Johnson suggests next Congress will change motion to vacate rules
West Virginia — The next Congressional term could kick off with a rule change to make it harder to boot a House Speaker from power, Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said on Wednesday. House Republicans are at the Greenbrier resort in West Virginia for their annual retreat where party leaders and members plot the path forward for 2024 and beyond. Johnson, who was optimistic that the GOP could retain and expand its razor-thin House majority in November, suggested the next Congress would also likely see a change to its motion to vacate rules – the guidelines by which a speaker is ousted from power. GOP HARDLINERS FURIOUS AT JOHNSON FOR PASSING ANOTHER SHORT-TERM SPENDING BILL WITH DEMS: ‘USUAL C–P’ Ex-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., agreed to lower the threshold from a House majority to just one person being able to trigger a vote to recall the House leader as part of a deal with critics to win the gavel in January 2023. He wound up being ousted in early October by eight House Republicans and all Democrats after Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., filed a motion to vacate against him. Johnson was elected by the GOP Conference three weeks later. The Louisiana Republican said he never advocated for the rule change but expected that a majority of his lawmakers would want to move forward. Dozens of House Republicans criticized the eight that voted to oust McCarthy, arguing it projected historic levels of instability under their leadership. TOP HOUSE REPUBLICANS FLEE CAPITOL HILL AMID RISING CHAOS, DIVISION: ‘A BAD WORKPLACE’ “I think that there’s a desire on behalf of the vast majority of the members of the House to reestablish some of the norms with regard to rules on the floor and how legislation is handled. Many of us, you know, do long for thoughtful and deliberative conversation, even across the aisle,” Johnson said. “The motion to vacate is something that comes up a lot amongst members in discussion and I expect there will probably be a change to that as well. But just so you know, I’ve never advocated for that. I’m not one who’s making it an issue because I don’t think it is one for now.” HOUSE GOP LEADERS JETTISON PROMISE TO VOTE ON 12 INDIVIDUAL SPENDING BILLS CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP He added that both Republicans and Democrats “openly” discuss the need to raise the motion to vacate threshold, adding, “They have a desire for a more normal process on the House floor again.” “We’ll be looking at that on the House rules package, and in our respective caucus and conference packages as well going into the new Congress and that’s just something we should do in due course to be good stewards of the institution,” Johnson said.
Ex-banker challenging Ocasio-Cortez in Democratic primary
The election of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., to Congress in 2018 created massive political upheaval after she unseated veteran Congressman Joe Crowley, who had at one point been tapped to replace Nancy Pelosi as Democratic leader of the House. This summer, a former Wall Street banker is looking to do to Ocasio-Cortez, what Ocasio-Cortez did to Crowley, Marty Dolan, 66, who spent 30 years working for Jefferies Financial Group Inc., Morgan Stanley and other financial firms, is challenging Ocasio-Cortez for her 14th Congressional District seat in New York, a position she has safely held for the last six years, representing a district Dolan says she has done little to help improve. Should he be successful, it would be an earth-shattering blow to the Democratic Socialists of America, who have a large foothold in the city, including in the Bronx and northern Queens, which the District 14 seat covers. FLASHBACK: AOC CALLS ON ACTIVISTS TO MAKE POLITICIANS ‘UNCOMFORTABLE’ But Dolan says Ocasio-Cortez and her fellow socialists have gone too far, blasting their approach to the economy, crime and the illegal migrant crisis. “We are all for the ‘progress’ implied by the word progressive, however, within the progressive movement, there are radicals whose influence on the Democratic Party is overweight,” Dolan wrote on his campaign website. “The impact in NYC is obvious: bail reform a disaster, the National Guard in the subway, toothpaste locked up in drugstores but criminals running free, scarce resources directed to (non-sanctuary) immigrants coming from all over the world.” He said these challenges must be addressed in the context of a runaway $34 trillion federal debt and the city’s 14% marginal tax rate. “Losing 500,000 taxpayers is unsustainable: fixing this must be our overwhelming priority,” Dolan wrote. “The radicals can’t deliver more than breadcrumbs when they ignore that the primary breadwinners are leaving and brush off taxpayer concerns in favor of abstract populist ideologies. Enough is enough.” Dolan is the first person to challenge the influential “Squad” member in four years and is looking to gather the necessary signatures to land a spot on the ballot for this year’s Democratic primary. It will be a Herculean effort to dethrone Ocasio-Cortez, who became the youngest woman ever elected to Congress at age 29. She has instant name recognition and pop culture fame among young voters. She remains popular among her constituents, although Dolan says that popularity may no longer be as strong. AOC HECKLED IN FIERY TOWN HALL: ‘ALL YOU CARE ABOUT IS ILLEGAL ALIENS’ “There’s a lot of people who, even in Queens and the Bronx, think, ‘What has she done for us?’” Dolan told Bloomberg. According to Bloomberg, Ocasio-Cortez had $5.7 million in cash on hand as of Jan. 1, while Dolan’s campaign has raised just $58,000 so far, $55,000 of which is from loans Dolan made to his own campaign. Dolan earned an MBA at Harvard Business School and has worked extensively in the global risk insurance sector, helping firms recover from the global liability crisis, the World Trade Center attacks, Hurricane Katrina and the global financial crisis, according to his website. He grew up in Westchester County like Ocasio-Cortez. Dolan called out Ocasio-Cortez’s efforts to help successfully stop Amazon from locating a new sprawling headquarters in Long Island City, Queens, and her support for diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, according to Bloomberg. He also accused Ocasio-Cortez of “importing immigrants and exporting decent contributing taxpayers,” referring to residents who have fled to Florida and other states. The city has cared for more than 170,000 migrants, and the mayor estimates the bill will easily exceed $10 billion. “There’s been nobody who’s more in favor of immigration than AOC, and there’s been no worse thing that’s happened in New York in the last year,” Dolan told Bloomberg. According to Bloomberg, Dolan’s platform includes plans to advocate for a new federal value-added tax and an additional luxury goods sales tax. The money would be used to reduce the national debt and state pension liabilities and would allow states like New York to lower income taxes. Fox News Digital reached out to Ocasio-Cortez’s office for comment but did not receive a reply.
South Carolina Senate to weigh House-approved $13.2 billion budget
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina‘s $13.2 billion budget made it through the House largely unchanged as Republican leaders reigned in efforts to shift spending priorities to other places. The House gave the 2024-25 fiscal year budget approval Wednesday to cheers and proclamations that the budget staff get the rest of the week off. BOEING WHISTLEBLOWER’S LAWYERS DEMAND FULL INVESTIGATION INTO MYSTERIOUS DEATH MID-DEPOSITION It now moves over to the Senate. The Finance Committee and the floor will give it heavy scrutiny on into April. Last year, the House and Senate spending plans appeared to basically be in harmony before a three-week standoff over roughly $100 million to start a veterinary school at Clemson University. House Ways and Means Chairman Bruce Bannister said he figures the Senate will have some differences this year too, but he’s not willing to predict where. “We will have a conference committee. I suspect it will be as intense as it was last year,” the Republican from Greenville said after Wednesday’s final vote. The House plan includes raises for teachers and state employees, $500 million in property tax relief, $200 million for bridges and $100 million to continue long-term income tax cuts. The Freedom Caucus, made up of about 16 or so of the House’s most conservative members, offered a number of proposals that failed. The group wanted to redirect money meant for things like the South Carolina Commission of the Arts, business incentives and university tuition freezes and put it toward raises for county deputies, roads, foster care programs or other items they called “core functions of government. Their amendments drew fewer than 20 supporters in the 124-member chamber. Republican leaders said many of the amendments were shortsighted — like giving county deputies a raise while not giving officers in cities a similar pay bump — and ignored what is needed to be done to keep South Carolina growing and thriving. “Core functions of government — infrastructure, education, law enforcement, taking care of taxpayers, cutting taxes — all of those things are in this budget,” Bannister said. Speaker Murrell Smith said the final 104-15 vote shows the House needs to work together instead of argue. “It’s time for us to come together and put down the politics and concentrate on policy,” said Smith, a Republican from Sumter. House budget writers had less to spend than last year, in part thanks to the end of pandemic relief, and couldn’t pay for more than half the things requested by state agencies. But the booming state still saw an increase in tax revenue and added some big ticket items. Along with bridge funding and property tax and income tax relief, the House budget puts $200 million toward raising teacher pay. Every teacher would get a raise and the minimum salary for a starting teacher would be increased to $47,000 a year. The budget also would allow teachers to get a yearly raise for each of their first 28 years instead of their first 23. All state employees would get raises, too. Those making less than $66,666 would get a flat $1,000 raise, while those who earn that amount or more would get a 1.5% pay bump. The state also would pay $107 million to cover the increase in health insurance premiums for workers.
Former MLB slugger Steve Garvey edges ahead of Adam Schiff in California US Senate primary
Major League Baseball legend Steve Garvey has edged ahead of U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff in California’s U.S. Senate primary. As of Wednesday morning, Garvey, a former 10-time MLB All-Star, led Schiff by an incredibly slim margin of just 4,801 votes with more than 5 million votes tallied – about 85% of expected returns. “As California’s votes are counted, it’s clear that our message of unity, common sense, and compassion resonates across the state,” Garvey said. “I am deeply honored by the trust and support shown in these preliminary results. Despite millions being spent against Garvey in the state’s most expensive US Senate primary election, Garvey’s trajectory is remaining competitive to finish in first place. ‘ARROGANT’ DEMOCRATS ‘MASSIVELY SURPRISED’ BY EX-MLB STAR’S SURGE IN CALIFORNIA SENATE RACE, STEVE HILTON SAYS “I’m energized by our campaign’s momentum and ready for the challenge ahead,” Garvey said. “I look forward to a spirited campaign on the critical issues facing us.” Schiff, one of the leading Democrats in the U.S. House, will face Garvey, a Republican, in November to determine who succeeds the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein. California also puts all candidates, regardless of party, on the same primary ballot, and the two who get the most votes advance to the general election. EX-MLB STAR IN STATISTICAL TIE WITH SCHIFF IN CALIFORNIA SENATE RACE, SAYS VOTERS ARE ‘MAD’ AT DEMOCRATS A Republican hasn’t been elected to represent California in the U.S. Senate since Pete Wilson in 1988, when he won re-election over Leo T. McCarthy. Wilson stepped down when he became governor of California in 1991 and appointed John Seymour to serve in his place. Feinstein defeated Seymour in the state’s 1992 election and held the seat until her death in September. Laphonza Butler was appointed to serve out the remainder of Feinstein’s term. Garvey said his campaign is about bringing together Californians from all walks of life to address shared challenges. MLB GREAT STEVE GARVEY LOOKS TO REVIVE ‘HEARTBEAT’ OF CALIFORNIA ‘FOR ALL THE PEOPLE’ WITH SENATE RUN “I will continue to listen, learn, and lead with compassion and work to build consensus on the real issues that matter to our communities. Thank you to everyone who believes in the California comeback, together, we will make that vision a reality,” Garvey said. The race will not be finalized until all mail-in ballots are counted, including ballots postmarked last Tuesday. Fox News Digital’s Kyle Morris and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
How does US intelligence disagree with Israel on Gaza?
Spy agencies say Hamas and its tunnel network will not be destroyed. In its annual threat report, the United States’ intelligence community has concluded that Hamas cannot be destroyed. The group’s elimination is a core aim of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s merciless onslaught in Gaza. So why is the US continuing to arm Israel, to fight a war it doesn’t believe can be won? Presenter: James Bays Guests: Glenn Carle – Served for more than 20 years in the clandestine services of the CIA and is now a US national security and foreign policy specialist Yossi Mekelberg – Associate fellow with the Middle East and North Africa Programme at the UK think-tank Chatham House Tamer Qarmout – Assistant professor of public policy at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies and a specialist in conflict resolution and international aid Adblock test (Why?)
UN seeking more than $850m for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh
Bangladesh hosts more than a million Rohingya people, many of whom fled a 2017 military crackdown in Myanmar. The United Nations is calling for more donations for Rohingya refugees living in camps in Bangladesh. In its annual response plan to the crisis, the UN appealed for $852.4m to provide food and other aid to the mostly Muslim Rohingya refugees and their host communities. Bangladesh has taken in more than a million members of the mostly stateless minority, many of whom fled a 2017 military crackdown in Myanmar, where conflict continues to escalate. About 95 percent of the Rohingya people in Bangladesh remain dependent on humanitarian assistance, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said in a statement on Wednesday. “International solidarity with Bangladesh and refugee protection is needed more than ever as the conflict in Myanmar escalates,” it said. The UN made a similar appeal last year, asking countries to provide $876m to help the Rohingya, but only $440m was provided. With the humanitarian crisis largely out of the international spotlight, the UNHCR warned that significant funding shortfalls in recent years has had “serious implications”. Many of the refugees are struggling to meet their basic needs, it warned, insisting that “sustained assistance is critically and urgently needed.” More than 75 percent of the refugees receiving aid are women and children, it said, adding that they are facing “heightened risks of abuse, exploitation and gender-based violence”. “More than half of the refugees in the camps are under 18, languishing amidst limited opportunities for education, skills-building and livelihoods,” the UNHCR said. The donations will be used to pay for food, shelter, healthcare, drinking water access, protection services, education and other assistance, the agency said. Many Rohingya wanting to escape conditions in the camps have attempted dangerous, often deadly boat journeys to Malaysia and Indonesia. Meanwhile, there is little progress towards repatriating the refugees to Myanmar, which is facing a UN genocide probe over the 2017 crackdown. In 2021, the military seized power in Myanmar, ousting Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi’s democratically elected government. “The human rights situation in Myanmar has morphed into a never-ending nightmare away from the spotlight of global politics,” UN rights chief Volker Turk told the UN Human Rights Council this month. Adblock test (Why?)
EU agrees five billion euro boost for military aid to Ukraine
The move provides a welcome boost for Kyiv as support from its other major backer, the United States, wavers and its outgunned forces struggle to hold back Russia. European Union countries have agreed to provide five billion euros ($5.48bn) for military aid to Ukraine as part of a revamp of an EU-run assistance fund, handing Kyiv a timely boost as its forces struggle against Russia’s invasion. Ambassadors from the EU’s 27 member countries agreed to the overhaul of the European Peace Facility (EPF) fund at a meeting in Brussels on Wednesday after months of wrangling, with EU heavyweights France and Germany at the centre of much of the debate. “The message is clear: we will support Ukraine with whatever it takes to prevail,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell posted on social media platform X after the decision. The fund operates as a giant cash-back scheme, giving EU members refunds for sending munitions to other countries. France, a strong promoter of European defence industries, had insisted on a strong “buy European” policy for arms eligible for refunds. Other countries argued that such a requirement would inhibit efforts to buy worldwide to get weapons to Ukraine quickly. Germany, by far Europe’s biggest bilateral donor of military aid to Ukraine, had demanded donations be taken into account in determining the size of countries’ financial contributions to the fund. Diplomats said compromise was eventually reached allowing flexibility on the “buy European” rules and taking into account part of the value of bilateral aid when calculating members’ financial contributions. “This is yet another powerful and timely demonstration of European unity and determination in achieving our common victory,” said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. “We look forward to the final decision being approved at the next EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting.” The final text said the scheme should give priority to the European defence industry while “exceptionally allowing for flexibility in cases where it cannot provide within a timeframe compatible with Ukrainian needs”. The compromise will allow the fund to help finance a Czech initiative to buy hundreds of thousands of desperately needed artillery shells from countries outside Europe, according to diplomats. The EPF has already been used to allocate some 6.1 billion euros ($6.7bn) to military aid for Ukraine, according to the EU. Borrell proposed creating a new cash pot last year specifically for aid to Kyiv – the Ukraine Assistance Fund – inside the EPF, with a budget of up to five billion euros per year for the next four years. That prompted a prolonged debate about rules for future aid, eventually leading to Wednesday’s agreement. The compromise included measures to satisfy Hungary, which has previously blocked payouts from the EPF and said it does not want its contributions to finance arms for Ukraine. Under the deal, its contributions will be used to fund military aid to other countries, according to EU officials. “Ukraine needs more arms and equipment, we will provide them in sufficient quantities and in a coordinated manner,” said Hadja Lahbib, the foreign minister of Belgium, the current holder of the EU’s rotating presidency. “Europe is true to its commitments. Our freedom is at stake.” The announcement of the latest funds for Ukraine has come as Kyiv’s forces are under pressure along the front line in the face of ammunition shortages. The United States on Tuesday announced a new $300m weapons package for Ukraine, but a further $60bn in funding remains stalled by Republicans in Congress. Warnings have grown in Europe that a failure to keep up support for Kyiv could see it ultimately defeated and that an emboldened Kremlin might then attack other countries. The EU is pushing to bolster weapons and ammunition production by its defence industry, but two years into the war, it is still struggling to ramp up output. The bloc is set to fall well short of a promise it made a year ago to supply Ukraine with a million artillery shells by this month. Meanwhile, Russia has stepped up its arms production by putting its economy on a war footing and has received major deliveries of weapons from Iran and North Korea. Adblock test (Why?)
Rematch set between GOP Rep. Valadao, Democratic challenger in battleground California district
Republican U.S. Rep. David Valadao and Democrat Rudy Salas will face each other in November in California’s 22nd congressional district, a rematch of last cycle’s close contest. The district runs through California’s Central Valley farm belt, including parts of Bakersfield. It’s considered one of the most competitive U.S. House districts in the state, where a handful of tight races may be key to determining which party controls the chamber. In 2022, Valadao beat Salas by less than 4,000 votes. 2024 CALIFORNIA PRIMARY RESULTS Democrats hold a 16-point advantage over Republicans in registered voters. But Valadao held the seat from 2013 until 2019, lost it for one term and then retook it in 2020. The borders of the district have changed slightly since Valadao was first elected due to redistricting. Valadao and Salas beat out Republican Chris Mathys and Democrat Melissa Hurtado in the primary. California puts all candidates, regardless of party, on one primary ballot and the two candidates who get the most votes advance to the general election. In the weeks leading up to the primary, Democrats had feared a possible lock-out in the general election if the party split its votes between Salas and Hurtado. The state Democratic Party and prominent leaders like California Gov. Gavin Newsom and former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had lined up behind Salas, a former state legislator. But Hurtado, currently a state senator, is also well known in the district. “I’m truly grateful to the voters for standing with me in yet another critical election and thankful to all the volunteers who worked hard to get us here,” Salas said in a statement posted to X, formerly Twitter.
Congress poised to roll back ‘veteran gun ban,’ with reluctant Biden backing
A Department of Veterans Affairs policy that Second Amendment advocates call a “veteran gun ban” likely won’t get funded in the new spending bill — to the chagrin of the Biden administration, which supports the broader omnibus but criticized the provision and vowed to find other ways to keep guns away from “those who shouldn’t have them.” The VA currently sends the names of veterans deemed unable to manage their VA financial benefits to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, also known as NICS. “The VA is acting totally unconstitutional in this veteran de-armament process. This is illegal, unconstitutional and should have never been done,” Aidan Johnston, director of federal affairs for Gun Owners of America, told Fox News Digital. The GOA lobbied Congress to defund the policy in the near term, and asked supporters to contact their members of Congress to “repeal the veteran gun ban,” which it said has already “disarmed 250,000 Americans.” NRA SLAMS BIDEN’S SOTU SPEECH AS ATTACK ON ‘THE VERY FABRIC OF AMERICAN FREEDOM’ “These are not adjudicated cases,” Johnston added. “These are not insane veterans. These are people who have had trouble with their health or might need someone to manage their finances.” Although the VA has defended the program partly as having the capacity to prevent veteran suicide, Johnston said it’s counterproductive because veterans will resist seeking counseling for mental health if they face any sanction. “This contributes to veteran suicide as they will be reluctant to seek care at the VA,” Johnston said. “The VA is stigmatizing mental health.” He warned if a federal agency can do this to veterans, a federal agency could disarm any other Americans who talked to a therapist or is designated unable to manage his or her finances. In a statement of administration policy, the White House endorsed the larger omnibus bill but criticized the measure regarding veterans and firearms. “While the administration is pleased that hundreds of poison pill provisions and extreme funding cuts were rejected, the administration opposes the language included in the bill that would potentially undermine the ability of the Veterans’ Affairs Department to report a beneficiary to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System to keep guns out of the hands of those prohibited under federal law from purchasing or possessing firearms,” the White House statement of administration policy says. “The administration remains committed to exploring every possible pathway to keep guns out of the hands of those who shouldn’t have them and ensure the safety of these individuals and their communities,” the statement continues. The VA referred to the White House statement for comment. GUN RIGHTS GROUP ASK SUPREME COURT TO STRIKE DOWN ILLINOIS ‘ASSAULT WEAPONS’ BAN The policy is part of the Brady Act, which established the instant background system. When the department’s division known as the Veterans Benefits Administration determines a VA beneficiary is unable to manage his or her financial affairs due to injury, disease or age-related illness, it discloses that information to NICS. This comes after either medical evidence or a declaration by a court, according to the VA. The VBA will next determine whether a fiduciary should be appointed to manage the beneficiary’s benefits. The VA has an administrative relief procedure that it says will measure beneficiary’s desire to own firearms with safety of the veteran and family members. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., a gun control advocate, posted on X, formerly Twitter, that he might vote against the entire omnibus because of the gun measure. “Republicans (and one or two Democrats) pushed for the new rider that allows, for the first time in 30 years, veterans judged by the VA to be mentally incompetent to buy guns,” Murphy tweeted. “These are very very mentally ill veterans – those at the highest risk of suicide.” Responding to Murphy’s X thread, the GOA said, “This GOA-backed provision protects at least TWENTY THOUSAND veterans from being disarmed PER YEAR. Not supporting this protection is as unpatriotic as you can get. Disgusting.”
Rubio bill aims to withhold UN funding for Afghanistan until assured it doesn’t support terrorism
FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Marco Rubio introduced a bill that targets the United Nations and would withhold U.S. contributions to the body for the aid of Afghanistan until it is verified that the money is not finding its way to the Taliban or funding other terrorist organizations. CNN FORCED TO CORRECT STORY AFTER ACCUSATIONS OF ‘SMEAR’ CAMPAIGN AGAINST KATIE BRITT The bill, titled the Stop Funding Global Terrorists Act of 2024, would bar the U.S. from making “any voluntary or assessed contributions” to the U.N. for Afghanistan’s assistance, and require that the secretary of state determine and certify to the House and Senate Foreign Relations and Appropriations Committees that the money isn’t being funneled to the Taliban before the payments can be resumed. MORE THAN 25 STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL URGE SENATE TO PASS LAKEN RILEY ACT “American taxpayer dollars should not benefit terrorist organizations, like the Taliban. Unfortunately, we are seeing this scenario play out today, in real time. Until we can be sure, we should withhold contributions to the U.N.,” Rubio told Fox News Digital in a statement. The secretary of state, under the measure, would specifically be tasked with ensuring that U.S. funds are not included in cash shipments to the country and no “specially designated global terrorist organization” is a recipient of these contributions. VANCE LEADS BILL TO ADDRESS US MUNITIONS AND READINESS AMID UKRAINE AID BATTLE Reports last year from U.S. government watchdogs montioring aid to Afghanistan following the American military withdrawal revealed that the Taliban has managed to infiltrate many charities and other bodies in order to siphon money for its own profit. According to a report from the U.S. Institute of Peace, which was commissioned by the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Taliban has influenced “most U.N.-managed assistance programming.” Aid to Afghanistan and its implementation have proven to be a bipartisan issue, with both Democratic and Republican lawmakers expressing concerns after the U.S. military withdrawal in 2021. SEN. BRAUN DEMANDS FULL AUDIT OF MEDICARE AFTER MASSIVE FRAUD DISCOVERY In May 2023, a bipartisan group of lawmakers, including the chairman and ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, penned a letter to the U.N. secretary-general raising concerns over a mandate from the Taliban barring women from working for nongovernmental organizations (NGO) or the U.N. The group rejected the notion of male-only humanitarian aid implementation. However, it is unclear what kind of support Rubio’s measure will garner, as it would halt any Afghanistan assistance to the U.N. from the U.S. if the Taliban is benefiting, thereby also preventing civilians from accessing the aid.