House Passes Boyle Amendment Addressing Russian Support for the Taliban

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the House of Representatives passed Congressman Brendan F. Boyle (PA-13)'s amendment addressing Russian support for the Taliban in Afghanistan as part of the Conference Report to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2019. Specifically, the amendment will require the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense to jointly submit a report to Congress on Russia's support for the Taliban and other destabilizing activities in Afghanistan. The report must be directed to the Senate and House Armed Services Committees; the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations; and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, of which Boyle is a member. Upon passage of the his amendment as part of the Conference Report, Boyle released the following statement:

"Time and again Russia has proven to the world that it is focused on skirting international norms and rules of diplomacy to fuel instability and destabilize governments. For too long, malignant activity with Russian fingerprints has slithered its way into Afghanistan and aided the Taliban, to the detriment of American forces and efforts to achieve peace and stability there. The coordinated analysis and reporting that my amendment requires will serve as a strategic tool to address this subversive activity before it fuels a diplomatic crisis, or worse. We must provide our military and overseas diplomats the necessary information and tools to succeed in their assignments proactively and stave off military conflict before it's too late."

On the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Congressman Boyle serves as a Member of the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade, and the Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa. The NDAA Conference Report, with Boyle's provision, now awaits consideration and likely passage in the Senate, and signature by the President.

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