Comer, Grothman Request a Full Committee Hearing with Inspectors General on Biden’s Disastrous Afghanistan Withdrawal - United States House Committee on Oversight and Accountability

Committee Democrats ignored previous request and failed to hold the Biden Administration accountable

WASHINGTON – Today, House Committee on Oversight and Reform Ranking Member James Comer (R-Ky.) and Subcommittee on National Security Ranking Member Glenn Grothman R-Wis.) sent a letter to Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) and Subcommittee Chairman Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.) requesting a full Committee hearing with Inspectors General as soon as possible on President Biden’s disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal. On August 18, 2021, Oversight Republicans initially requested a hearing with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan. Committee Democrats ignored the request and have failed to hold the Biden Administration accountable.

“We wrote you requesting a hearing on the situation in Afghanistan; you failed to respond,” wrote the lawmakers. “Since then, Committee Republicans have secured the commitment of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) and all three components of the Lead Inspector General for Overseas Contingency Operations (Lead IG) to testify before our Committee. Both SIGAR and Lead IG recently published Quarterly Reports on the situation in Afghanistan. These reports—particularly their classified annexes—present new information and valuable context regarding the security situation in Afghanistan. These IGs are willing to testify about their findings and provide unvarnished and balanced facts to the Committee.”

The lawmakers are requesting the following witnesses to appear before the Committee:

The Honorable John Sopko
Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction

Mr. Sean O’Donnell
Acting Inspector General, Department of Defense

Ms. Diana Shaw
Acting Inspector General, Department of State

Mr. Thomas Ullom
Acting Inspector General, Agency for International Development

Read the full letter here.