Dems quietly restrict GOP ability to investigate White House actions on Afghanistan, border crisisRepublicans are furious over moves quietly made by Democrats on the House Rules Committee that have stymied congressional abilities to conduct oversight of the executive branch.
Efforts to probe the Biden administration on matters relating to the chaotic withdrawal of Afghanistan and the crisis at the southern border have been thwarted, Republican staffers told Fox News, due to a March rule that effectively blocked a procedural move known as Resolutions of Inquiry (ROI).
The oversight tool is traditionally utilized by the minority party in Congress to request information from the executive branch.
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After the inquiry is filed it is sent to the relevant committee, which has 14 days to respond. If the committee fails to address the inquiry it is then sent to the House floor as a "privileged resolution" – a move that was first obstructed under the previous administration.
In March 2020, Congress prevented ROI’s from becoming privileged resolutions in an attempt to keep business off the House floor during the pandemic.
One year later, Democrats extended the rule through April 2021.
But Republicans are now crying foul as the provision has been repeatedly amended – pushing the new deadline through Oct. 27 with no indication that the committee will reverse the rule when that time comes.
"Although Democrats claim that turning off the use of resolutions of inquiry is related to available floor time, it is really a move to shield the Biden Administration from answering legitimate questions about its abject failures and missteps," Rules Committee Ranking Member Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., told Fox News...........
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dems-quietly-restrict-gop-ability-investigate-white-house-actions-afghanistan-border-crisis
