Lankford Calls Out Billions in New Spending on Biden’s Afghanistan Debacle with Zero Oversight

WASHINGTON, DC  –Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today responded to the Continuing Resolution (CR) that includes $7 billion for Afghanistan refugee resettlement. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has already spent$6 billion on Afghanistan resettlement efforts in only three months but DHS has yet to report how they have spent the money. DHS missed the mandatory reporting deadline, but Democrats are asking for Congress to vote on $7 billion more for Afghanistan resettlement efforts. Senate Democrats on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee have also yet to hold a single oversight hearing on Afghanistan refugee resettlement process.

“The only response I’ve seen from this Administration when it comes to the Afghanistan withdrawal debacle is to throw more money at the problem—and now Democrats want another $7 billion for the Afghan resettlement process on top of the $6 billion they have already spent in the last three months. For reference, Oklahoma’s total budget is $8.83 billion—for a state of 4 million people. Democrats want $13 billion to transition 69,000 Afghan refugees with zero oversight,” said Lankford. “The Homeland Security Committee has not held a single public hearing on Afghan refugees or DHS oversight. Not one Biden Administration official has testified under oath to the Homeland Security Committee on this process, even though the Biden Administration has made DHS the lead agency on the resettlement process. This is continued unchecked federal taxpayer spending with no oversight and no end in sight.”

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