Frankel: Trump and Republicans Are Making America Less Secure

Today, Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-22), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs (NSRP), released the following statement after voting against House Republicans' Fiscal Year 2027 National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs appropriations bill. "This bill should have been our moment to strengthen America and show the world that American leadership still matters. Done right, it would have made our nation safer, stronger, and more secure—at home and abroad. Instead, it falls painfully short," said Rep. Frankel. "Rather than making smart investments in the tools that prevent conflict and build peace and prosperity, the Trump Administration has embraced bullying, reckless tariffs, and a war that is costing our nation billions of dollars and countless lives, with no end in sight. Real security requires more than military force. It requires diplomacy. It requires development. It requires humanitarian leadership. It means showing up before a crisis becomes a catastrophe, before instability becomes extremism, and before conflict becomes war. That is how we build strong alliances, create trading partners, stop diseases before they reach our shores, and keep America's sons and daughters out of costly wars. "Instead of repairing the damage caused by dismantling USAID, this bill doubles down. It slashes humanitarian assistance, weakens our diplomatic corps, undermines development programs that advance American interests, and turns its back on the partnerships that have strengthened our nation for generations. Foreign assistance is not charity—it is a strategic investment in our national security. When America steps back, our adversaries—including China—step in. "As Ranking Member of the NSRP Subcommittee, I will continue fighting for a foreign policy that reflects our values and protects our security. A strong America requires both hard power and soft power. Our greatest strength has never been our military alone—it is our diplomacy, our alliances, our humanitarian leadership, and our enduring commitment to building a more stable, more prosperous, and more secure world. This bill fails to meet that standard, which is why I voted no." The FY27 NSRP bill would Slash development and global health programs that strengthen stability, promote economic opportunity, combat poverty, and prevent and treat HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases. Turn its back on women and families worldwide by cutting international family planning programs, prohibiting U.S. contributions to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and expanding the Global Gag Rule. Expand ideological restrictions on U.S. foreign assistance by conditioning aid on compliance with anti-DEI and anti-LGBTQ policies while limiting health providers' ability to provide complete medical information. Abandon America's leadership at the United Nations by eliminating funding for the U.N. Regular Budget and voluntary contributions to UNICEF, the U.N. Development Programme, and U.N. Women, creating opportunities for adversaries like China and Russia to expand their influence. Eliminate funding for proven American institutions , including the U.S. Institute of Peace, the Inter-American Foundation, and the U.S. African Development Foundation, weakening efforts to prevent conflict, strengthen democracy, expand economic opportunity, and advance U.S. interests abroad.