U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) is the sole Alabama representative to support a resolution to audit relief funds sent to Ukraine.
The United States has already sent nearly $54 billion in aid to Ukraine, and President Joe Biden has requested that Congress earmark an additional $38 billion in further assistance.
A small number of those in Congress have been critical of the money sent to Ukraine with the issues currently facing America, such as the mass amounts of drugs and people illegally crossing the southern border.
U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green (R-GA) presented House Resolution 1482 (HR1482), which would require Biden and the Secretary of Defense to produce for examination the following items: "[A]ll documents, charts, or tables, including notes from meetings, audio recordings, records (including telephone and email records), correspondence, and other communications, and any financial statements detailing purchases, recipients, and government expenditures to the extent that any such one or more items … refer or relate to congressionally appropriated funds directed to the nation of Ukraine — whether in regard to military, civilian, or financial aid."
"We are ignoring the dangers happening at our border and the national security crisis happening in our country while we are completely protecting another country's border and also waging a proxy war with Russia," Green said.
The "privileged resolution" would cover all information from when Biden took office.
The resolution will be deferred to the relevant committee, which will have 14 days to deliberate to either allow it on the House floor for a vote or reject it entirely.
"If Congress votes this down, guess what the message will be to the American people? It will be, 'you don't get to find out what's happening with your money.'" Green said. "They'll be telling the American people no, and I think that is a very bad message to tell the American people when it comes to the security of our border, the protection and safety of American citizens, especially when being compared to a foreign country."
Moore joined Green and other co-sponsors of the resolution at a press conference to speak on the resolution. Reps. Matt Gaetz (R– FL), Andrew Clyde (R–GA), Thomas Massie (R–KY) and Rep-elect Cory Mills (R–FL) all took the podium to discuss the issues surrounding the continued funding of Ukraine.
"I was in Ukraine before Afghanistan fell, and at that point in time, the parliament was extremely concerned about [American] energy policy and how we were allowing Putin to basically move the [Nord Stream 2] Pipeline and start production," Moore said. "Even then, parliament saw the issue, but when I got here and started talking to other members, the same group of people here gave Trump such a hard time about a few billion dollars at the U.S. southern border."
"As fentanyl and drugs and illegals poured across our southern border, a few billion dollars, four billion, was just a little too much money. And now we are looking at $40 billion one week, [and] $14 billion the next week with little to no oversight. Ukraine is a young democracy, and we are sending American taxpayer money over there with no oversight. It creates problems. It creates corruption. It's not good for the American taxpayer or the American people."
Gaetz echoed sentiments shared by the others, calling the resolution "well thought out."
"I will not vote for one more dollar to go to Ukraine," Gaetz said. "I will not vote for one more piece of material to Ukraine. We are far too entangled in this conflict. I believe we have extended this conflict.
"If Joe Biden truly wanted to combat a crisis, he would be focused on reducing federal spending to combat the evaporating value of the U.S. Dollar," Gaetz said in a statement. "For these reasons, I am a proud cosponsor of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's Resolution of Inquiry to audit every American taxpayer dollar sent to Ukraine."
To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.
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