U.S. Senator Katie Britt Fights Biden Plan to Redistribute Ukraine’s Debt onto American Taxpayers

WASHINGTON, D.C., November 22, 2024 – U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) this week voted in support of U.S. Senator Rand Paul’s (R-Ky.) joint resolution of disapproval to block the Biden-Harris Administration’s attempt to redistribute Ukraine’s debt onto the American people. The Administration is attempting to unilaterally forgive $4.65 billion of debt owed by Ukraine, effectively forcing American taxpayers to foot the bill.

“President Biden’s irresponsible, lame-duck scheme to redistribute Ukraine’s debt onto hardworking Americans continues the America Last failures of this administration. Ukraine borrowed it, they should pay it back in cash or mineral rights—no matter how long it takes,” said Senator Britt. “With the U.S. national debt surpassing $36 trillion, the last thing American taxpayers deserve is having foreign debt dumped on them by the unilateral decree of an outgoing President with basement-low approval numbers. I was proud to join Senator Rand Paul in standing up for American families and fighting back against this latest Biden boondoggle. I’ll continue working to restore fiscal sanity to Washington, D.C., and I look forward to President Trump retaking the White House with a peace-through-strength doctrine that will once again prioritize Americans first.”

The Biden-Harris Administration delivered a report to Congress on Monday stating that President Biden intends to cancel 50 percent ($4.65 billion) of the total indebtedness incurred by Ukraine with respect to economic assistance provided by the United States. Senator Paul’s resolution would prevent this debt cancelation, which is truly a debt transfer to the American people.

Background:

Senator Britt has been a stalwart working to ensure strong guardrails are in place on the use of U.S. taxpayer dollars, especially those going abroad to Ukraine. She has previously voted for amendments to:

• Prohibit the Department of Defense from obligating or expending more than two percent of NDAA funds for Ukraine until all member countries of NATO spend at least two percent of their GDP on defense;
• Establish an Office of the Lead Inspector General for Ukraine Assistance to oversee the audit and investigation of programs and operations that are receiving funding appropriated by the U.S. for Ukraine;
• Re-designate the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction as the “Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction and Ukraine Aid.” The combined Special Inspector would conduct oversight of military economic and humanitarian aid provided after February 22, 2022; conduct audits and investigations of the treatment, handling and expenditure of amounts appropriated or otherwise made available for military, economic, and humanitarian aid to Ukraine; and consult with Congress before conducting auditing activities outside of Ukraine; and
• Create a Special Inspector General for Ukrainian assistance.

Senator Britt previously voted against supplemental funding legislation that would have used taxpayer dollars to fund pensions for the Ukrainian government.

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