{"id":2235822,"date":"2024-05-02T17:02:02","date_gmt":"2024-05-02T21:02:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ernst-calls-for-stricter-oversight-of-taxpayer-funds-for-ukraine-small-businesses\/"},"modified":"2024-05-02T17:03:59","modified_gmt":"2024-05-02T21:03:59","slug":"ernst-calls-for-stricter-oversight-of-taxpayer-funds-for-ukraine-small-businesses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ernst-calls-for-stricter-oversight-of-taxpayer-funds-for-ukraine-small-businesses\/","title":{"rendered":"Ernst advocates for increased scrutiny of taxpayer funds for Ukrainian small businesses"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fernst-calls-for-stricter-oversight-of-taxpayer-funds-for-ukraine-small-businesses%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2235822&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Senator Joni Ernst\u200b (R-IA) is intensifying her demand \u200cfor transparency in foreign aid, urging the Inspector General to investigate \u2063the allocation \u200dof \u200dtaxpayer funds supporting <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/breaking-michigan-house-member-files-to-impeach-governor-gretchen-whitmer\/\" title=\"BREAKING: Michigan House Member Files to Impeach Governor Gretchen Whitmer\">small businesses<\/a> in Ukraine. Despite her \u2063previous inquiries being unanswered, Senator Ernst, the\u2064 ranking member of the Senate Small Business Committee, stresses the need for clarity and oversight in how USAID assists Ukrainian SMEs.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p><strong>EXCLUSIVE \u2013 <\/strong><em> <\/em>Sen. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/joni-ernst\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA)\">Joni Ernst<\/a> (R-IA) is escalating her call for transparency in foreign aid by urging the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/inspector-general\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA)\">Inspector General <\/a>to examine how <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/in-nevada-a-corrupt-cash-for-votes-scheme-is-hiding-in-plain-sight\/\" title=\"In Nevada, A Corrupt Cash-For-Votes Scheme Is Hiding In Plain Sight\">taxpayer dollars<\/a> are being spent to help <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/white-house-releases-list-of-president-trumps-accomplishments-and-it-is-historic\/\" title=\"White House Releases List of President Trump\u2019s Accomplishments \u2013  And It Is Historic!\">support small businesses<\/a> in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ukraine\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Ukraine\">Ukraine<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The Iowa senator sent a follow-up <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scribd.com\/document\/728696692\/Ranking-Member-Ernst-Letter-to-USAID-IG\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>letter<\/a> to the Inspector General overseeing the United States Agency for International Development, pushing for more information about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/heres-what-each-of-bidens-42-executive-orders-will-actually-do\/\" title=\"Here\u2019s What Each Of Biden\u2019s 42 Executive Orders Will Actually Do\">assistance provided<\/a> to small businesses in Ukraine.\u00a0 Ernst, who is the ranking member of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sbc.senate.gov\/public\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Senate Small Business Committee<\/a>, sent an initial inquiry in November that has yet to be addressed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cUSAID Administrator Power has refused to provide clear or substantive responses to my requests for more information on USAID assistance to SMEs in Ukraine despite repeated inquiries,\u201d Ernst wrote in the letter. \u201cThere is no doubt about it: the American people deserve transparency.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cUnfortunately, USAID is unwilling to allow for transparency and so the job falls to you, the watchdog tasked with ensuring the agency spends taxpayer money prudently,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n<p>In the letter, Ernst highlights projects that USAID has advertised like a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/usaidcepukraine_ssweep-activity-7150425551743229954-Lh1h?utm_source=share&#038;utm_medium=member_desktop\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>fashion festival<\/a> for Ukrainian streetwear brands, a trade <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/usaidcepukraine_usaid-competitive-economy-program-in-activity-7119687693415936000-C_Wp?utm_source=share&#038;utm_medium=member_desktop\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>mission<\/a> to Bordeaux for \u201cyoung Ukrainian animator talents,\u201d and a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/feed\/update\/urn:li:activity:7016776444093571072\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>designer<\/a> of \u201castonishing yet functional interior objects,\u201d which included a $12,000 coffee <a href=\"https:\/\/theartling.com\/en\/galleries\/panoptikum-collections\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>table<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>USAID <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usaid.gov\/news-information\/press-releases\/jul-18-2023-united-states-provides-additional-250-million-help-ukraine-continue-feeding-world\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"announced \">announced <\/a>in July 2023 an additional $230 million to support Ukraine\u2019s economy and reconstruction, by bolstering private sector productivity. President Joe Biden recently just signed into law <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/2977474\/watch-live-president-joe-biden-speaks-about-the-foreign-aid-bill-passage\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"a new bill \">a new bill <\/a>that provides $61 billion allocated for Ukraine and fend off Russia\u2019s invasion. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cSending young Ukrainian artists to Bordeaux just wastes Americans\u2019 hard-earned tax dollars. I am concerned USAID views itself as a slush fund for Ukrainian businesses unrelated to the war effort,\u201d Ernst added. \u201cThis is not an effective use of resources to help Ukraine win. To inform ongoing discussion over how best to support a Ukrainian victory, we need robust oversight.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Iowa senator is asking the Inspector General to provide information on how many Ukrainian small businesses are receiving American taxpayer funds through USAID with information on the expenditures and whether they are being reported to federal databases. <\/p>\n<p>She also wants to know if there is any work being done to identify whether awardees have ties to Russia and to ensure the funding doesn\u2019t put Ukrainian small businesses in competition with American companies.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Office of Inspector General for USAID confirmed they received Ernst\u2019s letter and are reviewing her request.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOversight of U.S. assistance to Ukraine remains a top priority for USAID OIG and we are in frequent communication with our congressional stakeholders about this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/merrick-garland-pledges-to-investigate-prosecute-capitol-rioters\/\" title=\"Merrick Garland Pledges To Investigate, Prosecute Capitol Rioters\">critical work<\/a>,\u201d said Kaylan Swartz, the Director of Legislative &#038; Public Affairs, in an email to the <em>Washington Examiner. <\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In an exclusive move, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) intensifies her push for transparency in foreign aid. She urges the Inspector General to probe the allocation of taxpayer funds aiding Ukrainian small businesses. The Iowa senator penned a subsequent letter to the Inspector General supervising the United States Agency for International Development, emphasizing the need for scrutiny<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2657,"featured_media":2235823,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/wex-s3.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/AP24121835757821-1024x683.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2235822","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/wex-s3.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/AP24121835757821-1024x683.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2235822","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2657"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2235822"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2235822\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2235823"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2235822"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2235822"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2235822"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}