[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9757 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9757
To prohibit the use of Federal funds for direct cash assistance in
Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 23, 2024
Mr. Brecheen (for himself, Mr. Burchett, Mr. Moore of Alabama, Mr.
Norman, Mr. Langworthy, Mr. Rosendale, Mr. Crane, Mr. Burlison, Mr.
Feenstra, and Mr. Palmer) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the
Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To prohibit the use of Federal funds for direct cash assistance in
Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``No More Taxpayer Cash for the
Taliban Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) Billions of United States taxpayer dollars are being
flown into Afghanistan, where they are directly and indirectly
benefiting the illegitimate Taliban regime.
(2) The sudden and disorganized withdrawal of the United
States military presence in Afghanistan ordered by the
President in August 2021 destabilized the Afghan National
Security Forces, leading to the Taliban taking control of Kabul
on August 15, 2021.
(3) According to the Special Inspector General for
Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), since August 2021, the
United Nations has purchased and transported at least
$2,900,000,000 for use in Afghanistan.
(4) As of January 2024, of the $2,900,000,000 that the
United Nations has sent to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan since
August 2021, the United States Government has provided
$2,600,000,000 of taxpayer dollars.
(5) Inside Afghanistan, the United Nations uses this United
States currency to buy local currency, afghani, from the
Taliban-controlled central bank of Afghanistan, Da Afghanistan
Bank (DAB).
(6) According to SIGAR, the Taliban has directly and
indirectly benefited from United States currency shipments to
Afghanistan in multiple ways.
(7) The Taliban ``taxes'' direct cash assistance, stealing
millions of United States taxpayer dollars.
(8) The Taliban charges currency exchange fees when
international organizations convert United States currency into
afghani using DAB.
(9) The revenues from aid taxation and currency exchange
fees can be used by the Taliban to fund their priorities,
including their military and security services.
(10) The influx of United States currency into the Taliban-
controlled central bank has propped up the value of the
afghani.
(11) United Nations purchases of afghani from the Taliban-
controlled central bank have provided the Taliban with millions
in largely untraceable United States currency.
(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that no
taxpayer dollars should be given to support the illegitimate Taliban
regime in Afghanistan.
SEC. 3. PROHIBITIONS.
(a) Direct Cash Assistance Prohibited.--Notwithstanding any other
provision of law, no Federal funds may be made available by any Federal
department or agency in the form of direct cash assistance to any
person in Afghanistan.
(b) Assistance to United Nations and Other Nongovernmental
Organizations Limited.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no
Federal funds may be obligated or expended by any Federal department or
agency to provide funds to the United Nations, a non-governmental
organization, or a public international organization, if such funds
will be used to provide direct cash assistance to any person in
Afghanistan.
(c) Prohibition on Sale of United States Currency to the United
Nations.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Board of
Governors of the Federal Reserve System may not sell, or authorize a
Federal reserve bank to sell, United States currency to the United
Nations for the purpose of direct cash assistance in Afghanistan.
<all>