Congressional Hopeful Warns US Foreign Spending, Lack of Accountability 'Bad Policy'

EL PASO (Sputnik) - US spending overseas is bad policy and the lack of oversight on some of this spending is dangerous for the United States, US congressional candidate Kathleen Winn told Sputnik.

Kathleen Winn, a Republican, who is running for election to the US House to represent Arizona's 6th congressional district, spoke with Sputnik about some of the pressing issues pertaining to the US misplaced spendings.

Lack of Oversight on Some of Spending 'Dangerous' for the US

"It's bad financial policy ... we're not holding anybody accountable, and that lack of accountability is dangerous for the good citizens of this country [United States]," Winn said.

Winn said that she would be against approving any funding for Ukraine if she was a member of Congress.

On Tuesday, the Senate passed the $95 billion foreign aid bill that includes $60 billion for Ukraine aid, $14 billion for Israel, among other funding for US national security priorities, but excludes border policy reforms. However, it's unclear whether the House will take up the bill any time soon.

US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who previously supported Ukraine, shifted his stance after consulting with former President Trump, voting against $60bln in aid for Kiev regime, The Washington Post reports. Graham cited Trump's opposition to the aid package, advocating for… pic.twitter.com/6GUNF1FsAB

— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) February 14, 2024

A US congressional source told Sputnik there is growing Republican opposition to providing more funding to Ukraine but strong Republican support to continue assisting Israel. However, "neocons and warmongers" in the congressional Republican Party will be applying significant pressure on House Speaker Mike Johnson to do something on these measures, the source added.

US Shouldn't Be Responsible for Paying First Responders' Pensions in Ukraine

"[Ukraine] They've been given way too much money and the money that they've been given has gone for things that we don't even cover in our own country," Winn said. "We're paying for pensions ... of their police officers at this point. Why is that the US's responsibility. But on top of that, this is a proxy war."

Winn further said the United States should not give Ukraine "another nickel."

Winn said she supports US assistance for Israel because it is an important ally of the United States, but "Ukraine isn't."

US aid for Ukraine also goes to non-military expenses, including for subsidizing businesses in the country, purchasing seeds and fertilizer for Ukrainian farmers, and paying the salaries of some 57,000 of Ukraine's first responders, according to media reports.

The US has provided more than $75 billion in assistance to Ukraine since the start of Russia's special military operation in February 2022. Aid shipments began in 2022 with artillery munitions and training and have escalated to include tanks, advanced air-defense systems, missiles and cluster munitions. The Kremlin has consistently warned against the West's continued arms deliveries to Ukraine, saying that they only prolong the conflict.

Biden US Policies Have 'Failed,' No One is 'Thriving'

"The policies of this current administration are failed. No one is thriving," Winn said. "I think that American families need relief before we give relief around the world."

Last month, US Secretary of Treasury Janet Yellen said that the $34 trillion US national debt is a "scary number" but manageable, because the United States has a "huge" economy.

US Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene blasts pro-Ukraine Republicans and Democrats

"America has been enslaved with $34 trillion of debt and yet over the weekend the Senate worked overtime to pass a $95 billion package to fund foreign wars. Not a penny of that goes to anything… pic.twitter.com/v1A4KqkhXD

— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) February 13, 2024

However, International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva recently said the United States can show more discipline with respect to public spending as the strength of the US dollar and post-pandemic excesses in government expenditures are feeding into global inflation.

Public spending is among the major talking points in the presidential election due in November, with polls suggesting that voters increasingly believed higher federal spending was directly contributing to inflation.

Concerns Over the US-Mexico Border Crisis

Winn represents a district in southern Arizona on the border with Mexico, which is starting to become the next hot spot for illegal immigration after Texas deterred a surge in its region.

"First and foremost, we need to secure the border, and then have a very comprehensive deportation plan," Winn said. "These people don't need to wait 10 years in our country, they can go back to their country. And I believe that many of these people that are saying they're seeking asylum, don't have valid claims."

Winn also suspects there may be terror cells inside the United States as a result of a record level of illegal immigration on the southern border.

According to the Department of Homeland Security's Homeland Threat Assessment, last year, US border agents encountered a growing number of migrants on the FBI's terrorist watchlist trying to illegally cross the US-Mexico border.

US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) documented more than 302,000 migrant encounters in December, marking the highest single-month figure ever recorded. The Biden administration has also experienced three consecutive years of record numbers of illegal migration on the southern border.