FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 27, 2023
Contact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343
Dr. Rand Paul Offers Amendment to NDAA on Much Needed Ukraine Aid Oversight
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee offered his Ukraine Aid Oversight Act as an amendment to the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The amendment would have extended the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction’s (SIGAR) oversight authority to supervise American spending to Ukraine in order to detect and prevent waste, fraud, and abuse.
“A little over a year ago, I proposed an amendment to the massive $40 billion Ukraine spending package that would have entrusted a proven and effective Inspector General to oversee and track how funds are spent in Ukraine. My amendment was rejected, and today, over $113 billion in taxpayer dollars has been sent to Ukraine without proper oversight,” said Dr. Paul. “My Ukraine Aid Oversight amendment would have extended SIGAR’s oversight authority to include aid to Ukraine and provide taxpayers with an accurate accounting of how their money is spent, as well as to detect and prevent waste and fraud.”
Background:
Last year, Dr. Paul offered a similar proposal as an amendment to the first Ukraine spending package. Since then, the U.S. has sent over $113 billion dollars to Ukraine.
Given the fast-evolving situation on the ground in Ukraine and the significant sums already committed, the American taxpayers deserve the oversight experience of tried-and-true investigatory personnel to detect and prevent waste, fraud, and abuse.
Inspectors General at USAID and the Departments of Defense and State consistently tell Congress they have not substantiated any cases of fraud. That is not good news. Zero cases of fraud mean our oversight efforts are failing. Yet, other proposals offered during consideration of the NDAA could have entrusted these officials to head oversight efforts. Unlike those proposals, Dr. Paul’s amendment would only permit a truly independent, war-tested Inspector General with the task of oversight of aid to Ukraine.
According to 2021 information from SIGAR:
- SIGAR has issued 427 audits, 191 special project reports, 52 quarterly reports, and 10 comprehensive lessons learned reports.
- SIGAR’s criminal investigations have resulted in 160 convictions.
- Exposed billions of dollars of waste for the U.S. government.
You can read the Ukraine Aid Oversight amendment HERE, and watch Dr. Paul’s floor remarks HERE.
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