Follow us on social

52019176965_8fa3af048f_k

Will proposed watchdog for Ukraine aid make it past the White House?

Despite concerns from Republicans, the Biden administration says current oversight efforts are more than enough.

Analysis | Washington Politics

Since the new Congress took over in January, Republican lawmakers have been fighting to establish a special inspector general for Ukraine aid. The proposal — modeled on the special IGs for Afghanistan and Iraq — has slowly gained momentum as the war has settled into an apparent stalemate, signaling the possibility of a long and expensive conflict.

The idea earned a boost last month when Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) added a provision to an annual defense bill that would authorize funding for a Ukraine oversight office. Gaetz’s amendment made it through the House Armed Services Committee, and the Appropriations Committee approved funding for a special IG in a parallel bill. So the proposal is now poised to make it through the House, barring a significant twist in the amendments process.

But a major stumbling block remains. In a statement from the White House Office of Management and Budget, the Biden administration said it wants the provision removed, setting up a fight when the House and Senate versions of the National Defense Authorization Act go to conference later this year.

The White House argued that current oversight efforts — which include a joint plan from several inspectors general — are already more than enough, citing “multiple investigations regarding every aspect of this assistance — from assessing the processes for developing security assistance requirements to evaluating the end-use monitoring processes for delivered assistance.”

But others are not so sure. John Sopko — the long-time Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction — slammed the administration’s approach to Ukraine aid oversight in an interview with RS earlier this year. 

“This is the problem of the three IGs. They can come up with a way to coordinate their work, but the DoD IG cannot look at State programs. The State IG cannot look at AID programs,” Sopko said. “They’re going to try their best, but I think there’s something like 14 or 17 separate U.S. oversight bodies. So you got 17 of those, plus you have like 50-some countries involved, and each one of them has an oversight body. I mean, this is like herding cats.”

“You just can’t spend that much money that fast without having money being diverted and weapons being diverted,” he added. “We are naive if we think just because it’s a noble cause there won’t be corruption.”

It remains unclear whether Sopko’s arguments will prove persuasive to the Senate, which voted down previous efforts to establish a special Ukraine watchdog from Sens. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.). 

But persuasion may not matter in this case. In recent years, the president and congressional leaders have largely negotiated the final NDAA behind closed doors after a version of the bill passed the House and Senate. Given the importance of consistent funding for the military, the draft agreed by leadership has generally gotten a quick rubber stamp from each chamber.

In other words, the proposal’s success largely hangs on whether House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is willing to fight for it. McCarthy has previously expressed support for expanding oversight of Ukraine aid. But only time will tell if he is ready to battle the White House to get it.

President Joe Biden holds a meeting with military and civilian defense leadership, including Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley, at the White House, April 20, 2022. (DoD photo by Lisa Ferdinando)
Analysis | Washington Politics
||
Diplomacy Watch: A peace summit without Russia
Diplomacy Watch: Laying the groundwork for a peace deal in Ukraine

Diplomacy Watch: Domestic politics continue to challenge Ukraine’s allies

QiOSK

Last week’s edition of Diplomacy Watch focused on how politics in Poland and Slovakia were threatening Western unity over Ukraine. A spat between Warsaw and Kyiv over grain imports led Polish President Andrzej Duda to compare Ukraine to a “drowning person … capable of pulling you down to the depths ,” while upcoming elections in Slovakia could bring to power a new leader who has pledged to halt weapons sales to Ukraine.

As Connor Echols wrote last week, “the West will soon face far greater challenges in maintaining unity on Ukraine than at any time since the war began.”

keep readingShow less
What the GOP candidates said about Ukraine in 4:39 minutes

What the GOP candidates said about Ukraine in 4:39 minutes

QiOSK

The second Republican debate last night hosted by Fox news was marked by a lot of acrimony, interruptions, personal insults and jokes that didn't quite land, like Chris Christie calling an (absent) Donald Trump, "Donald Duck," and Mike Pence saying he's "slept with a teacher for 30 years" (his wife).

What it did not feature was an informed exchange on the land war in Europe that the United States is heavily invested in, to the tune of $113 billon dollars and counting, not to mention precious weapons, trainers, intelligence and political capital. Out of the tortuous two hours of the debate — which included of course, minutes-long commercials and a "game" at the end that they all refused to play — Ukraine was afforded all but 4 minutes and 39 seconds. This, before the rancor moved on — not to China, though that country took a beating throughout the evening — but to militarizing the border and sending special forces into Mexico to take out cartel-terrorists who are working with the Chinese.

keep readingShow less
Matt_gaetz_50042428901-scaled
Gaetz speaking at a Donald Trump event in June 2020 (Source: Gage Skidmore)
Gaetz speaking at a Donald Trump event in June 2020 (Source: Gage Skidmore)

Bipartisan effort to ban transfer of cluster munitions fails

QiOSK

UPDATE: 9/28 11 p.m. EST: A similar amendment to the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, introduced by Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Jim McGovern (R-Mass.) was defeated on the floor on Thursday night. The amendment received more votes than original effort, with 178 members voting in favor. Ninety Republicans and 88 Democrats supported Thursday's measure.


keep readingShow less

Ukraine War Crisis

Latest