{"id":32914,"date":"2021-09-13T02:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-13T02:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/uncategorized\/2021\/09\/13\/this-week-in-congress-lawmakers-hold-first-hearings-on-afghanistan-evacuation-missteps\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T06:55:28","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T06:55:28","slug":"this-week-in-congress-lawmakers-hold-first-hearings-on-afghanistan-evacuation-missteps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2021\/09\/13\/this-week-in-congress-lawmakers-hold-first-hearings-on-afghanistan-evacuation-missteps\/","title":{"rendered":"This week in Congress: Lawmakers hold first hearings on Afghanistan evacuation missteps"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Lawmakers this week will hold their first public hearings on the Afghanistan withdrawal <\/a>and evacuation missions since all military forces departed from the country late last month. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Secretary of State Antony Blinken<\/a> will appear before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Monday and Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday to answer questions about his department\u2019s role in the effort, and the uncertain fate of Americans and Afghan allies still trying to escape the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He is expected to face harsh questioning from both Republican lawmakers \u2014 who have publicly denounced President Joe Biden for missteps in the planned military withdrawal from Afghanistan and the subsequent chaotic exit of tens of thousands of individuals \u2014 and Democrats who have raised concerns about refugees and allies left behind in the Taliban takeover. <\/p>\n\n\n\t