{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/news-releases/mccaskill-plan-to-end-funding-for-unsustainable-afghan-infrastructure-projects-included-in-annual-defense-bill", "McCaskill Plan to End Funding for Unsustainable Afghan Infrastructure Projects Included in Annual Defense Bill", "2014-12-11", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "MO", "Claire McCaskill", "M001170", "www.mccaskill.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "McCaskill Plan to End Funding for Unsustainable Afghan Infrastructure Projects Included in Annual Defense Bill \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t Senator\u2019s provision to cut taxpayer funding for wasteful Afghan Infrastructure Fund  is one step closer to becoming law \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tThursday, December 11, 2014\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTON \u2013 This year\u2019s annual defense bill will include provisions by U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill to prohibit taxpayer funding from use by the Afghanistan Infrastructure Fund, and to prohibit unsustainable projects that cannot be overseen by American personnel.\r\n\u201cFor far too long we\u2019ve been spending millions of dollars on projects in Afghanistan that can\u2019t be responsibly secured or maintained,\u201d said McCaskill, a former Missouri State Auditor. \u201cI think Americans today will have a little more confidence in how their taxpayer money is being spent if we can get that money back from halfway around the world and use it on infrastructure\u2014our roads and bridges in particular\u2014where it\u2019s sorely needed.\u201d\r\nThe provisions come after sustained pressure from McCaskill on the Obama Administration to prevent waste and abuse of taxpayer dollars on unsustainable infrastructure projects in Afghanistan. The legislation prohibits funding for construction projects in Afghanistan greater than $1 million that cannot be audited and physically inspected by US government personnel or designated representatives, and necessitates a determination that the project has been coordinated with the government of Afghanistan and that adequate arrangements have been made for project sustainment.\r\nMcCaskill this summer penned a letter to the U.S. Agency for International Development demanding answers on the cost and sustainability of the Tarakhil power plant, which has cost the U.S. more than $300 million, and generated less than 3% of the power it was built to produce. McCaskill also quizzed General Joseph F. Dunford, Jr., Commander of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, on concerns raised by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction regarding the dwindling oversight of taxpayer-funded projects in the country as the U.S. drawdown of troops continues.\r\nEarlier this year, McCaskill\u00a0called for action\u00a0from the State Department to implement safeguards over contracts to stop the waste of tax money. The Inspector General's report came nearly one year after McCaskill had\u00a0formally requested\u00a0that the office review the contracts.\r\nLast year, McCaskill introduced a Senate budget resolution to end funding for the projects and redirect those resources for use in construction of roads in the United States.\r\nVisit mccaskill.senate.gov/accountability to learn more about McCaskill's fight to strengthen accountability.\u00a0\r\n###\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "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.mccaskill.senate.gov/media-center/news-releases/mccaskill-plan-to-end-funding-for-unsustainable-afghan-infrastructure-projects-included-in-annual-defense-bill"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.3195991050451994, "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"}