Democrats block the bill to rescue Americans stranded in Afghanistan

Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) Slams House Democrats for Rejecting Bill to Save Americans Stranded in Afghanistan

On Tuesday, House Democrats voted down legislation to rescue Americans stranded inside Afghanistan after Joe Biden withdrew all US troops from the Taliban-controlled country on Monday.

The legislation would also have funded an audit of the billions of dollars in military equipment left behind by Joe Biden and other US military leaders for Taliban.

Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) slammed House Democrats today for preventing his legislation from being passed, which would have required the Biden administration to produce a plan to get stranded Americans out of Afghanistan.

Gallagher joined a group of House Republicans in requesting that this bill be passed with Unanimous Consent, but his request was denied on the House Floor.

“House Democrats have had not one, but two opportunities to join House Republicans in supporting legislation to hold this administration accountable and do whatever is necessary to save lives. Both times, they declined to join our efforts to do so. This is unacceptable,” said Rep. Gallagher. “American lives are on the line and we have a moral obligation to do everything we can to get them home. Congress cannot sit on the sidelines while hundreds of our fellow citizens have been left behind enemy lines.”

Particularly, Rep. Gallagher’s bill would:

  • Demand a plan from the Biden Administration to bring Americans home,
  • Request an accounting of all the equipment left behind,
  • Require transparency on any deals or agreements made by the Biden Administration with the Taliban,
  • Establish a sense of Congress that that Taliban should not be recognized as the government of Afghanistan, and
  • Prohibit any federal funding or sanctions relief to the Taliban.

Background:

Last week, Rep. Gallagher also introduced H.R. 5071, which would have required daily reporting to Congress on the number of Americans left in the country, the number of Afghan allies seeking refuge, and cases of the Taliban detaining these individuals or otherwise preventing them from leaving. It would also have prohibited the President from withdrawing American forces from Afghanistan until all Americans who wish to leave are safely out. House Democrats unanimously rejected this legislation to consider the $3.5 trillion reconciliation package.

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