On the recordJuly 13, 2023
Let's be clear. There is no money in the authorizing bill for Afghanistan, so the gentleman's worries are misplaced. In fact, if he wasn't bringing up this amendment, we wouldn't even be talking about it. So that last little bit there was completely wrong, totally confusing, some big, impassioned plea about how dare we pass an authorizing act that funds the Taliban. I assure all Members there is no money in this bill for funding the Taliban. This amendment has got nothing to do with the authorizing bill. It goes way beyond that. We are not doing what the sponsor of this amendment just said we are doing. I don't know. Maybe he wishes to withdraw the amendment at this point since it is pointless to his argument, but I just want to be clear to the Members who will have to vote on this, it is not in the bill. This amendment has nothing to do with that.
