A stunning new investigation led by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) has revealed that the Biden administration funneled $18 million in U.S. taxpayer funds to Communist China, with millions buried or absent from federal spending databases—a revelation that’s sparking outrage among lawmakers and watchdog groups.

At least $4 million of that money was unaccounted for or misreported in USAspending.gov, the government’s public grant tracking platform. The majority of the funding was distributed through the State Department and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to support a wide array of China-based projects—including:
• DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility) training at U.S. consulates
• Pro-LGBT events in China
• Art billboards and bicycle parking covers
• Climate change initiatives
• Rat research

Also included in the spending was $4.8 million to Peking University in Beijing for a “China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study.” But Ernst’s team uncovered another $1.08 million sent to Peking researchers hidden as a subaward under a grant to the University of Southern California. That grant funded research into brain sensors related to cognition, addiction, and mood—but this subaward was not listed on Peking University’s profile on USAspending.gov.

An April 2023 Government Accountability Office (GAO) audit confirmed that U.S. funds often reach Chinese programs through subawards, but warned that the full extent is unknown due to poor data reporting and transparency.

Sen. Ernst blasted the administration, saying that hard-earned American dollars are being used to prop up a hostile regime, all while dodging accountability through buried line items and incomplete reporting.