Dozens of House lawmakers rally to fund Afghan visa program as Trump promises big spending cuts

A bipartisan group of 51 lawmakers is urging House negotiators to keep the flow of dollars for a visa program for Afghans fleeing the Taliban’s takeover of their country.

Reps. Jason Crow, D-Colo., and Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, wrote to top House appropriators as they continue to negotiate federal funding for the remainder of fiscal year (FY) 2025.

“We are writing to urge you to maintain the critical provisions for the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV)1 program in the fiscal year (FY) 2025 appropriations package. Authorizing new Afghan SIVs is critical to vetting and relocating qualified Afghan principal applicants who are currently being processed,” they wrote House Appropriations Committee Speaker Tom Cole, R-Okla., and others.

It comes as President-elect Trump vowed to work to reduce spending in the coming federal funding struggles. He wrote in Truth Social last week: “America will cut spending by hundreds of billions of dollars next year through reconciliation!”

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People in Trump’s orbit, including some House Republicans, are pushing for more control over how congressional funds are spent.

Meanwhile, Trump tapped Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy last month to lead a cost-cutting advisory group called the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

The duo have already positioned themselves as influential players in congressional spending debates led the revolt against a 1,547-page government funding bill that was the product of bipartisan negotiations. However, they haven’t said where they want Congress to cut spending.

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The 51 lawmakers pushing the Afghan SIV program say it is “a life-saving path to safety for Afghan nationals who face grave danger as a result of working alongside North American troops, diplomats and contractors.” -Americans”.

“Congress must continue this work so that the State Department can issue visas to eligible Afghans who face imminent threats from the Taliban, the Islamic State and other hostile groups because of their service to the US and our allies.” , they wrote.

The Afghan SIV program was first enacted in 2009, but took on new importance after the Taliban’s rapid takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, which precipitated the US withdrawal after decades in the country of the Middle East.

Congress authorized additional visas under the program each year beginning in fiscal year 2019, according to the letter.

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Congressional negotiators have so far failed to reach an agreement on spending for fiscal year 2025, forcing lawmakers to approve two extensions of last year’s funding levels to avoid a partial one. government shutdown.

The most recent extension, called a continuing resolution (CR), gives lawmakers until March 14 to reach a deal.