The House of Representatives, under Republican control, has enacted legislation designed to restrict the Taliban’s financial support from international governments and non-governmental organizations.
The No Tax Dollars for Terrorists Act (H.R. 260) articulates that the foreign policy of the United States is to “oppose the provision of foreign assistance by foreign countries and nongovernmental organizations to the Taliban, especially those nations and organizations that receive foreign assistance from the United States.”
Rep. Tim Burchett, a Republican from Tennessee who introduced the legislation, remarked on the House floor on Monday that Afghans resisting Taliban governance have informed him that international funds are being directed to the Taliban regime.
“According to their accounts, almost all of the cash aid sent to Afghanistan ultimately reaches the Taliban,” Burchett remarked. “Mr. Speaker, they will despise us for free. We do not need to allocate hard-earned American tax dollars to them.”
The Act requires the Secretary of State to formulate a strategy within 180 days to dissuade foreign governments and organizations from aiding the Taliban, to identify ways to support Afghan women and former U.S. military allies, and to submit a series of reports to Congress regarding aid to Afghanistan.
Rep. Jonathan Jackson (D-Ill.) recognized the bipartisan backing for the measure but criticized the Trump administration for its lack of transparency concerning its plans in Afghanistan.
“There is no consensus regarding the actions of the Trump administration in Afghanistan, as they have not communicated their intentions,” Jackson stated. “We urgently require more information and assurances from the Trump administration about their priorities in Afghanistan and now Iran.”
The measure was approved by the House through a voice vote without any objections. It will now proceed to the Senate for final ratification.
Earlier this month, legislation was passed by the House with a vote of 226 to 188 to prevent future administrations from banning oil and gas drilling without Congressional consent, marking another significant victory for President Donald Trump.
The Republican who sponsored the bill, Rep. August Pfluger from Texas, indicated that the legislation was motivated by concerns regarding potential fracking bans under the Biden administration.
“When President Biden assumed office, his administration adopted a ‘whole of government’ strategy to wage war on American energy production, catering to woke environmental extremists and undermining this flourishing industry,” Pfluger remarked in a statement after the bill’s approval.
“The legislation that was approved today is an essential initial measure in countering Biden’s assault on energy by prohibiting the federal government from outlawing hydraulic fracturing,” he stated.
As part of his “drill, baby, drill” initiative, President Donald Trump has committed to unleashing energy produced within the United States since his campaign.
Should the president enact the bill into law, it would prevent the drilling method from being prohibited by future administrations.
Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum initiated internal inquiries into agency actions that “hinder” energy development on Monday, removing the energy sector from “coercive” climate policies and oil lease bans established during the Biden administration.
This development coincides with a new national poll indicating that a majority of Democrats are dissatisfied with the performance of their party’s lawmakers in Congress.
According to a Quinnipiac University poll released on Wednesday, 53% of Democratic respondents expressed disapproval of congressional Democrats’ job performance, while only 41% showed approval.
Among all voters surveyed from June 5 to June 8, merely 21% approved of how Democrats in Congress are fulfilling their responsibilities, with 70% expressing disapproval.
The 21% approval rating aligns with the figure from Quinnipiac’s February national poll, marking “an all-time low since Quinnipiac University first posed this question to registered voters in March 2009.”
In contrast, the survey reveals that 79% of Republican voters approve of the performance of congressional Republicans, while 13% disapprove.
