National Prioritization and Foreign Aid Accountability Act
I propose that the following # policy proposals, about National Spending, get merged:
1
Written by @dastockman (Economics for the people)
2
Written by @broperatortime
(National Prioritization and Foreign Aid Accountability Act)*
Explanation & Justification
The policy written by David can be supported by the trigger system that was proposed in Jorge’s “America first prioritization” act to ensure every million dollar spent in foreign aid can be assessed against the needs of the country.
Purpose: The objective of this legislation is to ensure that U.S. foreign aid spending is transparent, accountable, and balanced against the pressing domestic needs of the nation. It aims to provoke a national dialogue on spending priorities and to ensure that taxpayer money is used where it can have the most significant impact, whether domestically or internationally.
Key Provisions:
- Mandatory Domestic Needs Assessment:
- Requirement: For every million dollars the U.S. commits in foreign aid, there must be a concurrent assessment by a designated government body (e.g., the Congressional Budget Office or a newly established Domestic Prioritization Commission) on how those funds could alternatively be allocated to address urgent domestic issues.
- Focus Areas: These assessments will specifically look at critical areas like:
- Homelessness: Programs aimed at reducing homelessness through housing, mental health support, and employment opportunities.
- Drug Epidemic: Funding for rehabilitation, prevention, and law enforcement efforts against drug trafficking.
- Border Security and Crisis Management: Investments in border infrastructure, technology, and personnel to manage immigration, security, and humanitarian issues at the border.
- Public Reporting and Accountability:
- Transparency: The findings of these assessments will be made public, providing citizens with clear information on the potential domestic applications of foreign aid funds.
- Annual Review: An annual report will be presented to Congress detailing all foreign aid expenditures and corresponding domestic opportunity costs.
- Congressional Oversight:
- Committees: Congressional committees will hold hearings based on these assessments to debate the merits of foreign aid versus domestic spending.
- Legislative Adjustments: Congress can use these assessments to adjust funding priorities in subsequent budget cycles, potentially reallocating funds towards domestic issues if the need is deemed greater.
- Balancing Act:
- Criteria for Aid: Establish criteria where foreign aid packages must demonstrate how they serve U.S. national interests, either through strategic, economic, or humanitarian benefits that might also indirectly benefit domestic conditions (like enhancing global stability which could reduce migration pressures).
- Exceptions and Emergency Provisions:
- National Security: Allow for exceptions where the aid directly impacts U.S. national security or immediate humanitarian crises, but these exceptions would require specific justification and a supermajority vote in Congress.
- Emergency Aid: For emergency aid situations, there would be a mechanism for expedited domestic needs assessments, though with reduced timeframes for analysis.
- Implementation:
- Funding: Allocate a small percentage of the foreign aid budget to fund the operations of the assessment body to ensure its independence and effectiveness.
- Timeline: The assessments would need to be completed within a predefined period, say 90 days from the commitment of aid funds, to allow for timely legislative action.
Rationale:
- Public Awareness: This legislation would increase public awareness about both foreign aid and domestic issues, potentially influencing public policy through informed debate.
- Policy Balance: It encourages a more balanced approach to federal spending, ensuring that significant foreign commitments are not made without considering domestic priorities.
- Accountability: By linking foreign aid to domestic needs, it holds the government accountable for all taxpayer expenditures, promoting a more judicious use of public funds.
Conclusion: This act would not aim to reduce foreign aid per se but would ensure that its allocation is done with full consideration of domestic needs, fostering a more equitable and transparent budgetary process that puts America first above all.