House Budget Chairman Jodey Arrington, Oversight Task Force Chairman Jack Bergman Demand Accountability from Biden Administration on Ukraine War Funding
House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington (R-TX) and Budget Committee Oversight Task Force Chairman Jack Bergman (R-MI) sent a letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Shalanda Young demanding accounting of the United States’ funding of the Ukraine war to date. The letter also calls on Director Young to schedule a date to testify before the House Budget Committee on these expenditures.
The letter reads, “It has now been over 20 months since Russia invaded Ukraine. Congress has provided $114 billion in supplemental appropriations — not including potentially billions in additional repurposed, transferred, and reprogramed funds — and yet we are no closer to getting a clear picture of the Biden Administration’s strategy for providing U.S. assistance in Ukraine. What has become abundantly clear, however, is that this conflict is far from over — therefore, it is imperative that the Biden Administration be accountable, transparent, and most importantly, honest, with the American people about funding for Ukraine…As you are aware, it is Congress that has the power of the purse, and there’s no excuse for Congress to be unaware of how congressionally appropriated funds are being spent.”
Arrington and Bergman’s letter calls for a full accounting of expenditures, transfers and reprogrammed funds, as well as obligations, apportionments, and outlays for each appropriations account providing assistance to Ukraine. The Chairman asserts this information is essential to advance Congressional oversight, inform potential legislation, and keep the federal government accountable to the American people.
Arrington and Bergman demand OMB Director Young provide the following:
- A full crosscutting report on U.S. government-wide expenditures for Ukraine and “countries impacted by the situation in Ukraine” since February 24, 2022.
- A complete and detailed explanation of all relevant/applicable legal authorities utilized by the Biden Administration for all expenditures related to Russia’s war in Ukraine and security assistance related to the war in Ukraine. including the amounts of assistance provided under each authority, and the remaining assistance that may be provided under each authority.
The letter also highlights OMB’s unwillingness thus far to comply with Congress and provide requested accounting on the Ukraine War thus far, including requests from Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH) and several House Budget Committee members who called on OMB for information on these expenditures on January 22, 2023 and have yet to receive adequate information in response.
Pursuant of Rule X the Committee on the Budget has jurisdiction over “the budget process generally,” including the executive budget process. The Committee’s responsibilities in this area include “ensuring spending and revenue decisions are transparent and effectively carried out by the Executive Branch.” This entails the duty to elicit accurate information about expenditure and related matters from the Executive Branch to keep the federal government accountable to the American people.
See the full letter HERE.
