Mike Johnson Cuts Bipartisan Afghan Relocation Provision From Defense Bill
House Republicans stripped a key provision of the Enduring Welcome Act from the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) just before the defense bill’s public release, a move that could delay U.S. support for Afghan allies who helped American troops. The removal matters now as Congress moves toward a final vote on the must-pass defense measure.
The provision, which had bipartisan backing and was designed to reestablish the State Department’s Office of the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE), was quietly cut by House Speaker Mike Johnson and GOP leadership. Lawmakers had agreed to include language restoring CARE, which coordinates relocation of Afghan allies and refugees, in the NDAA draft, but it was dropped at the last minute.
CARE had been dismantled earlier in 2025, and its reinstatement was the core of Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove’s Enduring Welcome Act, which passed the Foreign Affairs Committee with strong bipartisan support. The removed language would have codified the office’s role in helping vulnerable Afghans escape threats from the Taliban and other dangers.
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The decision erupted into political conflict as Republicans have faced pressure following a fatal shooting in late November by an Afghan asylum recipient. Some GOP lawmakers have linked Afghan resettlement programs to heightened public concern over immigration and security, contributing to the push to exclude the provision.
Rep. Kamlager-Dove said, “Republicans quietly stripped this amendment … breaching standard legislative procedure,” calling the move a betrayal of Afghan allies.
The exclusion leaves the future of Afghan relocation policy uncertain and raises questions about whether alternative legislation will be offered to protect U.S. commitments to Afghan partners. As the NDAA heads to the floor, advocates on both sides are watching for further fallout.
What happens next could shape U.S. obligations to Afghan allies and influence broader immigration and security debates in Congress.
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