Congressman questions US decision to spend 30m on Pak farmers

WASHINGTON, Apr 27:  New York Congressman has questioned the decision of the Obama Administration to spend USD 30 million on mango farmers of Pakistan to help them export the king of fruits to the US, terming it “egregious” and “wasteful” government spending.
“This is ridiculous,” Congressman Tom Reed said in a statement asserting that the USD 30 million spent to help Pakistani Mango farmers is the latest example of “egregious and wasteful government spending” by the Obama Administration.
“While domestic fruit farmers struggle to get by, we aid Pakistani farmers?” Reed said adding that the USD 30 million is part of a USD 90 million programme funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
“Our national debt stands at more than USD 15,300,000,000,000,” Reed continued.
“Yet we borrow money that our children and grandchildren will have to pay back in order to boost Pakistani mangoes,” he said.
“This just demonstrates how dysfunctional our government has become when USD 30 million can be wasted without anyone stopping the expense,” said the Republican lawmaker from New York.
This is the second time that Reed has cited money for Pakistan as an example of egregious spending.
He previously highlighted USD 20 million of taxpayer money used for a Pakistani version of Sesame Street as an example of misuse. (PTI)