2021: Fitzpatrick Voted To Establish A Commission To Analyze The
Afghanistan War And The U.S. Military Withdrawal In 2021. In December
2021, Fitzpatrick voted for the National Defense Authorization Act For
FY 2022 which would, according to Congressional Quarterly, "establish a
commission to examine the war in Afghanistan and 2021 withdrawal and
require the department to submit a security assessment and a number of
reports related to Afghanistan." The vote was on passage. The House
passed the bill by a vote of 363-70. The bill was sent to President
Biden and it ultimately became law. [House Vote 405,
12/7/21; Congressional
Quarterly, 12/7/21;
Congressional Actions, S.
1605]
The Bill Would Establish A Multi-Year Independent Commission To
Study The 20-Year Afghanistan War In The Wake Of U.S. Withdrawing
Its Troops In August 2021. According to CNN, "On the foreign
policy front, it also establishes a 'multi-year independent
Afghanistan War Commission' to examine the war in Afghanistan after
the US military withdrawal in August, covering the entire 20 years
of the war." [CNN,
12/8/21]
The Bill Would Require Reports On The Ability To Counter
Terrorism, The "Accountability" Of The Left Military Appliances And
Plans To Continue The Evacuation Of American Citizens And Allies
Stuck In Afghanistan. According to CNN, "On Afghanistan, the bill
establishes the independent Afghanistan War Commission to 'examine'
the 20-year conflict, and it requires the secretary to provide
'in-depth' reports to Congress about the US' ability to counter
terrorism in the region, 'accountability' of military equipment left
in the country and 'any plans' to evacuate American citizens and
'Afghan allies' who are still there, the summary states." [CNN,
12/8/21]
The Bill Would Prohibit Defense Contractors And Former Cabinet
Secretary From Serving On The Independent Afghanistan War
Commission. According to The New York Times, "In addition to
authorizing the creation of a commission to scrutinize the war in
Afghanistan, the measure would bar defense contractors and former
cabinet secretaries from serving on it." [The New York Times,
12/7/21]
2024: Fitzpatrick Voted To Formally Grant Certain Authorities To The
Coordinator For Afghan Relocation Efforts. In November 2024,
Fitzpatrick voted for , "the bill, as amended, that would formally
codify and grant certain authorities to the State Department's Office
of the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts for a period of three
years. It would authorize CARE to hire personnel, enter into personal
services contracts and transfer funds to and from other federal
agencies. It also would require CARE to report to Congress on the use of
such transfer authority." The House passed the bill by a vote of 334 to
63. [House Vote 475,
11/20/24; Congressional
Quarterly, 11/20/24;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
8368]
2021: Fitzpatrick Voted Against Providing $7 Billion To Support
Afghan Evacuees And $1.6 Billion To Support Services To Unaccompanied
Minors Who Have Crossed The Southern Border. In December 2021,
Fitzpatrick voted against the Further Extending Government Funding Act
which would, according to Congressional Quarterly, "provide $7 billion
in emergency funding for Afghan evacuee assistance, as well as $1.6
billion for the Health and Human Services Department to provide shelter
and services to unaccompanied minors who have crossed the U.S. border."
The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 221-212,
sent to the Senate and President, and ultimately became law. [House
Vote 399, 12/2/21;
Congressional Quarterly,
12/2/21; Congressional Actions,
H.R.
6119]
The $7 Billion Funding Would Help Boost The U.S.'s Effort To
Resettle Tens Of Thousands Of Afghan Evacuees Following The Taliban
Takeover In Afghanistan. According to Congressional Quarterly,
"The $7 billion tranche is the latest influx of money to bolster
the U.S. government's sweeping effort to resettle tens of thousands
of Afghans evacuated in the weeks immediately following
Afghanistan's fall to the Taliban." [Congressional Quarterly,
12/2/21]
According To The Appropriations Committee, The $1.6 Billion To
Assist Unaccompanied Migrant Children Would Be Needed To
Appropriately Care For The Minors Under Federal Custody. According
to Congressional Quarterly, "The stop-gap bill released Thursday
would also provide $1.6 billion for shelter and services for
unaccompanied migrant children in HHS custody. 'Without this
provision, the Office of Refugee Resettlement would be unable to
appropriately care for minors in the federal government's custody,'
the Appropriations Committee said in a summary of the resolution."
[Congressional Quarterly,
12/2/21]
2021: Fitzpatrick Voted Against Providing $4.3 Billion To Support
Afghan Refugees On U.S. Military Bases, $1.3 Billion For Afghan
Resettlement And Support Services, $1.3 Billion To The State Department
To Support Afghans In The U.S., Diplomatic Activities And Evacuations,
And Other Activities. In December 2021, according to Congressional
Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted against the Further Extending Government
Funding Act which would, within the appropriated funds for Afghan
assistance, "provide $4.3 billion for Defense Department assistance to
refugees on U.S. military installations; $1.3 billion for Health and
Human Services Department resettlement and support services for Afghan
arrivals and refugees; and $1.3 billion for the State Department,
including $1.2 billion for resettlement and support services for
Afghans in the United States and $80.3 million for related diplomatic
activities and additional evacuations. It would require the Office of
Management and Budget to submit a report on the strategy and transition
plan for concluding Afghan resettlement initiatives." The vote was on
passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 221-212, sent to the
Senate and President, and ultimately became law. [House Vote 399,
12/2/21; Congressional
Quarterly, 12/2/21;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
6119]
Of The $7 Billion For Afghan Evacuee Assistance, $4.3 Billion
Would Help Evacuees Waiting On Military Bases For Resettlement,
$1.2 Billion Would Fund State Department Refugee Programs, And
$1.4 Billion Would Go Towards Providing "Refugee Support Services,
Including English Language Classes, Housing And Job Training."
According to Congressional Quarterly, "It includes $4.3 billion for
the Defense Department to support Afghans waiting on U.S. military
bases for resettlement, $1.2 billion for State Department refugee
programs, and $1.3 billion for the Administration for Children and
Families, a Health and Human Services agency, for refugee support
services, including English language classes, housing and job
training." [Congressional Quarterly,
12/2/21]
The Stopgap Bill Would Require The Office Of Management And Budget
To "Report On The Strategy And Transition Plan" For The Conclusion
Of The Government's Effort To Resettle Afghan Evacuees. According
to Congressional Quarterly, "The measure also requires an Office of
Management and Budget report on the strategy and transition plan
leading to the conclusion of Operation Allies Welcome, the formal
name of the government's monthslong resettlement effort."
[Congressional Quarterly,
12/2/21]
2021: Fitzpatrick Voted To Grant $6.3 Billion To Support Afghan
Evacuees, Including Assistance For Afghans Under The Special Immigrant
Visa Program And On U.S. Military Installations, For Resettlements And
Services For Afghan Arrivals And Refugees, For Evacuation Services, For
Resettlement And Services For Afghans In The U.S., And For Migration And
Refugee Assistance. In September 2021, Fitzpatrick voted for a motion
to concur in the Senate amendment to the Extending Government Funding
and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act of 2021 which would, according
to Congressional Quarterly, "provide $6.3 billion in supplemental
appropriations to support Afghan evacuees, including $2.2 billion for
Defense Department assistance to Afghans under the special immigrant
visa program and on U.S. military installations; $1.7 billion for
Health and Human Services Department resettlement and support services
for Afghan arrivals and refugees; and $1.8 billion for the State
Department, including $277 million for evacuation and related services,
$1.1 billion for resettlement and support services for Afghans in the
United States, and $415 million for migration and refugee assistance."
The vote was on a motion to concur in the Senate amendment. The House
agreed to the motion by a vote of 254-175 and sent to the President and
became law. [House Vote 311,
9/30/21; Congressional
Quarterly, 9/30/21;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
5305]
2021: Fitzpatrick Voted Against Directing The Department Of State To
Use Funds To Develop And Expedite Special Immigrant Visas For Afghan
Nationals Employed By The U.S. Government. In July 2021, Fitzpatrick
voted against the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related
Programs Appropriations Act, 2022 which would, according to
Congressional Quarterly, "direct the State Department to use funding
provided by the bill to implement and expedite cases under the Special
Immigrant Visa program for Afghans employed by the U.S. government who
face threats as a consequence of such employment." The vote was on
passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 217-212, thus the bill
was sent to the Senate. The bill ultimately became law. [House Vote
243, 7/28/21;
Congressional Quarterly,
7/28/21; Congressional
Actions, H.R.
4373]
2024: Fitzpatrick Voted To Condemn The Biden Administration's
Withdrawal Of Troops From Afghanistan. In September 2024, Fitzpatrick
voted for , according to Congressional Quarterly, "the resolution that
would condemn 15 senior Biden administration officials for their role in
the August 2021 withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan and the
operation to evacuate Afghans and others. The resolution notes that the
withdrawal led to the 'injury and death of U.S. servicemembers, injury
and death of Afghan civilians, abandonment of American civilians and our
Afghan allies, and harm to the national security and international
stature of the United States.'" The vote was on adoption. The House
adopted the resolution by a vote of 219 to 194. [House Vote 455,
9/25/24; Congressional
Quarterly, 9/25/24;
Congressional Actions,
H.Res.1469]
2020: Fitzpatrick Voted Against An Amendment To The $730 Billion
House FY 2021 NDAA That Would Have Accelerated The Withdrawal Of U.S.
Troops From Afghanistan. In July 2020, Fitzpatrick voted against an
amendment to the House FY 2021 NDAA that would, according to
Congressional Quarterly, "state U.S. policy that the president shall
complete the accelerated transition of U.S. combat and military
operations to the government of Afghanistan by April 29, 2021, and
implement the February 2020 U.S.-Taliban peace agreement regarding the
withdrawal of U.S. forces." The vote was on adoption. The House rejected
the amendment by a vote of 129-284. [House Vote 144,
7/21/20; Congressional
Quarterly, 7/21/20;
Congressional Actions,
H.Amdt.835;
Congressional Actions,
H.R.6395]