Subcommittee on National Security to Hold Hearing on the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction’s 2019 High-Risk List

Washington, D.C. (Apr. 2, 2019)—On Wednesday, April 3, 2019, the Subcommittee on National Security will hold a hearing on "The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction's 2019 High-Risk List."

WHERE: 2154 Rayburn House Office Building

WHEN: Wednesday, April 3, 2019

TIME: 2:00 p.m.

The hearing is open to the public, and a livestream will be broadcast here.

PURPOSE

The hearing will examine SIGAR's "2019 High-Risk List" of U.S. reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan that are highly-vulnerable to waste, fraud, and abuse, including the critical capability gaps facing the Afghanistan National Defense and Security Forces.

It will also examine the Trump Administration's policy of classifying previously-public data pertaining to U.S. efforts in Afghanistan, including Afghan security forces casualty numbers.

BACKGROUND

• On March 28, 2019, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) issued SIGAR's "2019 High-Risk List."

• The report identifies eight high-risk program areas in the more than $132 billion U.S. effort to rebuild Afghanistan that are particularly vulnerable to waste, fraud, abuse, mismanagement, and mission-failure.

• The areas include widening insecurity in the country, the critical capability gaps in the Afghan security forces, threats to women's rights, the potential reintegration of ex-Taliban combatants, and restrictions on independent oversight.

• SIGAR reports that risks to these areas could persist or be exacerbated following a peace deal in Afghanistan.

• Beginning in 2017, the Department of Defense implemented a policy to classify Afghanistan data, including Afghan security forces casualty figures, that SIGAR has included in its public reports for years.

• In 2017, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, then-Ranking Member of the Committee, and Rep. Stephen F. Lynch, the then-Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on National Security, requested an immediate reversal of the policy to classify previously-public information, and documents pertaining to the policy.

WITNESS

The Honorable John F. Sopko

Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction