On the recordJuly 10, 2014
Mr. Chairman, at a time of deep deficits and a mounting national debt, we cannot allow our taxpayers' dollars to be squandered away in order to upgrade cities in China and India. In 2012, a program was issued by the Department of Energy with the purpose of ``conducting international collaborative efforts that accelerate the development and deployment of clean energy technologies'' at the expense of the American taxpayer. While this appropriation bill does not explicitly include funding for these projects, I believe this amendment is essential to ensure the administration cannot misuse hard-earned taxpayer money. All in this Chamber have seen what the President is capable of, given the opportunity to invoke his ideological agenda. It is not America's job to help foreign nations upgrade their cities. Countries like China and India have their own taxpayers and are among the largest economic engines in the world. Our country was founded on the principle of self-determination. Enticing economic change in foreign countries with money borrowed from future generations is a gross departure of that principle, especially in these hard economic times. And with that, I would like to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from the State of Georgia (Mr. Collins), my colleague and good friend.





