Chairman Ros-Lehtinen on the hearing: “Now that the administration has unveiled its Afghanistan strategy and decided to suspend a significant amount of aid to Pakistan, this hearing will allow members to review the approximate $1.1 billion combined FY 2018 budget request for these two countries. This hearing will also explore ongoing challenges in Afghanistan, including combating the Taliban, corruption, economic woes, and a lack of prioritization of counter-narcotics efforts, as well as Pakistan’s performance in preventing terrorist groups from establishing safe havens, and assess whether the budget request is meeting U.S. priorities.”

Chairman Yoho on the hearing: “South Asia presents some of the United States’ most serious and enduring security challenges. A productive U.S.-Pakistan relationship is essential to bring stability to the region, but doubts persist about Pakistan’s commitment to denying terrorists safe harbor. In this hearing, the subcommittees will hear the latest on U.S. civilian efforts in Afghanistan and Pakistan, determine how they fit into the President’s new plan for the region, and oversee the administration’s resourcing decisions.”

Opening Statements


Witnesses

The Honorable Alice G. Wells
Acting Assistant Secretary
Acting Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan
Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs
U.S. Department of State
[full text of statement]

Mr. Gregory Huger
Assistant to the Administrator
Office of Afghanistan and Pakistan Affairs
U.S. Agency for International Development
[full text of statement]

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Hearing transcript (PDF)