House Armed Services Committee: Skelton Troubled By Inspector General’s Findings On Reconstruction Efforts in Afghanistan

House Armed Services Committee: Skelton Troubled By Inspector General’s Findings On Reconstruction Efforts in Afghanistan
Ike Skelton, Chairman
For Immediate Release: January 30, 2009

Washington, DC – House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton (D-MO) released the following statement on the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction’s (SIGAR) Quarterly Report to the United States Congress:

“I’m encouraged by the progress made by the Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) in building a strong capacity for oversight since its first quarterly report. Efforts to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse in Afghanistan reconstruction programs are vital to helping Afghans build security and stability within the country’s borders and throughout the region.

“At the same time, I’m troubled by many of the report’s findings. The report describes fragmented reconstruction efforts and incoherent strategies with ‘major weaknesses’. Moreover, the report highlights the failure of U.S. agencies to spend a significant amount of the funds provided for Afghanistan reconstruction. Reconstruction is a critical part of the security equation in Afghanistan, and Congress must work closely with SIGAR and the new administration to ensure that funds targeted for development in Afghanistan are used wisely.”

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SIGAR’s Quarterly Report to the United States Congress is available online.

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Afghanistan, HASC (House Armed Services Committee)