Foreign Aid Budget

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Andy Harris, M.D. voted to cut the State Department foreign aid budget by $8 billion, a decrease of 19% from current levels, bringing the expenditures down to 2008 levels before President Obama was elected. The savings would be achieved through legislation that funds the State Department and was considered today by the Committee on Appropriations. As a member of the Committee, Congressman Harris voted in favor of the bill and the proposed reduction in foreign aid.

"The President’s foreign policy has been stunningly unsuccessful, and it's time to stop sending billions of dollars we’re borrowing from places like China to other countries,” said Harris. “This budget entirely eliminates unnecessary programs like the clean technology fund and the strategic climate fund. It also reduces UN spending by a third of a billion dollars. It's time we start focusing American’s hard-earned tax dollars here at home on projects like building the Keystone XL pipeline instead of throwing them away in foreign lands.”