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Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman of the committee and the ranking member for the work that has been done, and I look forward to supporting this important appropriations, but I rise to offer a bipartisan amendment with the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen), the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones), the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline), the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Massie), the gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Welch), the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Rigell), and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Nolan) that works to ensure the appropriate use of American taxpayer dollars in Afghanistan.
This amendment is in keeping with the clear position of the House, as we have voted several times in bipartisan fashion, to limit funds for the Afghanistan Infrastructure Fund, a program which has been poorly run and is lacking in oversight. Last year, the House passed my bipartisan amendment that would have prevented the Department of Defense from redirecting $50 million in funds from the Afghanistan Security Forces Fund to the Afghanistan Infrastructure Fund. Unfortunately, the fiscal year 2016 omnibus did not retain the House language and provided DOD the authority to obligate funds for the Afghanistan Infrastructure Fund through the end of fiscal year 2017.
My current amendment would turn off this authority. Mr. Chairman, we have spent billions of dollars toward rebuilding the infrastructure of Afghanistan. In fact, Congress has provided $1.3 billion to the Afghanistan Infrastructure Fund since it was created in 2011. However, funds have been slow to be spent, and as of March 31, 2016, $488 million of these infrastructure funds have yet to be expended.
SIGAR has already expressed reservations about the Afghans' ability to even operate and maintain these projects upon completion. So, Mr. Chairman, I ask with almost 50 percent of funds remaining to be expended, why take away from other programs and give to this one?
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Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the chairman and ranking member's concerns, but 50 percent of the funds still remain to be used. They are there for that purpose. I think that is sufficient. Last year, 233 of us voted in favor of this amendment in a bipartisan fashion. I think that directs also the will of the House.
I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline), my good friend and colleague.
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Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Chairman, how much time do I have remaining?
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Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Chairman, in closing, I ask my colleagues to support this. I appreciate the sentiment and the concern of the ranking member and the chairman of the committee, but this is an issue that has weighed concerns for too long. It is time to give the infrastructure improvements our direction. Afghanis understand that, I believe. SIGAR has proved the concerns, so I ask for support of my amendment.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
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Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
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