Pressure Mounts on Pentagon Over Lack of Oversight for Ukraine Military Aid

RAND PAUL

  by dave decamp

Politico reported Thursday that there are lawmakers who have warned the Biden administration that the overwhelming congressional support for Ukraine aid could wane if the issue is not addressed.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) tried to add a provision to the $40 billion Ukraine aid that would create a new inspector general for oversight, but his effort failed. The measure passed in a vote of 86-11, with only Republicans voting no, mostly because of the lack of accountability for how the funds will be spent.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) has also called for oversight of the aid being sent to Ukraine. "The US government is sending billions in humanitarian, economic, and military assistance to help the Ukrainian people overcome Putin's brutal war, and the American people expect strong oversight by Congress and full accounting from the Department of Defense," she said.

Demonstrating the severe lack of oversight, CNN reported in April that the US has "almost zero" ability to track the weapons it is sending once they enter Ukraine. One source briefed on US intelligence described it as dropping the arms into a "big black hole."