{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.hawley.senate.gov/hawley-colleagues-demand-answers-biden-dod-ukraine-aid-accounting-error/", "Hawley, Colleagues Demand Answers from Biden DoD on Ukraine Aid Accounting Error", "2023-07-11", "2023", "2023-07", "Republican", "Senate", "MO", "Josh Hawley", "H001089", "www.hawley.senate.gov", "hawley", "https://www.hawley.senate.gov/press-releases/page/", "scraper", "U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), joined by Senators JD Vance (R-Ohio), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), and Mike Braun (R-Ind.), sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin demanding an explanation from the Department of Defense (DoD) for the reported $6.2 billion accounting error in U.S. security assistance to Ukraine. As President Biden arrives in Lithuania for a critical NATO summit, the Senators called for limits on military aid to Ukraine and questioned the DoD\u2019s accounting procedures.\n\n\u201cOn June 20, 2023, a DoD spokesperson asserted that DoD had been \u2018overestimating the value\u2019 of U.S. security assistance to Ukraine by a combined $6.2 billion over fiscal years 2022 and 2023,\u201d the Senators wrote.\n\n\u201cThese so-called \u2018valuation errors\u2019 are particularly concerning given the nature and scope of U.S. aid to Ukraine\u2014over $113 billion thus far [\u2026] This is a transparent attempt to bypass Congress for additional funds, while continuing to prioritize Ukraine over more vital U.S. interests, including deterring China in the Pacific.\u201d\n\n\u201cBy using creative accounting to conceal the actual cost of supporting Ukraine, you appear to be circumventing the American people\u2019s elected representatives. Congress, not DoD, possesses the power of the purse,\u201d the Senators concluded.\n\nIn March, Senator Hawley introduced the Special Inspector General for Ukraine Assistance Act to establish a Special Inspector General to oversee the military and non-military assistance to Ukraine.\n\nRead the full letter here or below.\n\nJuly 10, 2023\n\nHonorable Lloyd Austin\n\nSecretary of Defense\n\n1000 Defense Pentagon\n\nWashington, DC 20301\n\nDear Secretary Austin,\n\nWe write to inquire about Department of Defense (DOD) accounting procedures for U.S. security assistance to Ukraine.\n\nOn June 20, 2023, a DOD spokesperson asserted that DOD had been \u201coverestimating the value\u201d of U.S. security assistance to Ukraine by a combined $6.2 billion over fiscal years 2022 and 2023. Specifically, the spokesperson noted that \u201c[military] services used replacement costs rather than net book value\u201d in many cases, and that this sum would subsequently \u201cgo back into the pot of money\u201d allocated for Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) for Ukraine.\n\nThese so-called \u201cvaluation errors\u201d are particularly concerning given the nature and scope of U.S. aid to Ukraine\u2014over $113 billion thus far. By relying largely on PDA for Ukraine security assistance, DOD sends existing equipment to Ukraine and purchases new equipment to replace U.S. stocks. The true cost to American taxpayers for supporting Ukraine is therefore the replacement cost, not the net book value. While accounting consistency is certainly in the interest of good governance\u2014especially given DOD\u2019s habitual inability to pass a financial audit\u2014this is a transparent attempt to bypass Congress for additional funds, while continuing to prioritize Ukraine over more vital U.S. interests, including deterring China in the Pacific. This is yet another example of why we do not support further appropriations to Ukraine.\n\nBy using creative accounting to conceal the actual cost of supporting Ukraine, you appear to be circumventing the American people\u2019s elected representatives. Congress, not DOD, possesses the power of the purse. We will continue to safeguard this constitutional responsibility, and therefore request answers to the following questions no later than August 10, 2023.\n\nHow does DOD justify the use of net book value vice replacement costs when the equipment given to Ukraine must be replaced with new equipment?\n\nHow is DOD calculating the net book value of equipment given to Ukraine?\n\nPrior to this updated accounting guidance, which military services were using replacement cost and which were using net book value or other methods?\n\nWhat is the total replacement cost to backfill U.S. equipment and munitions stocks that have been drawn down for Ukraine?\n\nIf DOD intends to use net book value going forward, but still needs to replace equipment for U.S. stocks based on replacement value, how does DOD propose to fund the full replacement cost?\n\nGiven the apparent difficulties DOD is experiencing with properly accounting for Ukraine security assistance, how would a Special Inspector General for Ukraine Assistance aid you in this effort?\n\nThank you for your prompt attention to this important matter.\n\nSincerely,\n\nJosh Hawley\n\nUnited States Senator\n\nJD Vance\n\nUnited States Senator\n\nMike Lee\n\nUnited States Senator\n\nRoger Marshall, MD\n\nUnited States Senator", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:25:20Z"]], "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://www.hawley.senate.gov/hawley-colleagues-demand-answers-biden-dod-ukraine-aid-accounting-error/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.0310867801308632, "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"}