House Bill Cuts Off Aid to Taliban-Run Afghanistan

(AP)

A new bill would prohibit the use of federal funds for the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Josh Brecheen, R-Okla., would stop aid going to Afghanistan that ends up in the hands of the Taliban.

“Billions of United States taxpayer dollars are being flown into Afghanistan, where they are directly and indirectly benefiting the illegitimate Taliban regime,” the bill reads.

According to a report from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, the United Nations has purchased and transported at least $2.9 billion in aid to Afghanistan, with the United States providing $2.6 billion of that aid.

“Inside Afghanistan, the United Nations uses this United States currency to buy local currency, Afghani, from the Taliban-controlled central bank of Afghanistan,” the bill reads. “The Taliban has directly and indirectly benefited from United States currency shipments to Afghanistan in multiple ways. The Taliban ‘taxes’ direct cash assistance, stealing millions of United States taxpayer dollars.”

The revenues from aid taxation and currency exchange fees can be used by the Taliban to fund their priorities, including their military and security services, according to the bill.

“It is the sense of Congress that no taxpayer dollars should be given to support the illegitimate Taliban regime in Afghanistan,” the bill reads.

The bill would ban any federal department or agency to provide direct cash assistance to any person in Afghanistan and block federal funds to the United Nations, or any nongovernmental organization, or a public international organization, if the funds will be used to provide direct cash assistance to any person in Afghanistan.

“The Biden-Harris Admin’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan has plunged the country back under Taliban rule and now it turns out that our taxpayer dollars are being used to the benefit of the Taliban,” Brecheen said on social media. “This legislation is needed so we can ensure that no more of our tax dollars are being irresponsibly used in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.”