TIM YOHO

Lock Haven

The letter by Bryan Shade published Jan. 6 and entitled “World relief bill” is misleading.

The writer indicated falsely that foreign aid was rolled into the COVID-19 Relief Bill.

He listed billions of dollars going to various countries and 1.4 billion to an Asian Reassurance Initiative Act.

Snopes Fact Check states: “Congress passed a $2.3 trillion spending bill that funds the U.S. government through the 2021 fiscal year.” That bill was passed by a Republican controlled Senate. “The bill includes a $900 billion coronavirus relief package. Foreign aid wasn’t stuffed into a coronavirus relief package, rather coronavirus relief was part of the $2.3 trillion spending bill.” www.snopes.com/fact-check/second-covid-stimulus-foreign-aid/

The Asian Reassurance Initiative Act cited by Shade was signed into law by President Trump in 2018 and authorizes spending $1.4 billion, but the money goes to U.S. agencies to advance American interests, blunt China’s influence, and forestall terrorism and cybersecurity attacks.