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Press Release Published: Aug 19, 2021

Oversight Republicans Demand Special IG Briefing on Efforts to Prevent American Taxpayer Dollars from Falling into Taliban, Terrorist Hands

Express Serious Concerns Over Afghan Withdrawal and Reconstruction 

WASHINGTON—Today, House Committee on Oversight and Reform Ranking Member James Comer (R-Ky.) and National Security Subcommittee Ranking Member Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.) wrote Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction John F. Sopko expressing serious concerns over President Biden’s disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal and the Administration’s failure to provide assurances that it will prevent ongoing U.S. taxpayer assistance to Afghanistan from falling into Taliban or other terrorists’ hands.

“The execution of this withdrawal has been an unmitigated disaster, and the Taliban now rule Afghanistan,” wrote the lawmakers. “It is vital to understand what happened in Afghanistan, how previous U.S. assistance was used, how much previously appropriated assistance remains unobligated, and, frankly, if ongoing assistance is legal and in the best interest of the U.S. Since President Biden did not condition his withdrawal on the Taliban severing ties with al-Qaeda and other terror groups, it is unclear if continued U.S. assistance would find its way into the hands of terrorists and be used to finance attacks on Americans.”

The Republican lawmakers are requesting an immediate briefing to better understand what went wrong, how the Biden Administration is prioritizing any future reconstruction efforts, and whether any steps are being taken to ensure U.S. assistance in the region does not fall into the hands of terror groups.

Read the full letter here