Comer, Grothman Slam Democrats for Failing to Hold Biden Accountable for Botched Afghanistan Withdrawal

Renew their request for a public hearing on the Administration’s disastrous decisions in the region

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 Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) renewing their request for a public hearing on President Biden’s botched Afghanistan withdrawal. Despite requesting a hearing in August and September 2021, Committee Democrats have yet to hold a public hearing on the Administration’s self-inflicted national security and humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

“Unfortunately, the Committee has not held a single public event on the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. Not one. The complete lack of oversight is conspicuously surprising considering the Committee’s consistent and bipartisan engagement on Afghanistan—including your own—prior to the Biden Administration’s botched withdrawal. Rather than pursue transparency and accountability, Committee Democrats have remained idle. Meanwhile, the situation in Afghanistan and the region continues to worsen… Committee Democrats must step up, do their job, and hold the Biden Administration accountable, even if it is politically inconvenient. We therefore again request a full committee—public and in-person—hearing on the Biden Administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan and the aftermath,” wrote the lawmakers.

In the letter, Comer and Grothman request U.S. Department of State Secretary Antony Blinken, U.S. Department of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, and Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs Jake Sullivan to testify before the Committee and answer pressing questions related to the haphazard withdrawal.  

Read the letter here.