Overview

• On July 15, the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Oversight held a contentious hearing on federal grants and union-sponsored funding that support left-leaning nonprofit networks.
• Republican members alleged Democratic leaders have funneled hundreds of millions in USAID, Justice Department and HHS grants into groups such as New Venture Fund, Tides Center and the Vera Institute without public accountability.
• Witnesses detailed how unions including SEIU and AFL-CIO redirect federal employees’ dues and taxpayer-funded “official time” to pass-through nonprofits advancing policy agendas.
• Democrats condemned the session as partisan posturing, criticizing the absence of testimony from the targeted organizations and accusing Republicans of ignoring more pressing governance issues.
• Lawmakers signaled plans to draft legislation to increase transparency in federal grantmaking and curb taxpayer-funded union time following the hearing.