Dozens of Republicans joined all voting Democrats on Wednesday evening to reject a GOP-led effort to eliminate federal funding for a nonprofit organization accused of bias against conservatives.
Lawmakers voted 127 to 291 to strip $315 billion in funding for the State Department’s democracy promotion programs, including the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), out of a government funding package, falling well short of a majority. Republican Arizona Rep. Eli Crane, who offered the amendment, argued that although NED has the ostensible goal of promoting democracy, the organization has repeatedly promoted “anti-American objectives” and undermined freedom of speech.
The vote split House Republicans with 127 GOP lawmakers — mostly members belonging to the conference’s conservative flank — supporting the amendment and 81 joining Democrats in voting “no.”
“Tonight, the Uniparty rejected my amendment to defund NED,” Crane wrote on X after the vote concluded. “[Eighty-one] ‘republicans’ voted with democrats to fund this rogue organization that fuels global censorship and domestic propaganda.”
“Although its name suggests a force for good, its mission has drifted far from its Cold War origins. This is a classic tactic of the swamp, where bad policy and corruption hide behind a noble title,” the Arizona Republican said on the House floor Wednesday, before the vote.
“We’ve learned that this organization has engaged in global censorship, domestic propaganda, and regime change politics,” Crane added.
The White House recommended completely defunding NED in May, citing reports that the organization doled out money to entities that attacked Republicans and sought to blacklist conservative media outlets.
Republican Utah Sen. Mike Lee also called on the House of Representatives to support Crane’s amendment.
“Congress shouldn’t be giving $315 million to the National Endowment for Democracy. We are not the world’s ATM,” Lee wrote on X Monday. “And yet far too many in Congress seem to think otherwise—especially when we’re asked to fund leftist vanity projects.”
Billionaire tech executive and former Department of Government Efficiency head Elon Musk has also advocated for defunding the nonprofit.
In 2020, the NED financially supported the Global Disinformation Index (GDI), a United Kingdom-based anti-free speech outfit, which designated a spate of conservative news outlets as among the “riskiest” news sources for disinformation. GDI then sent this list to major advertisers in an attempt to bleed the sites of ad revenue.
Democrats have largely defended the NED’s ostensible democracy promotion efforts around the world.
“In Ukraine, democracy programs helped document Russian war crimes against women and children. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, they fight corruption and strengthen the rule of law. In Pakistan, they promote religious tolerance and protect minority communities,” Democratic Florida Rep. Lois Frankel said during floor debate.
“These investments are not charity. They’re prevention,” Frankel continued, adding that NED’s investments reduce the likelihood of conflicts that could force U.S. intervention.
Lawmakers approved a two-bill spending package Wednesday that would fund the Department of Treasury and State Department — in addition to the Internal Revenue Service and Federal Trade Commission — for the remaining fiscal year.
Since Crane’s amendment failed, NED would be fully funded if President Donald Trump ultimately signs the measure into law. The minibus package now heads to the Senate, which could consider the legislation as soon as next week.
Caden Olson contributed to this report.
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