Oversight Republicans: Blinken, Austin Must Testify before Committee on Biden’s Disastrous Afghan Withdrawal

WASHINGTON – Today, House Committee on Oversight and Reform Ranking Member James Comer (R-Ky.) and National Security Subcommittee Ranking Member Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.) sent a letter to U.S. Department of State Secretary Antony Blinken and U.S. Department of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin requesting their commitment to testify at an oversight hearing of the Biden Administration’s poor execution of the Afghan withdrawal.

“We request that you both commit to testify in front of the Oversight Committee,” wrote the lawmakers. “The execution of the withdrawal of U.S. and U.S.-allied troops from Afghanistan has been reckless and haphazard, leading to deadly consequences. In a matter of days, the Taliban went on an offensive and took over Kabul for the first time in nearly two decades. This is unacceptable. For the past 20 years, this Committee has conducted bipartisan oversight over the situation in Afghanistan; we see no reason to stop now.”

On August 18, 2021, Oversight Republicans requested Oversight Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), and Chairman of the National Security Subcommittee Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), to immediately convene a full committee hearing to conduct congressional oversight of the deteriorating situation in Kabul, Afghanistan.

“We have numerous questions about President Biden’s decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan and the Biden Administration’s plans, or lack thereof, to execute this withdraw. We reiterate our request that you commit to testify before this Committee as soon as possible,” concluded the Republican lawmakers.

Read the full letter here.