Washington, D.C. – House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (CA-23), Ranking Members Mike Bost (IL-12), Michael McCaul (TX-10) Mike Rogers (AL-03), and House Republican veterans of the war in Afghanistan, Congressman Jim Banks (IN-03), Congressman Michael Waltz (FL-6), Congressman Brian Mast (FL-18), Congressman Mark Green (TN-7), and Congressman Jake Ellzey (TX-10) rebuked President Biden for his failed leadership in Afghanistan. Leader McCarthy stated, “There is no one in the world outside of Joe Biden who thinks that we can get everybody out by August 31st.”
He also questioned the priorities of House Democrats in Congress: “[House Democratic leadership] spent an entire day, yesterday and today, trying to twist arms to get people to vote for trillions of dollars, [but did] not twist one arm to make sure you get Americans out. I think if they spent a little time listening to this country they’ll know what work should be done,” said McCarthy.
Rep. Jim Banks [Navy]: “If any American is harmed or killed and not safely evacuated, or if any of this military equipment or weapons is used to harm or kill an American, the blood is directly on Joe Biden’s hands.”
Rep. Michael Waltz [Army]: “I personally have helped my Afghan interpreters get back to the United States, but their families are being hunted down as we speak.”
Rep. Brian Mast [Army]: “If we know one thing, it’s [the Biden administration] is most concerned with optics, and that’s probably what is putting more people in danger than anything else.”
Rep. Mark Green [Army]: “[The Afghan army] felt abandoned by the United States of America when they woke up and went to Bagram Airfield and we were gone.”
Rep. Jake Ellzey [Navy]: “For all of us, this is not politics. Nobody wants to be standing up in front of you, talking about this. This is a failure. This is about Americans, not politics.”