Posted on 03/29/2023 10:34:11 PM PDT by familyop
Oversight mechanisms for American aid to Ukraine are effectively preventing fraud and diversion, according to Congressional testimony from those involved.
Nicole Angarella, the acting deputy inspector general for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), said there is no evidence that direct assistance to embattled Kyiv has been fraudulently or otherwise diverted from its intended purposes.
“I want to be clear that providing timely, impactful, and independent oversight of USAID’s Ukraine response is my office’s top priority,” Angarella said.
“From our substantiated work that we’ve done thus far, we have not identified any instances of fraud or misuse with respect to the direct budget support.”
Angarella added that her office’s “substantive oversight mechanism” had not resulted in any serious criminal findings regarding the use of U.S. aid to Ukraine, but had solicited huge increases in the number of suspected frauds reported.
That likely means people are becoming increasingly aware of the appropriate channels through which to report suspicious activity, Angarella said.
Likewise, Defense Department Inspector General Robert Storch said the Pentagon was working to ensure accountability for all security aid from its point of origin in the United States through arrival on the front lines in Ukraine.
“It’s my understanding that of the $113 billion that the Congress has appropriated to date for Ukrainian assistance, over $62 billion … has gone to security assistance,” Storch said.
“Based on our completed work, we have not substantiated any instances of diversion of U.S. security assistance to Ukraine.”
Most American Aid Goes to US Workers
Ensuring accountability in the U.S. aid to Ukraine has been a top priority of lawmakers since Russia launched its attempted conquest more than a year ago.
To that end, Committee Chair Michael McCaul (R-Texas) said that it was “imperative” that U.S. taxpayers understand how robust oversight mechanisms were ensuring the nation’s aid was “used as intended.”
“Accountability will be paramount to continued assistance to Ukraine,” McCaul said.
For that purpose, McCaul also made clear that the majority of U.S. aid for Ukraine actually goes directly to the American servicemembers and workers responsible for creating and delivering the required materials.
Sixty percent of aid, McCaul said, went “to American troops, American workers, and modernizing American stockpiles.”
“In fact,” McCaul added, “only 20 percent [of U.S. aid] is going directly to the Ukrainian government in the form of direct budgetary assistance.”
Vital to Stopping Russia
Continuing effective oversight of U.S. aid to Ukraine is vital to stopping the Russian war machine before it reaches NATO territory, McCaul said.
Further, McCaul tied the nation’s support to a larger struggle between the rules-based international order and a resurgent autocracy witnessed throughout the world.
“It’s been a year since Vladimir Putin launched his unprovoked war of aggression in Ukraine,” McCaul said.
“I supported U.S. assistance because a victory by Putin in Ukraine would further embolden America’s adversaries from Xi in Beijing to the Ayatollah in Tehran, to Kim Jong-un in North Korea.”
Ranking Member Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) similarly said that American aid to Ukraine was part of a wider struggle to defend free societies from resurgent authoritarianism, and was in the national interest of the United States.
“Congress and the American people will continue to stand with the brave Ukrainians who are defending their rights and freedom,” Meeks said.
“It is in our national interest to provide … support to Ukraine so that it may win this war, which it will.”
Bar one. Russia is considerably worse.
fox, this is the hen house. Guard it ……. So the fox ate the hens
Quoting a Freeper:
We have investigated ourselves and found no malfeasance.
Senate Blocks Josh Hawley Amendment to Have Inspector General for Ukraine Aid
Thank you for posting this article.
“”Ukraine BTW, has long been listed as THE most corrupt country in Europe bar none.””
That isn’t true, Russia is rated as the most corrupt in Europe and it is getting worse while Ukraine is far less corrupt and getting better.
“Interesting.”
“Sixty percent of aid, McCaul said, went ‘to American troops, American workers, and modernizing American stockpiles.”
Predictable... Gift Cards redeemable at any U.S. MIC store.
Lol...there’s lots of fraud reported but only because people know how to report it. There’s no real fraud.
There was no fraud found
Sure, deep state players investigating deep state actions.
USAID, are you kidding? Leftists are funny.
And in other breaking news JFK and Elvis were spotted playing golf on the Moon near that wrecked DC3.
The auditors who failed the math test were the ones hired.
Ukraine is building its national identity and if enough of it survives it will be joining the advanced nations of the West in time.
I would not want to be a Ukrainian caught undermining this
national blood sacrifice against Russia for personal gain.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.