House Democrats blocked an audit of US military and economic aid to Ukraine. The blank checks with no accountability will continue.
The bill calls on the Pentagon and State Department to provideย Congressย with documents on U.S. aid toย Ukraineย since the Russian invasion in February. It was defeated by a 26-22ย House Foreign Affairs Committeeย vote on Tuesday. The vote blocked the bill from receiving a vote on the House floor.
They might not have a clue as to where the money is or how it was used.
Committeeย Chairman Gregory W. Meeks, New York Democrat, called the resolution led by Rep.ย Marjorie Taylor Greene, Georgia Republican, an โextremistโ ploy. He said it’s meant to โundermine strong bipartisan support for Ukrainian freedom and sovereignty.โ
โThis measure plays straight, directly, to [Russian President] Vladimir Putinโs hands,โ Mr. Meeks said. โThis is not the time for us to be divided. Weโve held together with NATO and the [European Union] and our allies. Letโs not fall into this trap.โ
Giving away over a hundred billion with some accountability is extreme?
Ms.ย Greeneย has been critical of sending U.S. taxpayer dollars toย Ukraine.ย She would like to see the funds used at the border. That is a position held by a small group of Republicans since the start of the war, reports The Washington Times.
Wanting to close our open border is seen as extreme.
Herย calls for transparency align with a more broadly held view among Republicans. The U.S. should not continue sending โblank checksโ toย Ukraine.
โThe resolution didnโt say anything about being pro-Ukrainian war or anti-Ukrainian war. None of that language is in there,โ Ms.ย Greeneย told The Washington Times. โI am simply asking for an audit, which I believe the American people deserve. Thatโs not even political.
โIf the Democrats think itโs extreme for the American people to have transparency about where their hard-earned tax dollars are going inย Ukraine, then I think the Democrats need to consider how theyโre representing our country,โย sheย said. โI think itโs extreme to tell the American people that they donโt deserve an audit of where their money is going.โ
Rep. Michael T. McCaul of Texas, a staunch advocate for continued U.S. support toย Ukraine, argued that support does not have to come at the expense of transparency.
In November, Republican Sen. Rand Paul also called out the Biden administration for its continued decision to fund the war effort in Ukraine with U.S. tax dollars. He called for oversight into the $20 billion in aid already sent to the country.
โDidnโt someone try to legislatively mandate a special inspector general to scrutinize Ukrainian spending?โ Paul said. โOh, thatโs right, it was my amendment, and most Democrats AND Republicans opposed any semblance of oversight.โ
On Twitter, Paul linked to a report onย Fox Newsย that detailed how, according to theย Washington Post, the Biden administration inspected only around 10% of the 22,000 weapons sent to Ukraine between February and November.
Recently, the president of Nigeria said he was very concerned about the illegal arms pouring into terrorists’ hands, threatening his country.
So, we will keep writing blank checks and sending wapons with no accountability.
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