WASHINGTON – Sens. John Kennedy (R-La.) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) penned this op-ed in USA Today advocating for the installation of a Special Inspector General to help ensure Ukraine uses America’s aid efficiently and effectively.

Sen. Kennedy introduced the Independent and Objective Oversight of Ukrainian Assistance Act earlier this year, a bill that would establish a Special Inspector General in Ukraine to help advise Congress on future aid packages and confirm that Ukraine spends each taxpayer dollar as Congress intended. Sen. Sinema is a cosponsor of the legislation.

Key excerpts of the op-ed are below:

“Our aid to Ukraine isn’t charity. It’s in our national security interest.

“As we determine how to best support Ukrainian sovereignty against Russia’s unprovoked and illegal war, it is important that Americans can understand and track how the resources are used.

“Taxpayers in Arizona and Louisiana help fund this investment. And our constituents deserve to know that each dollar sent to Ukraine is spent with the singular aim of deterring Russian President Vladimir Putin and maintaining peace for the United States and our allies.”

. . .  

“Today, we have a patchwork of watchdogs each following a different trail of money and no one entity to keep an eye on the whole picture. If the American people want to keep track of all the different streams of military, financial and humanitarian aid flowing into Ukraine, we need a dedicated team of regional experts following every penny.

“It is just common sense, and it is what our bill, the Independent and Objective Oversight of Ukrainian Assistance Act, will do.”

. . .                                               

“Polling shows that Americans are split on whether we should continue to directly fund Ukraine. These good-faith debates are important to our democracy—something Putin wouldn’t understand but does fear.

“But today, it is difficult to engage in a meaningful debate over the effect of our aid when Congress doesn’t have a complete picture of how the money is spent. A Special Inspector General in Ukraine will help us make better investments to deter Putin and protect America’s national security interests.”

Read the full op-ed here.