Representative Tim Burchett, Republican of Tennessee, introduced a new bill on Thursday aimed at preventing U.S. taxpayer dollars from indirectly supporting the Taliban.
The bill, titled the “No Tax Dollars for Terrorists Act,” would require the State Department to create and implement policies ensuring that American aid does not end up in the hands of the Taliban.
The bill also mandates detailed reports on cash assistance programs in Afghanistan, outlining how the U.S. government prevents the Taliban from accessing these funds.
Additionally, the measure calls for greater transparency regarding the Afghan Fund and Afghanistan’s central bank, both of which have been focal points of international financial discussions since the Taliban takeover in 2021.
In a post on X, Burchett criticized the need for such legislation, writing, “It is crazy that legislation like this needs to be introduced in the first place.”
The move comes amid persistent scrutiny of the Biden administration’s handling of funds allocated to Afghanistan. A report from the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) recently raised concerns about the lack of safeguards to ensure that Taliban officials are not benefiting from American financial assistance.
Since the Taliban regained power, critics have accused the administration of failing to adequately monitor the flow of aid, exacerbating concerns about corruption and misuse of funds.
The State Department has not yet commented on the proposed legislation.
