{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://vanepps.house.gov/media/press-releases/five-years-after-abbey-gate-republicans-say-biden-s-failures-still-haven-t-been-answered-for", "Five Years After Abbey Gate, Republicans Say Biden's Failures Still Haven't Been Answered For", "2026-08-26", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "TN", "Matt Van Epps", "V000139", "vanepps.house.gov", "vanepps", "https://vanepps.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Five years ago, an ISIS-K terrorist detonated a suicide bomb at Abbey Gate in Kabul, Afghanistan, killing 13 American servicemembers in the deadliest day for U.S. forces in Afghanistan in over a decade. On this solemn anniversary, Republican Study Committee (RSC) Members honor the memory of these American heroes and the sacrifice they made in service to our country.\n\nThe botched withdrawal from Afghanistan was the direct result of the Biden-Harris administration\u2019s failure to adequately prepare for the operation and account for the consequences of their decisions. RSC Members remain resolute that a catastrophe of this magnitude must never happen again.\n\nPresident Trump and Congressional Republicans have moved decisively to rebuild the strength our fallen heroes deserved. The Working Families Tax Cuts Act delivered a $150 billion investment into America\u2019s national security, equipping our servicemembers to meet an increasingly evolving threat landscape. House Republicans also passed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027, taking a major step toward restoring American deterrence and rebuilding the United States as the world\u2019s preeminent fighting force.\n\nRSC Members released the following statements:\n\n\u201cFive years ago at Abbey Gate, 13 courageous American servicemembers made the ultimate sacrifice while carrying out a dangerous mission to bring others to safety. We will never forget their bravery, and we continue to mourn with and pray for the families. This solemn anniversary is also a reminder of the catastrophic failures that led to the attack during the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. Honoring the fallen requires accountability and resolve. We must continue to take the necessary steps to ensure our warfighters have the leadership and resources they need to prevent a tragedy of this magnitude from ever happening again,\u201d said Rep. Mike Rogers (AL-03), Chairman of the House Committee on Armed Services.\n\n\u201cThe 13 heroes of Abbey Gate represented the very best of our nation\u2014standing in the breach to save others with extraordinary courage and selflessness. Having made the ultimate sacrifice, their unwavering devotion to duty will forever be etched in our hearts and honored by a grateful nation,\u201d said Rep. Rick Crawford (AK-01), Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.\n\n\u201cAbbey Gate showed the world what American weakness looks like. Thirteen heroes lost their lives because the Biden-Harris administration projected chaos instead of strength, and our adversaries took notice. Five years later, Republicans have worked tirelessly to restore what was lost that day. From rebuilding our military to reasserting American resolve on the world stage, we are proving that the era of American weakness is over. We owe it to the fallen at Abbey Gate to make sure this country is never caught in that position again,\u201d said RSC Chairman August Pfluger (TX-11).\n\n\u201cWe must never forget the August 26th, 2021, Surrender in Afghanistan, one of the most disastrous military and foreign policy mistakes in American history. Sadly, 13 brave U.S. servicemembers were killed after successfully preventing resurgence of terrorism for 20 years. Biden capitulation to the Taliban has made Afghanistan a safe haven for terrorists, putting all Americans at risk. Today, we remember the lives lost, and the sacrifices made for our freedom and safety in America,\u201d said Rep. Joe Wilson (SC-02).\n\n\u201cFive years ago, 13 brave American servicemembers made the ultimate sacrifice at Abbey Gate during President Biden\u2019s disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal. Today, we honor their heroism and stand with their Gold Star Families and the other wounded survivors. Their courage and sacrifice will forever be part of the story of our Nation, and we will remain committed to ensuring that American lives and American strength is never taken for granted again,\u201d said Rep. Ronny Jackson (TX-13).", 1, "2026-09-01T09:48:49Z", "2026-09-01T09:49:51Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://vanepps.house.gov/media/press-releases/five-years-after-abbey-gate-republicans-say-biden-s-failures-still-haven-t-been-answered-for"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9008282795548439, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}