Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) is speaking out against a proposal made by three Senate Republicans that would reportedly use taxpayer dollars to help the Libyan government’s democratic transition.
In a Wall Street Journal Op-Ed, Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Mark Kirk (R-) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) urged the United States to take advantage of the situation in advancing the its interests in the Northern Africa and the Middle East.
Sherman, the top Democrat in the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade denounced any foreign aide that would stem from taxpayer dollars. Instead, Sherman suggests that the $30 billion in frozen Gadhafi assets be used to pursue these advances.
“American taxpayers should not be on the hook when some $30 billion is available to pay for whatever technical assistance the Libyan transitional government needs,” he said. “Any aid worth providing ought to be paid for with Libyan money. And if there is aid the Libyan government does not wish to pay for - it’s probably not that useful.”