[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 190 (Thursday, October 28, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S7456]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              AFGHANISTAN

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, yesterday, in a hearing in the Senate 
Foreign Relations Committee, Ranking Member Risch, called out the State 
Department for its apparent lack of action in helping those Americans 
and Afghan allies who are still stuck in Afghanistan.
  It has been 2 months since the withdrawal of all American military 
and diplomatic presence in the country in the wake of the Talban's 
total takeover of that country.
  In the past week or so, the number of Americans reportedly still in 
the country has grown, not shrunk.
  We have gone from around 100 to over 400.
  Now, I know Americans are not flocking to Taliban controlled 
Afghanistan, so why does this number keep going up?
  I understand that Americans are not required to register with the 
State Department so it is understandable that they would not have a 
reliable, fixed list of Americans at the start of this crisis.
  But I find it hard to believe that Americans waited 2 months after 
being abandoned in Afghanistan by their government to reach out and 
then, in the space of a week, suddenly found a way to get in touch.
  The State Department set up special e-mail addresses and issued 
guidance on how to report Americans and Afghan allies who need to be 
evacuated.
  My office heard from many Iowans concerned about those they knew in 
Afghanistan, and my staff followed the directions from the State 
Department, forwarding the contact information.
  For the most part, all I ever heard back was a confirmation that the 
message was received.
  I am starting to wonder if these went into a black hole?
  I did not expect that the State Department would devote time and 
effort to keeping me informed given that presumably it was all hands on 
deck to contact those in the country and make arrangements for them.
  However, 2 months later, I don't see much progress.
  Then there are reports that efforts by brave former special forces 
and other Americans who picked up where their government left off to 
evacuate Americans and Afghan allies have not received the support they 
needed from the State Department. Is the State Department just washing 
their hands of this mess?
  I shared with Senator Risch information I passed on to the State 
Department about 98 Afghan allies known to Iowans to need help as their 
lives were in danger after the Taliban takeover.
  I am only aware of one that has been evacuated.
  I know that many have not even been contacted by the State 
Department.
  I am glad that Ranking Member Risch entered this information into the 
Record along with information from 24 other Senators, totaling 16,688 
cases.
  That is just one quarter of the Senate, so I know there are many more 
cases out there.
  It is time to hear what the State Department is doing to get the 
remaining Americans home and to process the cases of Afghan allies so 
those who helped us and whose lives are at risk can get to safety.

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