Gardner, Rubio Introduce Amendment to Restrict United States Funding to El Salvador

Washington, DC- Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy and Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, And Global Women’s Issues introduced an amendment to H.R. 6157, the Minibus Appropriations bill being considered on the Senate floor, which will restrict US funding to El Salvador. The amendment comes in response to El Salvador’s announcement on Tuesday that they would break diplomatic ties with Taiwan.

“El Salvador has made the wrong decision regarding Taiwan, and it will negatively influence United States relations with El Salvador,” said Senator Gardner. “I appreciate Senator Rubio for working with me on an amendment to restrict funding to El Salvador, and I urge for it to be included in the final bill.  This amendment will send a direct message to Taiwan’s allies that the United States will use every tool to support Taiwan’s standing on the international stage and will stand up to China’s bullying tactics across the world.”

“It is extremely disappointing that El Salvador chose to sever diplomatic relations with democratic Taiwan and embrace communist China,” said Senator Rubio. “This is a grave mistake that harms relations with the U.S., and will likely prove to be costly and short-sighted given what we know about China’s ‘debt traps’ and economic exploitation globally. I am pleased to join Senator Gardner in taking steps to block U.S. foreign assistance to El Salvador. The U.S. and other democracies must stand together and reject China’s use of financial bribery and economic coercion to divide us.”