Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) questions US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. (Photo by DREW ANGERER/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 1:22 PM PT – Wednesday, September 15, 2021
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) was reportedly set to introduce legislation aimed at cutting off support for the Taliban. According to Wednesday reports, the bill would prohibit federal departments from taking action on recognizing the Taliban’s claim to be the rightful government of Afghanistan.
Rubio has insisted the Biden administration to acknowledge the Taliban as a terrorist organization and their newly formed government as a representation of such, which this new legislation would require. The bill would also require a State Department assessment on countries with diplomatic relationships with the Taliban and if any foreign entities knowingly provided assistance to the group.
“There is no doubt that a Taliban-controlled Afghanistan poses a direct threat to our national security interests and that of our allies and partners both in the Middle East and in Central Asia. Following the Biden Administration’s disastrous military withdrawal from Afghanistan, the country is already becoming a safe haven for terrorists who hate America.” Rubio said in released statement. “…Congress must take action to deal with this new reality and keep Americans safe.”
Sen Rubio @SenTuberville @SenCapito @SenDanSullivan @SenThomTillis & @SenLummis introduced the Preventing Recognition of Terrorist States Act to designate the Islamic Emirate of #Afghanistan as a state sponsor of terrorism & the Taliban as a terrorist org.https://t.co/htchsKKjB0
— Senator Rubio Press (@SenRubioPress) September 15, 2021
The bill has received support from several Republicans, including Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.VA.), Sen. Thom Tillis (N.C.) and Sen. Tommy Tuberville (Ala.).
