House Committee Subpoenas Secretary of State Over Atheism Grant Investigation

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) has issued a subpoena to Secretary of State Antony Blinken following the State Department's failure to provide documents related to a $500,000 grant aimed at promoting atheism internationally. The committee has been seeking information since August 2023, and the subpoena mandates that Blinken submit the requested documents by 5 p.m. on September 4. McCaul criticized the State Department for what he described as a pattern of "obfuscation and denial" regarding the grant awarded to Humanists International. In a letter sent in August, McCaul and other House Republicans requested details about the grant titled “Promoting and Defending Religious Freedom Inclusive of Atheist, Humanist, Non-Practicing and Non-Affiliated Individuals.” The State Department has maintained that its Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor does not fund organizations to promote specific religious ideologies. However, Republicans argue that the grant's title contradicts this assertion, prompting their demand for further clarification. Additionally, McCaul has subpoenaed Humanists International, seeking documents to ascertain whether the grant facilitates the "intentional exporting of atheism" and distorts the concept of religious freedom. He expressed concern that organizations with "extreme, ideological agendas" have not been transparent about their use of taxpayer funds. The Washington Examiner has reached out to the State Department for a response regarding the ongoing investigation.