Press Releases

Rep. Jack Bergman introduced legislation to require an audit of U.S. contributions to multilateral and international organizations. This legislation is based on recommendations from the Republican Study Committee’s Task Force on National Security and Foreign Affairs report released earlier this year. 

Rep. Bergman was joined by current RSC Chairman, Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA), and fellow Task Force members Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC), and Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) as original cosponsors.

“Our government currently lacks a comprehensive analysis of how taxpayer dollars are being used by international organizations and whether those funds are being used to advance U.S. interests. The U.S gives billions of dollars each year to entities like the United Nations but we have no reporting on what happens to that money and where it ultimately ends up being spent. It’s time we have a transparent, independent audit of these funds to ensure better oversight of and proper implementation of taxpayer dollars,” said Rep. Bergman.

The International Spending Transparency Act would direct the State Department to conduct an annual audit of United States contributions to multilateral and international organizations.

The audit will include information related to:

• The total amount of U.S. contributions to recipient multilateral and international organizations and the purpose for each contribution;
• The amount of contributions spent on administrative costs in comparison to projects;
• An analysis of waste, fraud or abuse by receiving entity; and
• Whether any receiving entity in turn provided funds either directly or indirectly to:
  • The People’s Republic of China
  • The Russian Federation
  • The Islamic Republic of Iran
  • The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
  • The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
  • The Syrian Arab Republic
  • Any organization designated as a foreign terrorist organization

Earlier today, The Daily Signal released an article further outlining the importance of this legislation.