House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Kentucky) and other Republicans are calling on federal agencies to provide documents and information to ensure that taxpayer dollars being spent on Ukraine are being protected from waste, fraud, and abuse.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine nearly a year ago, Congress has provided more than $113 billion for security, humanitarian, economic, and governance assistance. It is critical that government agencies administering these funds ensure they are used for their intended purposes to prevent and reduce the risk of waste, fraud, and abuse. The Committee seeks documents and information to understand how the Department of Defense (DOD), Department of State (State), and the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) are conducting oversight of these funds.”
Rep. James Comer (R-Kentucky) and Oversight Committee Republicans
Under Republican leadership, the Oversight Committee says it is returning to is primary duty to root out waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in the federal government.
During a recent hearing investigating emergency pandemic spending, the Oversight Committee heard from government witnesses who said that rushed timelines to prioritize spending quickly can leave programs vulnerable to waste, fraud, and abuse.
Providing security and humanitarian assistance for warfighting and reconstruction purposes comes with an inherent risk of fraud, waste, and abuse. The United States must identify these risks and develop oversight mechanisms to mitigate them. We learned from efforts in Afghanistan that the World Bank does not always have effective monitoring and accounting of funds, and often lacks transparency. We also learned that unrealistic timelines and expectations that prioritize spending quickly lead to increased corruption and reduced effectiveness of programs. As the United States continues to filter assistance through multilateral organizations with pressure to spend funds quickly, we must ensure proper protections are in place to prevent the misuse of funds.
Rep. James Comer (R-Kentucky) and Oversight Committee Republicans
Read the full letter here or below:
The Honorable Lloyd Austin Secretary
U.S. Department of Defense 1000 Defense Pentagon Washington, D.C. 20301
The Honorable Antony Blinken Secretary
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street N.W. Washington, D.C. 20520
The Honorable Samantha Power Administrator
U.S. Agency for International Development Ronald Regan Building
Washington, D.C. 20525
February 22, 2023
Dear Secretary Austin, Secretary Blinken, and Administrator Power:
The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is conducting oversight of the federal government’s administration of U.S. taxpayer-funded assistance to Ukraine. Since Russia invaded Ukraine nearly a year ago, Congress has provided more than $113 billion for security, humanitarian, economic, and governance assistance.1 It is critical that government agencies administering these funds ensure they are used for their intended purposes to prevent and reduce the risk of waste, fraud, and abuse. The Committee seeks documents and information to understand how the Department of Defense (DOD), Department of State (State), and the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) are conducting oversight of these funds.
On January 25, 2023, U.S. National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications, John Kirby claimed, “We have not seen any signs that our budgetary assistance has fallen prey to any kind of corruption in Ukraine,” and that all direct budgetary
1 DEPT. OF DEFENSE INSPECTOR GEN., et. al. JOINT STRATEGIC OVERSIGHT PLAN FOR UKRAINE RESPONSE, 3 (Jan. 2023).
The Honorable Lloyd Austin The Honorable Antony Blinken The Honorable Samantha Power February 22, 2023
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assistance, “goes through the World Bank.”2 Mr. Kirby continued, “I would go so far as to say the same on the security assistance side as well.” 3 These claims came one day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky fired several top Ukrainian officials amid a corruption scandal.4 Ukrainian government officials allegedly engaged in bribery, used government vehicles for personal use, and purchased inflated food supplies for Ukrainian forces.5 In response, President Zelensky named a new Minister of Defense.6 Based on Mr. Kirby’s remarks, however, the U.S. National Security Council appears unaware of this corruption scandal, heightening concerns that U.S. agencies are not conducting oversight of taxpayer assistance to Ukraine.
Providing security and humanitarian assistance for warfighting and reconstruction purposes comes with an inherent risk of fraud, waste, and abuse.7 The United States must identify these risks and develop oversight mechanisms to mitigate them. We learned from efforts in Afghanistan that the World Bank does not always have effective monitoring and accounting of funds, and often lacks transparency.8 We also learned that unrealistic timelines and expectations that prioritize spending quickly lead to increased corruption and reduced effectiveness of programs.9 As the United States continues to filter assistance through multilateral organizations with pressure to spend funds quickly, we must ensure proper protections are in place to prevent the misuse of funds.
To assist the Committee’s investigation into what is being done to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer funded assistance to Ukraine, please provide the following documents and information, covering the period February 24, 2022, to the present, as soon as possible, but no later than, March 8, 2023:
1. All documents and communications regarding strategies for end-use monitoring of weapons, equipment, direct budgeting assistance, and any other form of economic or security assistance for the Ukrainian people;
2 Press Briefing, The White House, Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby (Jan. 25, 2023).
3 ld.
4 Michael Schwirtz & Maria Varenikova, Ukraine Fires Officials Amid Corruption Scandal, as Allies Watch Closely, N.Y. TIMES (Jan. 24, 2023).
5 Ty Rousch, Senior Ukrainian Officials Fired Over Corruption Allegations Amid EU Membership Push, FORBES (Jan. 24, 2023).
6 Tom Balmforth, Ukraine to replace defence minister in wartime reshuffle, top lawmaker says, Reuters (Feb. 5, 2023).
7 SPECIAL INSPECTOR GEN. FOR AFGHANISTAN RECONSTRUCTION, 2021 HIGH-RISK LIST (2021); U.S. GOV’T ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE, GAO-21-32R, AFGHANISTAN RECONSTRUCTION; GAO WORK SINCE 2002 SHOWS SYSTEMIC INTERNAL CONTROL WEAKNESSES THAT INCREASED THE RISK OF WASTE, FRAUD, AND ABUSE (Jan. 27, 2021).
8 SPECIAL INSPECTOR GEN. FOR AFGHANISTAN RECONSTRUCTION, SIGAR 18-42, AFGHANISTAN RECONSTRUCTION TRUST FUND: THE WORLD BANK NEEDS TO IMPROVE HOW IT MONITORS IMPLEMENTATION, SHARES INFORMATION, AND DETERMINES THE IMPACT OF DONOR CONTRIBUTIONS, 6 (Apr. 19, 2018).
9 SPECIAL INSPECTOR GEN. FOR AFGHANISTAN RECONSTRUCTION, SIGAR 21-46-LL, WHAT WE NEED TO LEARN: LESSONS FROM TWENTY YEARS OF AFGHANISTAN RECONSTRUCTION, VIII (Aug. 2021).
The Honorable Lloyd Austin The Honorable Antony Blinken The Honorable Samantha Power February 22, 2023
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- All documents and communications regarding any anti-corruption efforts in Ukraine, including but not limited to any documents and communications detailing plans to condition assistance on Ukraine’s anti-corruption efforts and how the U.S. is assisting Ukraine in developing an anti-corruption strategy;
- All documents and communications regarding how much money has been disbursed for Ukrainian assistance and how much remains in the spending pipeline;
- All documents and communications regarding any economic assistance programs for the Ukrainian government;
- All documents and communications regarding funds given to multilateral organizations for the purpose of Ukrainian assistance and any information regarding any oversight mechanisms with respect to those organizations;
- All documents and communications regarding any benchmarks for success of programs funded by assistance to Ukraine; and
- All documents and communications regarding any conditions imposed on funds provided as assistance to Ukraine.The Committee has provided instructions regarding how these materials should be
produced and defined certain terms in the accompanying attachment.10 To arrange for the delivery of documents or to ask any follow-up questions, please contact Committee on Oversight and Accountability Majority staff at (202) 225-5074. The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is the principal oversight committee of the U.S. House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate “any matter” at “any time” under House Rule X. Thank you foryour prompt attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
James Comer
Chairman
Committee on Oversight and Accountability
10 See Attachment A.
Glenn Grothman
Chairman
Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs
The Honorable Lloyd Austin The Honorable Antony Blinken The Honorable Samantha Power February 22, 2023
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Pete Sessions
Chairman
Subcommittee on Government Operations and the Federal Workforce
Pat Fallon
Chairman
Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy,and Regulatory Affairs
Jim Jordan
Member of Congress
Clay Higgins
Member of Congress
Jake LaTurner
Member of Congress
Kelly Armstrong
Member of Congress
Nancy Mace
Chairwoman
Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation
Lisa McClain
Chairwoman
Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services
Virginia Foxx
Member of Congress
Andy Biggs
Member of Congress
Byron Donalds
Member of Congress
Scott Perry
Member of Congress
The Honorable Lloyd Austin The Honorable Antony Blinken The Honorable Samantha Power February 22, 2023
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William R. Timmons, IV Member of Congress
Marjorie Taylor Greene Member of Congress
Russell Fry
Member of Congress
Chuck Edwards
Member of Congress
Eric Burlison
Member of Congress
cc: The Honorable Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member Committee on Oversight and Accountability
Tim Burchett
Member of Congress
Lauren Boebert
Member of Congress
Anna Paulina Luna
Member of Congress
Nick Langworthy
Member of Congress
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