Sunshine Sentinel

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Representative Brian Mast (R-FL) introduced two pieces of legislation to ensure that U.S. taxpayer dollars meant to advance U.S. national security interests do not support radical social initiatives. These bills follow the release of Rubio and Mast’s report, which highlights how wokeness is weakening the U.S. State Department.

• “We have a moral duty to protect the innocence of America’s children. At a time when woke initiatives endanger our youth, Congress must ensure that the hard-earned money of the American people is not aiding international organizations that advocate for the decriminalization of sexual relations with minors.” – Senator Rubio
• “Neither America nor the world needs a woke agenda right now. If President Biden doesn’t see the negative consequences of his policies globally, Congress needs to put an end to this woke nonsense.” – Congressman Mast
• Prohibition Against U.S. Contributions to International Organizations that Advocate for Sexual Activity Among Minors Act: The legislation is a bill against radical social agendas paid for by American taxpayers. This bill would prohibit U.S. contributions to international organizations, including the United Nations, that support, advocate, or seek to decriminalize sexual relations or sexual conduct by persons who are younger than the minimum age of consent (as defined by the national government of the country in which such persons reside); and prohibit U.S. contributions to any entity or organization that supports or advocates for the belief that sexual activity involving persons below the domestically prescribed minimum age of consent to sex may be consensual in fact, even when it is not consensual in law; or opposes any statute that recognizes that persons below the prescribed age of consent do not have the capacity to engage in consensual sex under any circumstance. 
• Stop Wasteful, Odious, and Kooky Exercises (WOKE) at State Act: This bill would eliminate Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) requirements during the foreign service tenure and promotion process, replace DEIA references in the Foreign Affairs Manual, the Foreign Service Precepts, and Foreign Service Employee Evaluation Report with references to adherence to the merit system principles.

• June 2023: Rubio Releases Report on State Department: “Woke Is Weak”
• April 2023: Rubio, Republicans Question Biden Administration on UN Support for Efforts to Promote Underage Sex