This week, Congressman Patrick McHenry (NC-10) cosponsored two bills related tot he crisis in Afghanistan. The first, H.R. 5142, is a bipartisan bill introduced by Congresswoman Lisa McClain (MI-10) to posthumously award the Congressional Gold Medal to the thirteen U.S. military servicemembers who were killed in Afghanistan last week.
H.R. 5142 will award the Congressional Gold Medal to Staff Sgt. Darin Taylor Hoover, Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo, Sgt. Nicole Gee, Cpl. Hunter Lopez, Cpl. Daegan Page, Cpl. Humberto Sanchez, Cpl. David Lee Espinoza, Lance Cpl. Jared Schmitz, Lance Cpl. Rylee McCollum, Lance Cpl. Dylan Merola, Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, Hospitalman Maxton Soviak and Staff Sgt. Ryan Knauss.
“Last week, our nation lost thirteen brave Americans," said Congressman McHenry. "Their deaths are all the more devastating knowing that these men and women were well aware of the danger they faced being in Afghanistan, but they kept doing their jobs because it was their duty. We must never forget their sacrifice. I am proud to cosponsor this bill to posthumously award these heroes the Congressional Gold Medal.”
The second bill Congressman McHenry cosponsored is H.R. 5127, the Afghanistan Withdrawal and Oversight Liability (AWOL) Act introduced by Congressman Mike Gallagher (WI-08). This bill demands accountability from the Biden Administration on their failure in Afghanistan, including requiring President Biden to provide plans to bring Americans abandoned in Afghanistan back to the US. Additionally, this bill would ensure we do not support the Taliban in any way.
"President Biden's withdrawal in Afghanistan was an unmitigated disaster that resulted in the deaths of thirteen young American heroes and the abandonment of hundreds of U.S. citizens," said Congressman McHenry. "The American people deserve to know what happened in Afghanistan and why President Biden allowed such a catastrophic failure to happen. I am proud to support the AWOL Act so we can get those answers."
Background: H.R. 5127 is a comprehensive bill that will force the Biden Administration to provide Congress with greater detail regarding all aspects of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and to ensure that the U.S. government does not support the Taliban in any way.
It expresses that the Biden Administration should make every effort to evacuate all remaining Americans, Lawful Permanent Residents, and their families. President Biden would be required to update Congress on any ongoing efforts to rescue vulnerable Afghans and under what category they fall – whether they are SIV applicants, Priority 1 (P1), Priority (P2), or refugee status. Additional administrative provisions would require the president to provide details on the number of U.S. citizens that the Administration claims “do not wish to leave” and what conditions prohibit them from leaving.
Further, this legislation establishes strict parameters to limit the U.S. government’s involvement with the Taliban. It prohibits any material payments (direct or indirect) to the Taliban, the lifting of sanctions on Taliban leaders, formally recognizing the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, and requires that the President provide updates on all future agreements made with the Taliban. Such details would also include our agreements with the Taliban from as early as August 13, 2021 and what each agreement entailed while we conducted our evacuation. To determine what military capabilities the Taliban now has, the AWOL Act would require a complete report on U.S. equipment, property, and classified material that was destroyed, surrendered, or abandoned in Afghanistan.
