Latest news with #TimBurchett
New York Times
15 minutes ago
- Politics
- New York Times
The Power and the Pain of a Deadline
As I write this newsletter, House Republicans are still haggling over President Trump's signature domestic policy bill, which their counterparts in the Senate nudged over the finish line by the narrowest of margins on Tuesday. But we do know this: The bill's Republican critics hate the July 4 deadline set by the president to get it all done. Earlier today, Representative Tim Burchett of Tennessee called the deadline 'arbitrary,' which it is, and added that it had led lawmakers 'to what we're doing right now, and that's panicking.' Representative Chip Roy of Texas, a budget hawk who has expressed deep anger that the Senate's version of the bill increases the deficit by more than what the version the House passed this spring would have, told reporters this morning that at least some of his colleagues in the narrowly divided House wanted more time to work over the bill. 'The Senate doesn't get to be the final say on everything,' Roy said. 'We've got to work this out. And the legislative process used to work that way. It used to ping-pong three, four, five, six times, go to conference.' And Representative Andy Harris of Maryland took to CNBC to advocate doing away with the deadline to give Republicans from both chambers more time to find a compromise. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Miami Herald
24-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Does the US Fund the Taliban? What We Know as House Passes Bill
The House of Representatives has passed legislation which its supporters say aims to stop U.S. funds from ending up in the hands of the Taliban, which took control of Afghanistan after the U.S. pulled out of the country in 2021. The No Tax Dollars for Terrorists Act, introduced by Republican Representative Tim Burchett, passed on Monday. The Taliban is categorized as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and was ousted from power when the U.S. and its allies invaded Afghanistan in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. After a two-decade presence, the U.S. left Afghanistan in a widely criticized withdrawal under former President Joe Biden and the Taliban soon declared a new government, which is unrecognized by any foreign state or international institution. While direct U.S. funding of the Taliban controlling Afghanistan is prohibited, Burchett had pointed to reports the group had benefited indirectly from taxes and cash shipments to their centrally controlled bank, raising questions about Washington's policy and the effectiveness of humanitarian aid to the country. The U.S. has provided nearly $2 billion in assistance to Afghanistan between August 2021, and January 2024, according to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). While USAID said no assistance went to the Taliban, a May 2024 report from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) said in the same period, around $10.9 million in U.S. aid had gone to the group. This was because the previous Afghanistan government, according to the SIGAR report, had set up a system to benefit from agencies delivering aid in which it would take a share of taxes, utility bills, and other fees for operating in the country where nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and public international organizations (PIOs) were working. In a press statement Monday, the foreign affairs committee said weekly cash shipments of nearly $40 million were being sent to Afghanistan's Taliban-controlled Central Bank. Burchett said on the House floor on Monday that Afghans resisting Taliban rule had told him "nearly all of the cash aid sent to Afghanistan ends up in the hands of the Taliban." Ali Maisam Nazary, head of foreign relations for the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRF) told Newsweek on Tuesday that under the previous Biden administration, millions of U.S. dollars ended up in Taliban hands due to weak oversight and misguided aid policies. He welcomed the House-passed bill, which if made into law would ensure no U.S. tax dollars can be used to "aid" Taliban rule. "A secure free and humanitarian zone similar to northern Afghanistan in the 1990s is essential," Nazary said , adding that aid should be delivered in Taliban-free areas with full oversight to ensure it reaches the people of the war-torn nation and not terrorist groups. "This will ensure that no aid, even a dollar, is exploited by any terrorist group including Al Qaeda and the Taliban," he added. In a press statement Monday, the Republican House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast said the bill "makes sure not a single penny of American taxpayer money ends up in the hands of the Taliban—not directly, not through back doors, and not via weak-willed foreign governments or shady NGOs." Republican Representative Tim Burchett on Monday: "Mr. Speaker, they (Taliban) will hate us for free. We do not need to give them hard-earned American tax dollars." Ali Maisam Nazary, head of foreign relations for the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan: "There is no mechanism in a Taliban-occupied Afghanistan that can prevent the exploitation of aid by terrorists at the moment." The legislation would give the Secretary of State 180 days to develop a strategy to discourage foreign governments and charities from aiding the Taliban, supporting Afghan women and report to Congress about aid to Afghanistan. The legislation passed by voice vote without objection on Monday and will now proceed to the Senate. Nazary has called on the U.S. Senate "to act with the same clarity and courage in passing this bill." Related Articles With Iran Weakened by US and Israel, ISIS Rejoices and ResurgesMan Who Says He Helped US Soldiers in Afghanistan Now in ICE DetentionHow Countries on Trump's Travel Ban List Have RespondedDonald Trump's Travel Ban: Who Can Still Enter the US? 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
24-06-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Does the US Fund the Taliban? What We Know as House Passes Bill
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The House of Representatives has passed legislation which its supporters say aims to stop U.S. funds from ending up in the hands of the Taliban, which took control of Afghanistan after the U.S. pulled out of the country in 2021. The No Tax Dollars for Terrorists Act, introduced by Republican Representative Tim Burchett, passed on Monday. Why It Matters The Taliban is categorized as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and was ousted from power when the U.S. and its allies invaded Afghanistan in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. After a two-decade presence, the U.S. left Afghanistan in a widely criticized withdrawal under former President Joe Biden and the Taliban soon declared a new government, which is unrecognized by any foreign state or international institution. While direct U.S. funding of the Taliban controlling Afghanistan is prohibited, Burchett had pointed to reports the group had benefited indirectly from taxes and cash shipments to their centrally controlled bank, raising questions about Washington's policy and the effectiveness of humanitarian aid to the country. Taliban security personnel keep watch as they sit on an armored vehicle during the Eid al-Adha celebrations in Herat on June 7, 2025. Taliban security personnel keep watch as they sit on an armored vehicle during the Eid al-Adha celebrations in Herat on June 7, To Know The U.S. has provided nearly $2 billion in assistance to Afghanistan between August 2021, and January 2024, according to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). While USAID said no assistance went to the Taliban, a May 2024 report from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) said in the same period, around $10.9 million in U.S. aid had gone to the group. This was because the previous Afghanistan government, according to the SIGAR report, had set up a system to benefit from agencies delivering aid in which it would take a share of taxes, utility bills, and other fees for operating in the country where nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and public international organizations (PIOs) were working. In a press statement Monday, the foreign affairs committee said weekly cash shipments of nearly $40 million were being sent to Afghanistan's Taliban-controlled Central Bank. Burchett said on the House floor on Monday that Afghans resisting Taliban rule had told him "nearly all of the cash aid sent to Afghanistan ends up in the hands of the Taliban." Ali Maisam Nazary, head of foreign relations for the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRF) told Newsweek on Tuesday that under the previous Biden administration, millions of U.S. dollars ended up in Taliban hands due to weak oversight and misguided aid policies. He welcomed the House-passed bill, which if made into law would ensure no U.S. tax dollars can be used to "aid" Taliban rule. "A secure free and humanitarian zone similar to northern Afghanistan in the 1990s is essential," Nazary said , adding that aid should be delivered in Taliban-free areas with full oversight to ensure it reaches the people of the war-torn nation and not terrorist groups. "This will ensure that no aid, even a dollar, is exploited by any terrorist group including Al Qaeda and the Taliban," he added. On behalf of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan, I extend our sincere appreciation to Speaker @SpeakerJohnson, Chairman @RepBrianMast, Congressman @TimBurchett, and the U.S. House of Representatives for the passage of the No Tax Dollars for Terrorists Act. This… — Ali Maisam Nazary (@alinazary) June 23, 2025 In a press statement Monday, the Republican House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast said the bill "makes sure not a single penny of American taxpayer money ends up in the hands of the Taliban—not directly, not through back doors, and not via weak-willed foreign governments or shady NGOs." What People Are Saying Republican Representative Tim Burchett on Monday: "Mr. Speaker, they (Taliban) will hate us for free. We do not need to give them hard-earned American tax dollars." Ali Maisam Nazary, head of foreign relations for the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan: "There is no mechanism in a Taliban-occupied Afghanistan that can prevent the exploitation of aid by terrorists at the moment." What Happens Next The legislation would give the Secretary of State 180 days to develop a strategy to discourage foreign governments and charities from aiding the Taliban, supporting Afghan women and report to Congress about aid to Afghanistan. The legislation passed by voice vote without objection on Monday and will now proceed to the Senate. Nazary has called on the U.S. Senate "to act with the same clarity and courage in passing this bill."
The Guardian
18-06-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Majority of Trump supporters against US military involvement in Israel-Iran conflict, poll finds
A majority of supporters of Donald Trump are against US military involvement in Israel's conflict with Iran, a poll published Wednesday found, reflecting a growing Republican backlash to the president's threats to utilize American firepower. A wide ranging Economist/YouGov poll conducted over the weekend revealed that 53% of voters who backed Trump in the 2024 presidential election do not want the country to join in Israel's strikes. It reinforces a long-held public appetite for a peaceful resolution to the objective of forcing Iran to give up its ambitions of acquiring nuclear weapons. A Chicago Council on Global Affairs-Ipsos survey in April found eight in 10 Americans favored diplomatic steps or tightening economic sanctions to limit Iran's further nuclear enrichment. The poll published Wednesday, reported by the foreign policy think tank Responsible Statecraft, comes as an increasing number of Republican politicians and Trump allies express their opposition to the prospect of the president involving US forces without the approval of Congress. 'This is not our war. But if it were, Congress must decide such matters according to our Constitution,' Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican representative, wrote on X on Monday, adding his voice to the pursuit of a bipartisan House war powers resolution to try to curb Trump's authority. On Wednesday, Tim Burchett, a Republican representative form Tennessee, told CNN he wants to see 'very little' US involvement in the escalating Middle East conflict, which has witnessed Israel and Iran trading missile barrages for several days. 'We don't need another endless war in the Middle East. Old men make decisions and young men die, and that's the history of war,' he said. 'We need to take a deep breath and slow down this thing and let the Israelis do their thing. We do not need a three-front war in our lifetime.' Their views mirror those of Trump's voters surveyed in the Economist poll, which revealed that only 19% of them favored the US getting involved militarily, and 63% wanted the administration to 'engage in negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program'. Among all voters, 60% agreed that the US should step back from involving its military. Sign up to This Week in Trumpland A deep dive into the policies, controversies and oddities surrounding the Trump administration after newsletter promotion Previous polls have consistently shown that diplomacy and negotiations, leading to a new, binding nuclear agreement by which Iran halts nuclear weapons production, is the public's preferred solution. Even if diplomacy or economic sanctions failed, the Ipsos poll showed, Americans favored stepping up action short of military engagement. Six out of 10 respondents said they would support the US conducting cyberattacks against Iranian computer systems, while only 48% would support airstrikes against Iran's nuclear facilities. In a Gallup poll published last year, 77% said they considered the development of nuclear weapons by Iran as a 'critical threat' to the security of the US, but as subsequent surveys showed, there is no matching appetite for the use of the US military to counter it.
.jpg%3Ftrim%3D0%2C50%2C0%2C50%26width%3D1200%26height%3D800%26crop%3D1200%3A800&w=3840&q=100)
The Independent
18-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
GOP lawmaker torches Lindsey Graham and Ted Cruz on Iran conflict: ‘I call them war pimps'
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) appeared to side with Tucker Carlson in the intra-MAGA conflict over the United States' support of Israel's war with Iran, labeling members of his own party 'war pimps' while saying he doesn't want to 'see American boys and girls going to a faraway land.' During a Wednesday morning appearance on CNN, the far-right congressman was asked to weigh in on the recent clash between Carlson and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), which featured the former Fox News star chastising the senator for not knowing basic facts about Iran while pushing for regime change and direct American action. 'You're a senator who's calling for the overthrow of the government, and you don't know anything about the country!' Carlson shouted at Cruz at one point in the interview. 'There is a bit of a divide in your own party on this,' CNN anchor John Berman said while airing a clip of the Carlson-Cruz exchange. 'It seems like you're saying you don't want U.S. military involvement here. You're agreeing on that. And we saw in this new video, Tucker Carlson – who is someone who in the past has been very supportive of the president – had an interview with Sen. Ted Cruz from Texas.' After playing footage from the heated discussion, Berman wondered where Burchett came down on this while noting that Carlson has called some Republicans and conservative media figures 'warmongers' while urging President Donald Trump not to militarily attack Iran. 'Yeah, well, I call them war pimps,' Burchett flatly responded before taking aim at Cruz and Sen, Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who has been pushing Trump to go 'all in' on Iran while saying it's 'time to close the chapter' on Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. 'You know, Lindsey Graham's a friend of mine. Ted Cruz is a friend of mine,' he continued. 'Look, I got a daughter who just turned 18 last week on the same day as the president did… and I don't want to see her go to war.' Noting that his parents fought in World War II, which he said was for a 'just cause,' Burchett then argued that he doesn't want to 'see American boys and girls going to a faraway land that many of us can't even find on a map.' Insisting that 'the Israelis can handle this thing,' the Tennessee lawmaker reiterated that he didn't want the United States to further entangle itself in the escalating conflict. 'We do not need a three-front war in our lifetime,' he added. 'I just don't think that that's the route to go. There'll be room for debate. But I think we ought to let the president do his negotiating skills. That's what I elected him to do.' Elsewhere in the CNN interview, Burchett also seemed to disagree with Graham and other Republicans who claim that American involvement is necessary because Iran's nuclear capabilities pose a direct threat to the United States. 'They can't get past Greece with their missiles. I think if they had, they would have already launched them. That's pretty evident in their last missile strike,' he stated. 'Again, I think we need to take a deep breath and slow down this thing and let the Israelis do their thing. And that's ultimately what's going to bring them to the negotiating table.' With the president weighing whether to join Israel's war against Iran, which has included him urging the residents of Tehran to immediately evacuate while demanding 'UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER,' Carlson has led a growing right-wing insurgency that threatens to splinter the MAGA coalition. Carlson, who has warned Trump for months about bombing Iran as other right-wing pundits egged the president on, accused the president of being 'complicit' after Israel preemptively struck Iran. Arguing that a war could 'end Trump's presidency' and the 'American empire,' Carlson has also taken aim at his old haunting grounds, calling his former Fox News colleagues 'warmongers' while claiming the network is 'turning up the propaganda hose to full blast' to justify a regime-changing war with Iran. With Carlson attracting other prominent MAGA isolationists such as Steve Bannon and Marjorie Taylor Greene to his side, Trump finally decided to return fire at his longtime ally and informal adviser. 'Somebody please explain to kooky Tucker Carlson that, 'IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON,' Trump blasted on Truth Social on Monday night. The president even took to mocking Carlson, who was fired from Fox News in 2023, for no longer having a primetime cable news show – revealing once again just how much weight the media-obsessed Trump places on television. 'I don't know what Tucker Carlson is saying,' Trump seethed at this week's G7. 'Let him go get a television network and say it so that people listen.'
