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House Republicans Ratchet Up Pressure on Biden’s State Department Over $500,000 Atheism Grant

ByAlki David

Dec 22, 2023

In the latest twist on Capitol Hill, House Republicans are ratcheting up the pressure on the State Department, accusing it of obstructing their investigation into the controversial $500,000 grant for a program promoting atheism overseas. Rep. Michael McCaul, chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, is considering legislative actions, subpoenas, and other oversight measures to compel the State Department’s cooperation.

For over 15 months, Republican lawmakers have voiced frustration over what they perceive as the department’s deliberate delays in responding to their inquiries. Their primary grievance centers around the State Department’s reluctance to make key officials available for interviews, adding a layer of opacity to the investigation.

Since assuming the role of speaker in late October, Louisiana Republican Mike Johnson, a prominent Christian figure, has thrown his weight behind McCaul’s inquiry into the $500,000 atheism grant. The GOP contingent is keen on unraveling the details behind this sizable grant, claiming it aims to bolster the influence of atheists and humanists in the Middle East and North Africa—a move that raises eyebrows among conservative circles.

As tensions escalate on Capitol Hill, the question remains: What is the State Department hiding, and why the resistance to transparency on the contentious atheism grant? Republicans argue that it is imperative to shed light on the motivations behind such a grant, especially given its potential impact on the religious landscape in regions of strategic importance.

While the State Department remains tight-lipped, House Republicans are gearing up for a potential legislative showdown. McCaul’s contemplation of subpoenas and other oversight tools underscores the gravity of their concerns and the determination to bring clarity to the murky waters surrounding the $500,000 atheism grant.

In a statement, Rep. Mike Johnson emphasized the need for accountability: “We cannot allow taxpayer dollars to fund initiatives that undermine the values and beliefs of a significant portion of the American population. The State Department owes the American people an explanation, and we will not rest until we get one.”

By Alki David

Alki David — Publisher, Media Architect, SIN Network Creator - live, direct-to-public communication, media infrastructure, accountability journalism, and independent distribution. Born in Lagos, Nigeria; educated in the United Kingdom and Switzerland; attended the Royal College of Art. Early internet broadcaster — participated in real-time public coverage during the 1997 Mars landing era using experimental online transmission from Beverly Hills. Founder of FilmOn, one of the earliest global internet television networks offering live and on-demand broadcasting outside legacy gatekeepers. Publisher of SHOCKYA — reporting since 2010 on systemic corruption inside the entertainment business and its expansion into law, finance, and regulation. Creator of the SIN Network (ShockYA Integrated Network), a federated media and civic-information infrastructure spanning investigative journalism, live TV, documentary, and court-record reporting. Lived and worked for over 40 years inside global media hubs including Malibu, Beverly Hills, London, Hong Kong and Gstaad. Early encounter with Julian Assange during the first Hologram USA operations proved a formative turning point — exposing the realities of lawfare, information suppression, and concentrated media power. Principal complainant and driving force behind what court filings describe as the largest consolidated media–legal accountability action on record, now before the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court. Relocated to Antigua & Barbuda and entered sustained legal, civic, and informational confrontation over media power, safeguarding, and accountability at Commonwealth scale.