WHAT: Republicans and Democrats have joined in criticizing the U.S. Agency for International Development for proposing $4 million in foreign aid to Washington’s biggest overseas creditor, China.

HOW: Under this plan, taxpayers would clearly be, in effect, repaying China for loans we took out to give them free grants. These subsidies would be intended mostly to promote clean energy.

WHY IT’S OUTRAGEOUS: The chairman of the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on Asia, Rep. Donald Manzullo, R-Ind., pointed out that the aid would boost competitiveness of Chinese manufacturers at the expense of U.S. manufacturers.