Congressional Record, Volume 170 Issue 106 (Tuesday, June 25, 2024)

[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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