House Republicans Lead Opposition to Taliban Funding, Recognition

Following the Biden administration’s declaration that the war in Afghanistan is over, House Republicans are zeroing-in on potential funding for the Taliban in the upcoming markup of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Led by Republican Study Committee (RSC) Chairman Jim Banks (R-IN), GOP lawmakers will introduce a series of amendments in opposition to Taliban legitimacy, Axios first reported.

A few of the amendments include the following, via Axios:

• Banks: Labeling the Taliban as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, and a report into the weapons, mineral wealth and other funds the Taliban has obtained in relation to the U.S. withdrawal.
• Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.): A funding limitation prohibiting the Defense Security Cooperation Agency from recognizing the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan, and barring Defense Department funds from recognizing the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.
• Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.): Call on the State Department to examine whether the Taliban is a state sponsor of terrorism. (This amendment has already been blocked.)
• Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.): New arms embargo sanctions prohibiting arms sales from Russia and China to the Taliban.
• Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.): Non-recognition of the new Taliban government in Afghanistan modeled after the Crimea Non-Recognition Act.

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Meanwhile, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan would not designate the Taliban as an "enemy."

Biden National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan refuses to call the Taliban an enemy: “Hard to put a label on it" pic.twitter.com/LrOdjNP3pL

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) August 31, 2021