Washington, D.C.— U.S. Congressman Andy Barr (R-KY) and 27 House Republicans sent a letter to U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) Secretary Lloyd Austin calling out the Administration for an overdue report to Congress on equipment and property removed, left behind, or destroyed in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

This report was mandated by Congress in the continuing resolution (CR) enacted into law in September of 2021.  The CR required the report be submitted to Congress within 90 days, the deadline for the report falling on December 29, 2021.  Kristina Wong of Breitbart News broke the story on this letter. 

“It is with gravest concern that even after a three-month window to produce the required information, the DOD still has not given Congress an accurate accounting of United States equipment still in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan where terrorist groups are reconstituting,” the members stated in their letter. 

“This lack of information prevents Congress from being able to accurately and effectively conduct oversight over the tens of billions of dollars of equipment invested in Afghanistan over the past 20 years and creates vulnerabilities in our national security,” the letter continued. 

Rep. Barr, who serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has been a fierce critic of the Administration’s disastrous surrender in Afghanistan.  Rep. Barr warned then-U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad against the U.S. giving away Bagram Air Base to the Taliban.  Additionally, Rep. Barr was the first member of Congress to call for the resignation of the President’s entire national security team on August 18, 2021, following the fall of Kabul.  

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