As the war in eastern Europe rages on between Russia and Ukraine, Americans around the country are starting to question whether their taxpayer dollars should be funding a conflict over 5,000 miles away. Moreover, Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) believes that the federal government could be cooking the books when it comes to just how much the U.S. is spending to aid Ukraine.
According to a poll by Brookings, a non-partisan research institution, 33% of Americans believe that the United States is spending too much to help the Ukrainians. 30% say that it’s at the “right level,” and only 12% of the respondents believe that we aren’t spending enough. The rest were unsure.
In addition to these findings, after recent reports of a $3 billion “accounting error,” Sen. Rubio has sent a letter to Gene Dodaro, the Comptroller General of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to address the appalling blunder.
“Instead of consistently tabulating the value based on the replacement costs for all donated equipment, DoD (Department of Defense) appears now to be using the depreciated value of the equipment,” writes Sen. Rubio.
The Florida senator would go on to mention “As such, I request a full GAO review of DoD’s accounting of all equipment provided to Ukraine under PDA since the Russian invasion in 2022 and how it compares with the valuation of equipment provided to other countries using PDA (presidential drawdown authorities). This will ensure U.S. taxpayers are not footing an even larger bill to replace the equipment needed to defend the U.S. and its interests.”
His letter concludes, “I ask for a GAO review of DoD’s accounting of all equipment provided to Ukraine under these authorities, and a review of the DoD’s process for valuing the equipment and whether it was the depreciated or replacement value.”
This is not the first time that a U.S. legislator from the Sunshine State has questioned the validity of the funding that has been provided to the Ukrainians.
After a shocking report came out showcasing American soldiers on the ground in Ukraine without congressional authorization, Representative Matt Gaetz (R-FL) introduced a Privileged Resolution of Inquiry to ascertain a complete picture of American involvement in the besieged country.
In his press release, Rep. Gaetz accused the Biden Administration of "misleading the world on the state of the war in Ukraine."
"The Biden Administration and other allied countries have been misleading the world on the state of the war in Ukraine. There must be total transparency from this administration to the American people when they are gambling war with a nuclear adversary by having special forces operating in Ukraine," Rep. Gaetz stated.
Whether the billion-dollar “error” was an error or not, it appears Republicans are getting restless with American involvement in Ukraine.
