GOP Rep Introduces Bill Cutting Money To Countries That Discriminate Based On Sexual Orientation
New York Republican Representative George Santos introduced a bill on Friday that would block the US government from providing financial assistance to any country that discriminates against or takes legal action against its residents because of their sexual orientation.
Titled the “Equality and Fiscal Accountability Protection Act of 2023,” the bill, according to Santos’ office, “would require countries receiving federal assistance from the United States to protect those based on sexual orientation and other purposes. “.
“Discrimination against women and the LGBTQ community is unacceptable,” Santos said in a statement on the legislation. “My bill will send a clear message that the United States will not offer federal assistance to countries found guilty of violating the rights of individuals because of their sexual orientation. As a nation, we have a responsibility to defend the human rights of all peoples, regardless of race, religion or sexual orientation.”
According to the bill, Santos’ office said the State Department would be required “to assess a country’s human rights record before providing federal assistance.”
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Rep. George Santos, RN.Y., on Friday introduced the Fiscal Equality and Accountability Protection Act of 2023 to “require countries receiving federal assistance from the United States to protect those based on the guidance sexual and other purposes”. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Countries found guilty of violating certain human rights “would not be eligible to receive assistance until they take steps to resolve the issues,” Santos’ office noted.
Santos introduced the measure after Ugandan lawmakers seeking to ban same-sex activity in the country passed a bill on Tuesday prescribing prison terms of up to 10 years for those who engage in same-sex relationships.
Following its passage, the bill, which received the support of a large number of lawmakers in the country, was sent to the office of President Yoweri Museveni, who also expressed his support. In a recent speech, Museveni accused Western countries of “trying to impose their practices on others”.
The bill creates an offense of “attempting homosexuality”, punishable by up to 10 years in prison. It also creates an offense called “aggravated homosexuality”, which applies to sexual relations between people infected with HIV, minors and other categories. His punishment is not immediately clear.
The United States “currently provides significant health and development assistance to Uganda, with a total assistance budget of more than $950 million annually,” according to the State Department’s website.
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In a recent speech, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni accused Western countries of “trying to impose their practices on other peoples”. (BADRU KATUMBA/AFP via Getty Images)
“The U.S. mission is working with the Ugandan government to improve tax collection and oil revenue management, and to increase Uganda’s domestic funding for public services and the national response to HIV/AIDS,” the department noted. of State in March 2022.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby warned this week that if the law is signed into law, Washington “should consider” imposing economic sanctions on Uganda.
“We are certainly watching this very closely. And we should be looking at whether or not there might be any repercussions that we would have to face, perhaps in an economic way, if this law were actually passed – signed into law,” Kirby says. to journalists.
Kirby noted that would be “really unfortunate” since most US aid is in the form of health assistance, especially AIDS assistance.
Same-sex relationships in Uganda are already criminalized under a colonial-era penal code. Harsh anti-gay legislation enacted in 2014 was later struck down by a panel of judges amid international condemnation. This bill, in its original draft, provided for the death penalty for certain homosexual acts.
A Ugandan man at the third annual Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Pride Celebration in Entebbe, Uganda on August 9, 2014. (AP Photo/Rebecca Vassie)
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Asuman Basalirwa, who sponsored the new measure in Uganda, said his bill would punish “promotion, recruitment and financing” related to LGBTQ activities.
Homosexuality is already illegal in more than 30 of Africa’s 54 countries.
Lawrence Richard and Julia Musto of Fox News, as well as the Associated Press, contributed to this article.
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