[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 106 (Tuesday, June 25, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H4128-H4130]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 STRATEGY TO OPPOSE FINANCIAL OR MATERIAL SUPPORT BY FOREIGN COUNTRIES 
                             TO THE TALIBAN

  Mr. McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 6586) to require a strategy to oppose financial or material 
support by

[[Page H4129]]

foreign countries to the Taliban, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 6586

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. STRATEGY TO OPPOSE FINANCIAL OR MATERIAL SUPPORT 
                   BY FOREIGN COUNTRIES TO THE TALIBAN.

       (a) Statement of Policy.--It is the policy of the United 
     States to oppose the provision of financial or material 
     support by foreign countries to the Taliban that is 
     inconsistent with United States law or policy.
       (b) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to 
     the appropriate congressional committees a report 
     identifying, to the maximum extent possible--
       (1) foreign countries that have provided financial or 
     material support to the Taliban since September 1, 2021, that 
     is inconsistent with United States law or policy, including--
       (A) the amount of United States-provided foreign assistance 
     each country receives, if any;
       (B) the amount of financial or material support each 
     country has provided to the Taliban; and
       (C) a description of how the Taliban has utilized such 
     financial or material support; and
       (2) efforts the United States has taken since September 1, 
     2021, to oppose foreign countries from providing financial or 
     material support to the Taliban if doing so is inconsistent 
     with United States law or policy.
       (c) Strategy and Reports.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall 
     develop a strategy to discourage foreign countries from 
     providing financial or material support to the Taliban that 
     is inconsistent with United States law or policy.
       (2) Reports.--
       (A) Initial report.--Not later than the date on which the 
     strategy required by paragraph (1) is completed, the 
     Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate 
     congressional committees a report detailing the strategy and 
     a plan for its implementation.
       (B) Subsequent reports.--
       (i) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date on 
     which the strategy required by paragraph (1) is completed, 
     and annually thereafter for 5 years, the Secretary of State 
     shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a 
     report on the implementation of the strategy, including the 
     impact of the strategy in discouraging foreign countries from 
     providing financial or material support to the Taliban that 
     is inconsistent with United States law or policy.
       (ii) Form.--The report required by this subparagraph shall 
     be submitted in unclassified form, but may contain a 
     classified annex if necessary.
       (d) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this 
     section, the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' 
     means--
       (1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on 
     Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and
       (2) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on 
     Appropriations of the Senate.

     SEC. 2. REPORT ON DIRECT CASH ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS IN 
                   AFGHANISTAN.

       (a) In General.--The Administrator of the United States 
     Agency for International Development, in consultation with 
     the Secretary of State, shall submit to the appropriate 
     congressional committees a report on United States 
     Government-funded direct cash assistance programs in 
     Afghanistan during the period beginning on August 1, 2021, 
     and ending on the date that is 30 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act. The report shall be submitted in 
     conjunction with the submission of the Fiscal Year 2023 
     Annual Financial Report of the United States Agency for 
     International Development.
       (b) Matters to Be Included.--The report required by 
     subsection (a) shall, with respect to such direct cash 
     assistance programs, include--
       (1) a description of method of payments;
       (2) a description of how and where currency exchanges 
     occur;
       (3) a description of if and how hawalas are used and the 
     oversight mechanisms in place regarding use of hawalas to 
     transfer funds in United States Government funded direct cash 
     assistance programs in Afghanistan; and
       (4) a description of safeguards, including oversight 
     processes, to prevent the Taliban from accessing cash 
     assistance under such programs.
       (c) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this 
     section, the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' 
     means--
       (1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on 
     Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and
       (2) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on 
     Appropriations of the Senate.

     SEC. 3. REPORT ON STATUS OF AFGHAN FUND.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the 
     Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate 
     congressional committees a report on the status of the Afghan 
     Fund.
       (b) Matters to Be Included.--The report required by 
     subsection (a) shall include, to the maximum extent 
     possible--
       (1) a description of the Taliban's influence over Da 
     Afghanistan Bank, including a list of Taliban members 
     employed by such Bank or serving on its board of directors;
       (2) a description of the Afghan Fund's board of trustees, 
     including the process for vetting and selection of trustees;
       (3) the conditions necessary for the United States 
     Government to support disbursements from the Afghan Fund to 
     Da Afghanistan Bank;
       (4) how the Afghan Fund's board of trustees determines the 
     Fund's activities, including what kind of information will 
     inform the board's decisions, and how the board will collect 
     and verify this information; and
       (5) a description of what controls have been put into place 
     to ensure funds and disbursements are not diverted to or 
     misused by the Taliban.
       (c) Sunset.--This section shall terminate on the date that 
     all disbursements from the Afghan Fund have been made.
       (d) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this 
     section, the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' 
     means--
       (1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on 
     Financial Services of the House of Representatives; and
       (2) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on 
     Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. McCormick) and the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Stanton) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia.


                             General Leave

  Mr. McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on this measure.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Georgia?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6586. I thank my colleague 
from Tennessee (Mr. Burchett) for introducing this important 
legislation to prevent U.S. taxpayer dollars from ending up in the 
Taliban's hands.
  Since the Biden administration's disastrous withdrawal nearly 3 years 
ago, the Taliban has established a reign of terror in Afghanistan. The 
Taliban has banned girls from receiving an education and essentially 
banned women from participating in public life in any meaningful way. 
They have supported the public flogging and stoning of women and have 
prevented women from working for NGOs, significantly restricting the 
delivery of humanitarian aid.
  These abhorrent policies reveal the barbaric heart of Taliban control 
over Afghanistan.
  Meanwhile, the Biden administration continues to flood Afghanistan 
with money. Since 2021, the U.S. has appropriated nearly $3 billion for 
assistance to Afghanistan, yet we have little to no oversight over much 
of this assistance, which is administered by third parties. This 
administration must be held accountable to ensure that U.S.-provided 
assistance to Afghanistan does not end up in the Taliban's hands.
  Recent reports show that at least 10.9 million U.S. taxpayer dollars 
have been paid to the Taliban in the form of taxes and fees. Due to lax 
oversight by this administration, the real number is probably much 
higher.
  Congress has a responsibility to ensure that U.S. tax dollars are not 
hand-delivered to Taliban terrorists.
  While the U.S. maintains a policy of nonrecognition toward the 
Taliban, countries in the region show increasing signs of engagement. 
Most recently, the leader of the United Arab Emirates received a number 
of Taliban officials, including the head of the Haqqani Network 
terrorist group, which is on the FBI's Most Wanted list.
  This administration has no written strategy to discourage foreign 
nations from providing financial or material support to the Taliban. It 
is essential that we hold nations that receive U.S. assistance 
accountable and ensure that they do not empower the Taliban.
  This bill requires the administration to report on what exactly they 
are doing to conduct oversight of U.S. money going to Afghanistan and 
requires them to identify which foreign nations are funding the 
Taliban. This

[[Page H4130]]

basic oversight is essential to ensuring that the American people and 
our partners around the world are not paying for the Taliban's reign of 
terror.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this measure, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. STANTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6586, and I yield 
myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, even several years after our withdrawal, the United 
States continues to have important interests in Afghanistan, not only 
ensuring it is never again used as a base for terrorists to plan 
attacks against the United States but also keeping our commitment to 
the Afghan people.
  Keeping that commitment means continuing to advocate for a more 
inclusive government that respects human rights, particularly for women 
and girls. It means that we continue humanitarian assistance to support 
the Afghan people, and it means that we never forget that too many 
Afghans who supported our decades-long mission are there.
  The reports and strategy included in this legislation address the 
important issue of how we can prevent the erosion of our tools to 
influence Taliban behavior without a presence on the ground. We must 
ensure our assistance is not diverted or misused and that the 
international community remains unified in insisting that the Taliban 
fulfills their commitment and improves their record, particularly on 
human rights, before they can receive international recognition. We 
must ensure that the Afghan Fund, which holds the former assets of the 
Afghan central bank, is used for the benefit of the Afghan people.
  I thank Mr. Burchett and Chairman McCaul for their collaboration with 
the Foreign Affairs Committee minority staff to improve this 
legislation, particularly in clarifying that what we are looking to 
address are actions that are inconsistent with U.S. law and policy. For 
example, we have made exceptions in sanctions against the Taliban to 
allow for the continued delivery of humanitarian aid, which supports 
our interests.
  I hope that the reports mandated by this bill will offer valuable 
insights and assurances about our continued engagement in Afghanistan.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this important 
bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Tennessee (Mr. Burchett), the author of this bill.
  Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman, and I appreciate the 
kind words of the gentleman across the aisle and his support for this 
important piece of legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, when the United States withdrew from Afghanistan in 
2021, over $7 billion worth of military equipment was left behind for 
the Taliban. This seems to be a usual occurrence for this country, no 
matter who is in power.
  I was the mayor of Knox County. With anywhere from $10 million to $15 
million, we can build a high school in Tennessee. I can't imagine what 
$7 billion would do across the country. Anyway, all that is outrageous.
  Every cent our government spends comes from the American people, and 
right now, we are borrowing a whole heck of a lot of it. We are $35 
trillion in debt. The fact that their money has gone to terrorists, to 
me, is just a complete disgrace, Mr. Speaker. This bill would help 
prevent any more money from ending up in the hands of the Taliban.
  The bill does three things.
  First, it states the policy of the United States is to oppose 
financial or material support to the dadgum Taliban. It also calls for 
a report on any foreign countries that have given financial or material 
support to the Taliban and calls for the Secretary of State to develop 
a strategy to discourage foreign countries from providing support.
  This came from a conversation I had in a committee. I want to give 
John Stout in my office some incredible kudos for helping me craft this 
bill. We asked a member, I believe it was, of the State Department, 
this money that we give to these organizations, these countries, is 
there any way to keep it from getting into the hands of terrorists? In 
fact, he said: No. In this case, there was not.
  Second, this bill calls for a report on cash assistance programs in 
Afghanistan and puts safeguards in place to prevent the Taliban from 
accessing it, keeping them from getting to the money.
  Third, it requires a report on the Afghan Fund and the Afghanistan 
central bank and what controls are in place to make sure these funds 
are not diverted or misused.
  Thirteen brave servicemembers, including a constituent of mine, Staff 
Sergeant Ryan Knauss, lost their lives in the Afghanistan withdrawal. 
He was technically the last American to lose his life in Afghanistan. 
The road I live on, the State highway, has been named in his honor. I 
see it every day when I drive down it, and I think about that.
  I have held his parents both when they have cried and I have cried, 
and it is just very emotional for me. These folks lost their lives in 
the Afghanistan withdrawal, and we need to make sure our tax dollars 
don't go toward terrorists who killed Americans.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to vote for this bill, which 
keeps our government accountable and prevents the Taliban from getting 
its hands on any more of Americans' hard-earned money. I thank my 
friends across the aisle as well for their support.
  Mr. STANTON. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time that I 
am aware of, and I yield myself the balance of my time for the purpose 
of closing.
  Mr. Speaker, this legislation is critical for preserving the United 
States' ability to influence the Taliban and keep our commitments to 
the Afghan people.
  Again, I thank Mr. Burchett and Mr. McCaul for working with the House 
Foreign Affairs Committee minority to ensure that this bill remains 
aligned with our values and aligned with our larger policy goals in 
Afghanistan.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this measure, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCORMICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to 
close.
  Mr. Speaker, the world cannot turn a blind eye while the Taliban 
continues to wreak havoc on the lives of the Afghan people.
  The Biden administration and our partners and allies have a 
responsibility to ensure that funding flowing to Afghanistan solely 
benefits the Afghan people and not their Taliban overlords. We must not 
be complicit in funding Taliban atrocities in Afghanistan.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. McCormick) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 6586, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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