Several Republicans in the House of Representatives introduced a bill on Thursday to audit the aid the U.S. has given to Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion of the country in February. The audit bill comes as the U.S. has already sent about $66 billion this year and could surpass $103 billion if a new spending request is approved for Ukraine.
To date, lawmakers have approved a two tranches of money for Ukraine in March, May and September of this year, worth $13.6 billion, $40 billion and $12.3 billion respectively. This week, President Joe Biden asked Congress to authorize another $37.7 billion in funding for Ukraine, which would bring U.S. aid for Ukraine since Russia attacked to about $103.6 billion.
The Daily Caller first reported on Thursday that Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) had introduced legislation — along with fellow Republican Reps. Matt Gaetz (FL), Paul Gosar (AZ), Thomas Massiev (KY), Andy Biggs (Az), Barry Moore (AL), Matt Rosendale (MT), Andrew Clyde (GA), Dan Bishop (NC), Greg Steube (FL) and Clay Higgins (LA) — to audit all military, civilian and financial aid given to Ukraine under President Biden.
“The American people deserve [to know] where their hard earned tax dollars are going to a foreign country who is not a member of NATO and President Biden himself said he would not defend,” Greene told The Daily Caller.
Greene also tweeted a video on Thursday of wounded Ukrainian soldiers walking through the halls of Congress.
“It is heartbreaking to see these disabled Ukrainian soldiers here in the halls of Congress being used as pawns to pressure our Congress to give American’s hard earned tax dollars to Zelensky,” Greene said. “I’m calling for an audit of funds to Ukraine and to fund and secure our border.”
There has been some oversight with the aid the U.S. has sent to Ukraine so far. A provision in the May aid package states the Department of Defense Inspector General shall carry out reviews of DoD efforts to follow through with appropriations for Ukraine.
Last month, the DoD announced the U.S. Defense attaché for Ukraine and Office of Defense Cooperation personnel have gone to Ukraine to track and inspect weapons shipments to the country. The U.S. State Department announced a plan to prevent U.S. and western-provided weaponry from ending up on the black market or being captured by pro-Russian forces who could use them to “develop countermeasures, propaganda, or to conduct false-flag operations.”
