SUBJECT: Expressing Support for the Inclusion of Fulfilling Promises to Afghan Allies in the National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2024
It has been over two years since the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Some might believe this marked the end of America’s involvement in Afghanistan, but for U.S. veterans this is not the case. Since the withdrawal, thousands of veterans along with non-veterans from across civil society have devoted countless hours and significant portions of their savings to support our wartime Afghan allies. The moral obligation our veterans feel to the Afghans who fought beside them did not end with the withdrawal, these veterans continue to stand with the 80,000 Afghans languishing in legal limbo in the United States as well as the over 140,000 applicants to the Special Immigrant Visa program, hiding for their lives in Taliban controlled Afghanistan.
America’s veterans and civil society are steadfast in our support of Afghan allies and now it is time for Congress to act. Legislation providing adjustment of status for Afghans in the U.S. and support to the nearly 140,000 Afghan allies still abroad is vital, and we cannot continue to miss opportunities to include critical provisions in the few legislative vehicles available. As Congress considers the defense supplemental, The American Legion, The Moral Compass Federation, No One Left Behind, The Veterans of Foreign Wars, and With Honor Action strongly support the swift passage of legislation that will adjust the status of our Afghan allies and assist those still in Afghanistan and third countries. We urge the House of Representatives to include and pass Fulfilling Promises to Afghan Allies in the House version of the Emergency National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2024.
Fulfilling Promises to Afghan Allies was a comprehensive and bipartisan section of the Senate’s version of the National Security Supplemental, it took key provisions from the bipartisan Afghan Adjustment Act and Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2023. Disappointingly, the section was stripped out for political expediency. This was a missed opportunity by the Senate, but thankfully the House has the chance to rectify. The provisions in Fulfilling Promises to Afghan Allies are incredibly popular across the political spectrum –national polling shows nearly 90% support amongst Americans for the policies this legislation would implement. Furthermore, this legislation is a national security imperative – standing with our Afghan allies will demonstrate American resolve, building confidence among America’s allies and deterring adversaries.
Congress has failed over the last two years to pass necessary legislation. Partisan politicking has made passing bipartisan legislation increasingly difficult, but our allies and veterans dealing with moral injury can no longer be casualties of this inaction. Therefore, we strongly support the inclusion of Fulfilling Promises to Afghan Allies in the National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act.
Sincerely,
