Lawler Advocates for Afghan Allies

This week, Reps. Mike Lawler (NY-17), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa, alongside Reps. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on South and Central Asia, Dina Titus (NV-01), and Michael McCaul (TX-10) introduced the bipartisan Enduring Welcome Act.

The Enduring Welcome Act reinforces the statutory mandate for Afghan relocations by codifying the Office of the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE) and the responsibilities of the Coordinator and establishing a database of cases in the Afghan relocation pipeline. The legislation also provides critical tools to expedite family reunification, improve interagency coordination, and enhance oversight through regular reporting to Congress, without altering rigorous national security vetting procedures.

“America made a promise to our Afghan allies who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with our servicemembers, at great personal risk, during our mission in Afghanistan. The Enduring Welcome Act strengthens our ability to keep that promise, ensuring that relocation, security vetting, and family reunifications happen quickly, transparently, and with the full coordination of our government. I believe we have a moral obligation to uphold our word, protect those who protected us, and preserve our nation’s credibility for future generations,” said Congressman Lawler.

“Honoring our commitments to our Afghan allies should never be a partisan issue, but a matter of moral responsibility, national honor, and global credibility,” said Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove. “With this bipartisan bill, we are sending a clear and unified message: the United States keeps its promises. We will not turn our backs on the brave Afghans who risked everything to protect our servicemembers. Their courage helped save American lives, and now it is our duty to protect theirs. This is not just about policy — it’s about principle.”

 The State Department established CARE to implement the Enduring Welcome program, which is dedicated to vetting and relocating Afghans who supported the U.S. mission in Afghanistan and therefore qualify for Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) or P1/P2 status through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). Though Congress codified the CARE Coordinator position in the FY25 National Defense Authorization Act in December 2024, the State Department subsequently dissolved the CARE office and has not appointed a Coordinator. This bill reinforces the statutory mandate for CARE and reaffirms the U.S. commitment to Afghan relocation efforts.

The Enduring Welcome Act is cosponsored by Reps. Mike Lawler, Dina Titus, Michael McCaul, Ami Bera, Scott Peters, Dan Crenshaw, Zach Nunn, Gregory Meeks, Greg Stanton, Hank Johnson, Pramila Jayapal, Sarah McBride, Brad Sherman, Bill Keating, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Brian Fitzpatrick, Joaquin Castro, and Julie Johnson.