WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Nikema Williams (GA-05) issued the following statement in response to President Joe Biden’s remarks on Afghanistan: 

“First and foremost, my thoughts are with the members of our armed forces who served in Afghanistan. In his speech to the nation, President Biden stressed he is taking decisive action to protect the lives of U.S. service members, our Afghan partners and their families. Nearly two decades of war in Afghanistan have claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. 

“In the face of an extraordinary and growing human toll, my focus is on a response that centers human rights. I am especially concerned for the safety of Afghan women and girls who are in grave danger of gender-based violence and harm. We must remain laser-focused on our obligation to safely evacuate U.S. Embassy personnel, American citizens, targeted Afghans, and Special Immigrant Visa applicants. That’s why last month, I voted to pass the ALLIES Act because it provides the necessary resources to expand the Special Immigrant Visa program and speed up processing to ensure our partners have a path to safety.”