Medical Research News

There are no records to display that match the provided criteria.

Sen. Moran Joins Legislation to Protect Taxpayer Rights and Privacy

Bill provides guardrails against recent proposals to expand IRS, monitor Americans’ private finances

Sep 16 2021

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) cosponsored the Tax Gap Reform and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Enforcement Act to protect taxpayers against proposals to monitor Americans’ bank accounts, place taxpayer finances in a surveillance dragnet, and provide massive, additional mandatory funding to the IRS for an army of IRS agents.

“In order to fund the Democrats’ tax-and-spend spree, the Biden administration has proposed drastically increasing the size and scope of the IRS,” said Sen. Moran. “This legislation puts important guardrails in place to protect against this invasive proposal by Democrats that would infringe on taxpayer privacy and damage local lenders’ capacity to serve their customers.”

Under the guise of closing the “tax gap,” Democrats are seeking to increase IRS funding by a massive $80 billion over the next 10 years to expand “enforcement and compliance activities” at the IRS, and to create a “comprehensive financial account information reporting regime,” under which gross inflows and outflows of taxpayers’ financial accounts are reported by financial intermediaries to the IRS, effectively acting as IRS agents. This strategy would also require the IRS to hire nearly 90,000 new employees and would intrude into Americans’ financial accounts by requiring the potential disclosure of annual inflows and outflows for accounts over $600.

Key provisions of the Tax Gap Reform and IRS Enforcement Act:

  • Tax Gap Reform: Requires timely, annually-updated information on tax gap estimates in coordination with the Joint Committee on Taxation.
  • Taxpayer Protection: Prevents the IRS from targeting Americans for their political and ideological beliefs, codifies President Biden’s pledge to not increase audits of taxpayers making less than $400,000 per year, and prohibits the establishment of new bank reporting requirements.
  • Smarter Enforcement: Requires the IRS to use existing data and tools to improve its corporate audit selection process and increase enforcement against high-income non-filers.
  • Closes the Expertise Gap: Creates an IRS enforcement fellowship pilot program to assist with the agency’s most complex audits and case selection decisions. Before hiring thousands of new agents, Congress should test the effectiveness of increasing expertise in a targeted way.

Sen. Moran joined his colleagues Sens. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) in support of this bill.

The legislation is supported by the National Taxpayers Union, Americans for Tax Reform and the Center for a Free Economy:

“This legislation is a strong alternative to recent proposals that would write an $80 billion check to the IRS with too little forethought,” said Pete Sepp, President of the National Taxpayers Union. “If lawmakers move forward with an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) budget boost anyway, these reforms and more should be considered prerequisites for any major proposed increase in the IRS budget, and would both safeguard taxpayers’ rights and support taxpayers’ interest in an effective, modern, and agile IRS.”

“Democrats want to give the IRS $80 billion and hire 87,000 new agents so they can harass and audit taxpayers and create a new reporting regime that targets any bank account, Venmo account, or financial account exceeding $600 in gross inflows and outflows,” said Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform. “This should be alarming given the IRS has a long history of failing to do its job and targeting taxpayers based on their political beliefs. The Tax Gap Reform and IRS Enforcement Act introduced by Congressman Brady and Senator Crapo takes steps towards protecting taxpayers by implementing important safeguards against potential new IRS targeting and abuse.”

“Congressional Democrats' answer to Americans' frustrations with the IRS is to hire more tax bureaucrats to audit them,” said Ryan Ellis, President of the Center for a Free Economy. “This bill provides a welcome reform-based alternative. People are fed up with being told they are tax cheats by academics and bureaucrats who have never signed the front of a paycheck, and that they must become the subject of fishing expedition audits in service to a fabricated ‘tax gap.’  Reining in the tax gap estimation and audit process gives taxpayers a fair shake if the tax man comes knocking. Congress should focus on getting the IRS to answer phone calls and correspondence in a timely manner, not on new audits.”

# # #

Sen. Moran Speaks at Senate Judiciary Hearing on FBI’s Dereliction of Duty in Larry Nassar Case

Moran: The FBI failed to protect our athletes. This inaction is appalling, and, as we’ve all said, unacceptable.

Sep 15 2021

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today provided opening remarks at the Senate Judiciary hearing on the Inspector General’s report that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) failed to act on information it received regarding Larry Nassar’s abuse of athletes. Today’s hearing included testimony from Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, Maggie Nichols, and McKayla Maroney, and FBI Director Christopher Wray and Inspector General Michael Horowitz.

“One question that stuck with me since the very beginning of our investigation was, ‘Why was there more than one?’said Sen. Moran. “During the course of our investigation, we uncovered evidence that the FBI received credible information of the dangers Nassar posed to athletes, yet did not appear to take additional actions.”

“I remain committed to working with this committee, the Judiciary Committee, my colleagues in the Senate and the survivors here today to protect and empower all athletes,” continued Sen. Moran. “As the ranking member of the Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees the Department of Justice, I will work to be certain the FBI agents are held accountable for their actions. Our goals should remain the same – to hold those accountable for these crimes and to make certain future generations can train, compete and succeed without fear of abuse.”

Sen. Moran and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) introduced S. 2330, the Empowering Olympic, Paralympic, and Amateur Athletes Act, in July of 2019 following an eighteen-month investigation into systemic abuse within the U.S. Olympic movement. The joint investigation was launched the day after Larry Nassar was sentenced to prison and included four subcommittee hearings, interviews with Olympic athletes and survivors, and the retrieval and review of over 70,000 pages of documents. This legislation was signed into law on October 31, 2020.

Earlier this year, following a personal briefing by Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General Michael Horowitz, Sens. Moran and Blumenthal released a joint statement on the report detailing the FBI’s failure, saying “We are appalled by the FBI’s gross mishandling of the specific warnings its agents received about Larry Nassar’s horrific abuse years before he was finally arrested.” 

Click HERE to Watch Sen. Moran’s Full Remarks

In 2018, as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science, Sen. Moran questioned FBI Director Christopher Wray on if the FBI received reports of sexual abuse within USA Gymnastics. In 2019, Sen. Moran secured FBI Director Christopher Wray’s commitment in an Appropriations Subcommittee hearing that the agency would prioritize and take the Inspector General recommendation seriously.

Remarks as delivered:

“Chairman Durbin and Ranking Member Grassley, thank you for holding this hearing most importantly, and thank you also for inviting me to speak before the committee today. I am grateful for your interest in this topic.

“I’d like to thank the survivors who will once again tell their stories. I express my respect for them today: McKayla Maroney, Maggie Nichols, Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, as well as all of the survivors who are also joining us today: Jessica Howard, Jamie Dantzscher, Kaylee Lorincz.

“On January the 25th, 2018, as Chairman of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee with jurisdiction over the health and safety of amateur athletes, Senator Blumenthal, my ranking member, and I opened an investigation into how USA Gymnastics, the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee, and Michigan State University allowed a monster—a monster—to assault and abuse young women for decades.

“Early in our meeting with the survivors, one of them asked the question, and it has stuck with me since then, since the very beginning of our investigation three and a half years ago, and the question was, “why was there more than one of us?”

“I do not know how to answer that question; I do not know a human being that I would not expect to report if someone told them they were being abused, to report to law enforcement, to officials. And yet, time and time again, no one—no one—excepted that responsibility for these young women.

“Why was there more than one? And most recently, we learned even the Federal Bureau of Investigation belongs on the list of those who failed in their responsibility, allowing for there to be more than one, more than dozens.

“Over 18 months, we held four committee hearings, we conducted hundreds of interviews, and we reviewed over 70,000 pages of documents. This bipartisan effort culminated last fall in the passage of the Empowering Olympic, Paralympic, and Amateur Athletes Act which strengthened legal liability and accountability mechanisms over the Olympic movement in the United States, and worked to restore a culture that put athletes first.

“We know, we knew, we continue to know: our job is not done. We will continue working with athletes and survivors now to make certain that law is effective in meeting its goals. And, we are here today because of those athletes, those victims, those survivors, because of their advocacy and their courage. 

“Together, we have demanded change and accountability from the institutions and individuals who covered up, enabled or contributed to the abuse of young athletes. And, as I said earlier, unfortunately, that list now includes the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

“Senator Blumenthal is correct: it’s not just about these survivors; it’s not just about gymnastics; it’s not even necessarily about the Olympics. This challenge is pervasive in our country, in our society, in our culture, and the chairman, Chairman Durbin, indicated today an instance today in his home state. All of us could find those, know those and recognize that there is much more to be done. 

“But, during the course of our investigation, we uncovered evidence that the FBI received credible information of the dangers Nassar posed to athletes, yet the FBI did not appear to take any additional actions.

“Furthermore, we learned that while the agents in Indianapolis claimed to have sent information they gathered to the appropriate offices in Michigan, it wasn’t until evidence collected by local authorities, that that evidence was turned over to the FBI in Lansing, Michigan, and that officials in Michigan then learned of Nassar’s abuse.

“Subsequently, the OIG report in July confirmed this misconduct—the OIG report confirmed our suspicions. The FBI received explicit warnings about Larry Nassar’s horrific abuse, from a survivor, years before the perpetrator was finally arrested. The FBI failed to protect our athletes. This inaction is appalling, and, as we’ve all said, unacceptable.

“I remain committed to working with this committee, the Judiciary Committee, my colleagues in the Senate and the survivors here today to protect and empower all athletes. As the ranking member of the Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees the Department of Justice, I will work to be certain the FBI agents are held accountable for their actions. That it is never repeated.

“I look forward to working with you, Mr. Chairman, Mr. Ranking Member, in that regard, and I know Senator Shaheen, the now-chairperson of our Appropriations Subcommittee, would join us in that effort. 

“Our goals should remain the same – to hold accountable those for these crimes and to make certain future generations can train, can compete, and can succeed without fear of abuse.

“I appreciate Inspector Horowitz and his report, his thoroughness. I thank Senator Blumenthal for his partnership in our subcommittees, three and a half years and now continuing efforts.   And, I particularly thank the Judiciary Committee for allowing me to speak today.

“This is something we must not forget, and all of us need to be able to answer why there was more than one.

“Mr. Chairman, thank you.”

# # #

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Congressman Ron Estes (KS-04) today announced $103,879,965 in grants for Kansas aviation manufacturers through the Aviation Manufacturing Jobs Protection (AMJP) program. These funds will help Kansas aviation employers retain 4,284 employees. The AMJP program was created by legislation introduced by Sen. Moran and Congressman Estes.

“The aviation manufacturing industry in Kansas plays a critical role in providing our state with high-paying jobs and supporting commercial and general aviation across the country,” said Sen. Moran. “As our economy continues recovering from the pandemic, having a trained, fully-staffed workforce will help aviation manufacturers recover more quickly and meet the demand for new aircraft and repairs. I’m pleased the Aviation Manufacturing Jobs Protection Program is providing support to this important industry and their invaluable workforce.”

“The skilled workforce in Kansas' aviation manufacturing industry is critical to our communities and our economy. The Aviation Manufacturing Jobs Protection Program funds will provide stability for employees and keep them here in the Air Capital of the World,” said Rep. Estes. “This bipartisan, bicameral program is a common sense solution that directly benefits workers in Kansas, and I'm pleased that so many aviation manufacturers are receiving the assistance they need to keep building aircraft in the Sunflower State.”

The AMJP program provides funding to eligible businesses to pay up to half of their compensation costs for certain categories of employees, for up to six months. Sen. Moran and Congressman Estes hosted an information session in June with U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) AMJP Program Director Elliott Black for aviation manufacturers in the Wichita area to learn more about the AMJP Program and ask questions directly to the program lead.

After receiving the first round of grant applications, the AMJP application was reopened from Aug. 4 – Sept. 1 to allow more businesses to apply. Businesses who applied in the second round are currently being evaluated by the Department of Transportation. The grant recipients below are from the first round of applicants.

Grant Recipients

Aerospace Systems & Components, Wichita

Air Capital NDI, Wichita

Apex Engineering International, Wichita

B&B Airparts, Wichita

C.E. Machine Company, Wichita

Cox Machine, Wichita

DBA Kansas Coil Spring Co, Wichita

Dynamic NC, Rose Hill

Fiber Dynamics, Wichita

Global Aviation Technologies, Wichita

Goddard Machine, Wichita

H. M. Dunn Company, Wichita

Integrated Components, Wichita

Kelly Manufacturing Company, Wichita

KMI Inc, Mulvane

Learjet Inc, Wichita

Lee Aerospace, Wichita

Manufacturing Development Inc, Cheney

MAX Aerostructures, Wichita

Metal Arts Machine Co, Wichita

Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics, Wichita

Millennium Machine & Tool, Newton

NWI Wichita, Wichita

Omni Aerospace, Wichita

Orizon Aerostructures, Kansas City

Rickman Machine Co., Wichita

Sinclair & Sons Custom Welding & Machining Service Inc, Wichita

Spirit AeroSystems, Wichita

Trinity Precision Inc, Wichita

United Machine Company Inc, Wichita

Winglet Technology, Wichita

# # #

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) released the following statement in opposition to President Biden’s federal vaccine mandate:

“There is no doubt that through the success of American science and ingenuity, the COVID-19 vaccine has provided the best shot at ending the pandemic and taking critical steps towards normalcy.

“I am vaccinated and I will continue to urge Kansans to get vaccinated. These decisions should be left to each individual, and that decision should be guided by conversations with trusted doctors and not dictated by bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. Furthermore, this government overreach comes at the expense of small business owners who are trying to strike a balance between keeping their businesses safe and open, and respecting their employees’ personal health decisions. This mandate will also only deepen divisions in the country regarding the vaccines, as well as make it even harder for employers to find workers and cause some employees to drop out of the workforce in protest.

“I strongly oppose the Biden administration’s extreme government overreach in requiring vaccinations and urge them to focus on solutions that will empower patients to make educated decisions of their own choosing.”

# # #

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today announced he has promoted Jake Wessel of Cedar Point, Kan. as his new State Agriculture Representative.

“Jake’s knowledge of farming and ranching stems from every aspect of his background, from growing up on a farm and ranch operation near Cedar Point, to his semesters spent as the late Dr. Barry Flinchbaugh’s trusted TA at Kansas State and his work with agricultural leaders in our nation’s capital,” said Sen Moran. “He understands the priorities and concerns of farmers and ranchers across Kansas, and his commitment to Kansas’ leadership in agriculture will serve our state well.”

Jake previously served as Sen. Moran’s Agriculture Legislative Correspondent in Washington, D.C. Jake was born and raised on his family farm and ranch in Chase County, Kan. and graduated from Kansas State University with a degree in Agribusiness. 

    # # #

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kan.) joined Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and 23 of their Senate colleagues in demanding information from President Biden regarding the Americans and allies who were left behind and on the vetting process for evacuees who are being brought to the United States.

“The signatories of this letter may have differing opinions about whether the United States should have maintained a military presence in Afghanistan, but we all agree that the arbitrary and poorly-planned method by which you withdrew from Afghanistan caused this crisis,” the Senators wrote. “We request thorough, unclassified answers to these questions that can be made available to the general public. Americans need to see that the United States will not abandon them to terrorists abroad forever.”

Sens. Moran, Marshall and Cotton were joined on the letter by Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Pat Toomey (R-Penn.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.). 

The full letter can be found HERE or below.

Dear President Biden:

We write regarding the humanitarian crisis created by your withdrawal of the United States from Afghanistan, and the safety and well-being of our fellow countrymen and allies who you left behind. The signatories of this letter may have differing opinions about whether the United States should have maintained a military presence in Afghanistan, but we all agree that the arbitrary and poorly-planned method by which you withdrew from Afghanistan caused this crisis.

You say that more than 123,000 individuals have been evacuated from Afghanistan in recent weeks (nearly half of whom were evacuated by groups or countries other than the United States), but only an estimated 5,500 “self-identified” American citizens (4.5% of the total evacuees) were evacuated or left on their own. Further, while it does not appear that you have released exact numbers of our Afghan partners who were evacuated, your administration has publicly confirmed that fewer than 50% of evacuated Afghans were Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applicants or their families.

Our immediate priority is the safety and well-being of American citizens, permanent residents, and allies who were left behind in Afghanistan. We are also concerned by reports that ineligible individuals, including Afghans with ties to terrorist organizations or serious, violent criminals, were evacuated alongside innocent refugee families. We request that you provide answers to the following questions no later than 5:00PM on Tuesday, September 7:

  • How many American citizens does the administration believe to remain in Afghanistan?
    • Of the American citizens still in Afghanistan, how many are currently in contact with the State Department?
    • Of the American citizens still in Afghanistan, how many have expressed a desire to be repatriated to the United States?
    • How did the administration reach this estimate, and what steps is the administration taking to find and connect with Americans who may still be in Afghanistan but who are not in contact with the State Department?
  • How many green-card holders does the administration believe to remain in Afghanistan?
    • Of the green-card holders still in Afghanistan, how many are currently in contact with the State Department?
    • Of the green card holders still in Afghanistan, how many have expressed a desire to be repatriated to the United States?
    • How did the administration reach this estimate, and what efforts is the administration taking to find and connect with green-card holders who may still be in Afghanistan but who are not in contact with the State Department?
  • How many Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applicants remain in Afghanistan?
    • Of the SIVs remaining in Afghanistan, how many have already received final SIV approval from the U.S. Center for Immigration Services?
    • Of the SIVs remaining in Afghanistan, how many are currently in contact with the State Department?
    • Of the approved SIVs and the SIV applicants who were evacuated, how many served for a year or more as interpreters or translators for American or allied armed forces in Afghanistan?
    • Are the State Department and USCIS still processing pending SIV applications? What steps are being taken to ensure that pending applicants are safe from Taliban reprisals as their applications are adjudicated?
  • According to your administration, more than 50% of evacuated Afghans were not SIV applicants or their families, including vulnerable Afghans such as women and girls at high risk for Taliban reprisals. Of the more than 57,000 Afghans who are not American citizens, green-card holders, or SIV applicants or their families, how many had no pending immigration application or status with the United States prior to being airlifted?
    • By what criteria did your administration select these individuals for the airlift while leaving American citizens, green-card holders, and SIV applicants and their families behind?
    • How many evacuees, in total, are Afghans who are not American citizens, green-card holders, or SIV applicants or their families? Please also provide a breakdown of how many of these individuals are adult men, adult women, girls, or boys.
    • What steps did your administration take to verify the identities of these individuals before evacuation?
    • What steps are your administration taking to ensure that individuals are thoroughly vetted and their identities verified before entering the United States?
    • Who is responsible for vetting these evacuated individuals before they reach the United States?
    • Is the administration checking for potential criminal records and national-security concerns before admitting individuals to the United States?
    • There are reports that a convicted rapist—who had previously served a prison sentence in the United States before being deported—was flown to the national capital region as part of this airlift operation.  Was that individual vetted before being flown to the United States? If so, was his criminal record found and ignored, or was it not found in the first place?
    • How many other individuals have been allowed to enter the United States as part of this evacuation before undergoing vetting and background checks?

We request thorough, unclassified answers to these questions that can be made available to the general public. Americans need to see that the United States will not abandon them to terrorists abroad forever. If your answers implicate classified material, you may also submit a classified appendix to your answers and coordinate with us to provide a classified briefing.

We look forward to your prompt response.

# # #

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) is offering assistance to Kansans seeking evacuation assistance from Afghanistan for themselves, loved ones or colleagues.

“Our country’s priority must be repatriating Americans and evacuating those who served alongside our troops from Afghanistan as the situation in Kabul and across the country continues to deteriorate,” said Sen. Moran. “My staff and I have been providing information to the State Department in the effort to evacuate U.S. citizens, allies and those at risk of persecution. If you still know someone who is needing repatriation or evacuation assistance from Afghanistan, please contact my office immediately.”

To request assistance, contact Sen. Moran’s office at casework@moran.senate.gov or by calling 202-224-6521.

The U.S. Department of State has also launched a Kabul Repatriation Assistance form here for U.S. citizens.

# # #

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today released the following statement after the terrorist attack outside Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan:

“We must use every resource available to evacuate all Americans, allies and partners out of Afghanistan and protect our servicemembers on the ground. Americans need leadership and strength from our commander-in-chief. Weakness will only make the situation worse and cost more American lives. President Biden and his administration must immediately make clear how we are going to get people to safety and deliver justice for our fallen servicemembers.

“It is our duty to honor the service and sacrifice of all those who responded to the attacks on our country since 9/11 including those who lost their lives today.”

# # #

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) released the following statement after the terrorist attack outside Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan:

“The terrorist attacks in Kabul are absolutely horrific. The American men and women currently serving in Afghanistan to bring U.S. citizens home and evacuate our partners are heroes and dealing with impossible circumstances. My heart goes out to the families of our Marines who made the ultimate sacrifice today, as well as the innocent Afghans who have been killed or wounded in their pursuit of freedom.

“I am closely monitoring the deteriorating situation and continue to work with the State Department and Department of Defense to get U.S. citizens out of Afghanistan.”

# # #

Sen. Moran Calls on President Biden to Answer Questions Regarding U.S. Strategy for Afghanistan

Will the President Extend the August 31 Deadline; How will the U.S. Evacuate Afghan SIVs and Prevent more U.S. Weapons from Ending Up in the Taliban’s Hands?

Aug 25 2021

WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) joined an effort led by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) in calling on President Biden to outline a plan following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan by answering 14 questions submitted by 12 Senators and 54 U.S. Representatives.  

“The situation in Afghanistan has rapidly metastasized into Taliban rule with reinstated oppression of women and girls, the repression of civil society, the displacement of countless Afghans from their homes who the Taliban then use force to prevent from fleeing Afghanistan, and a power vacuum that China seeks to fill by increasing its ties to the Taliban,” the congressional members wrote. “Dealing with these consequences means that we must take action now to chart the course for American strategy, while we manage the immediate repercussions of this self-inflicted crisis in Afghanistan.”

Other Senators who joined the letter included Sens. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), John Boozman (R-Ark.) and John Hoeven (R-N.D).

The full letter and questions can be found HERE and below.

Dear Mr. President:

Over the past weeks, the world watched with utter shock as the Taliban took over Afghanistan with astonishing speed, the result of unforced errors made by withdrawing completely the small remaining footprint of our main military force from Afghanistan, and by unnecessarily delaying the evacuation of U.S. personnel and our Afghan partners. The situation in Afghanistan has rapidly metastasized into Taliban rule with reinstated oppression of women and girls, the repression of civil society, the displacement of countless Afghans from their homes who the Taliban then use force to prevent from fleeing Afghanistan, and a power vacuum that China seeks to fill by increasing its ties to the Taliban.

The consequences of withdrawal from Afghanistan are not isolated to that country, or even to the Middle East region. The withdrawal carried geopolitical and strategic consequences that have already begun to unfold and will reverberate for decades. Dealing with these consequences means that we must take action now to chart the course for American strategy, while we manage the immediate repercussions of this self-inflicted crisis in Afghanistan.

To this end, we write to ask you to outline what your plan is to move America forward. There remain several unanswered, urgent questions, and we would like to know the following:

  • What is your plan to evacuate Afghan SIVs and other vulnerable Afghans like women, girls, and former Afghan civil service employees from Afghanistan?  Do you have a plan to protect prominent women journalists, scholars, and employees of prominent non-government organizations? Will you ensure that religious and ethnic minorities, like the Hazaras, are also prioritized for P1/P2 visas within this evacuation sequence?
  • Will you commit to abandoning the arbitrary August 31 withdrawal deadline and continuing Noncombatant Evacuation Operation until all Americans, allies, and at-risk Afghans are processed for evacuation?
  • The intelligence community has warned that Al Qaida and ISIS-K will be given carte blanche by the Taliban to use Afghanistan as a safe haven to train and equip for future terrorist attacks against the United States. What is your plan to ensure that Al Qaida does not resurge and regain a foothold in Afghanistan? What “over the horizon” operations are you prepared to use to counter this threat?
  • Given that the Taliban has taken Kabul, does the Taliban now have de facto command and control over the Afghan security forces’ former personnel, equipment, and infrastructure? If so, does this mean that the Taliban possess an air force through this de facto control? What is your plan to disable any air forces that operate under orders from the Taliban? 
  • What is your plan to ensure that more U.S. and Afghan military equipment does not end up in the hands of the Taliban? What is your plan to reclaim U.S. military equipment that has already fallen into the hands of the Taliban?
  • How many U.S. funded aircraft have been taken out of the country by Afghan pilots, and what are you currently doing to retrieve said aircraft?
  • What is your plan to secure Third Country Agreements for transit and resettlement functions for Afghan refugees?
  • What is your plan to support Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKIA)’s air traffic control functions long-term? Are there sufficient Afghan personnel to maintain the operability of HKIA after U.S. troops fully withdraw?
  • Do you plan to support any free Afghanistan resistance or security force that organizes outside of Afghanistan?
  • What is your plan to counter the Chinese Communist Party’s growing relationship with the Taliban? 
  • What is your plan to ensure that American influence in the Middle East does not erode after so rapidly dissipating in Afghanistan? 
  • Are you prepared to support regional allies militarily in the event that the Taliban militarize the Afghanistan border? What is your plan to help to ensure that the Taliban does not destabilize its nuclear neighbor, Pakistan?
  • Do you have a plan to ensure that Afghanistan, under Taliban occupation, will never acquire a nuclear weapon? 
  • Since Afghanistan is a Major Non-NATO ally, how will you reassure the United States’ other MNNA countries that this powerful symbol of our close relationship to those countries can still be relied on?

With respect to any answers that may involve sensitive or classified information, we would welcome a briefing from your national security team. We look forward to your response.

# # #