众议院共和党领袖凯文·麦卡锡呼吁众议院议长南希·佩洛西将众议院提前从原定的休会期带回华盛顿解决不断升级的局势在阿富汗周四，作为美国公民和盟友，喀布尔机场发生致命爆炸试图逃离这个国家。
本周早些时候，众议院召开了为期两天的会议，讨论一些不相关的问题，但预计要到9月20日才能回到华盛顿，远远晚于8月31日美国从阿富汗撤军的最后期限。
麦卡锡说，佩洛西必须迅速恢复议会，部分原因是就威斯康星州共和党众议员迈克·加拉格尔提出的立法进行投票。
“现在是国会迅速采取行动拯救生命的时候了。议长佩洛西必须在8月31日之前让国会重新开会，以便拜登政府能够全面彻底地向我们介绍情况，并通过加拉格尔众议员的立法，禁止我们的军队撤出，直到所有美国人都离开阿富汗，”麦卡锡在一份声明中说。
然而，佩洛西不太可能打电话给众议院，乔·拜登总统表示，他打算坚持到8月31日的撤军最后期限。
佩洛西在一份表达想法和祈祷的声明中说，国会将继续听取简报，但没有回应麦卡锡的要求。
佩洛西发言人德鲁·汉密尔在推特上回应麦卡锡，并抨击他“空洞的特技和分散注意力。”
哈米尔在推特上写道:“现在，美国英雄们正在冒着风险&献出他们的生命来执行一次异常危险的撤离行动，&少数党领袖想要解除任务&在行动最危险的日子里把总司令绑在手中。”。
“无助于疏散美国公民的是更多空洞的噱头&分散作为总统袖手旁观的少数党领袖的注意力。特朗普自豪地与塔利班谈判。拜登政府已经多次向国会做简报&每天提供频繁的更新，”他补充道。
无助于疏散美国公民的是更多空洞的噱头&分散作为总统袖手旁观的少数党领袖的注意力。特朗普自豪地与塔利班谈判。拜登政府已经多次向国会做简报&每天提供频繁的更新。
—德鲁·汉密尔(@德鲁·汉密尔)2021年8月26日
佩洛西的办公室周四告诉美国广播公司新闻，国防部长劳埃德·奥斯汀通过电话向她简要介绍了阿富汗局势。
麦卡锡的电话是在五角大楼官员证实12名美国军人周四在喀布尔被两名自杀炸弹手杀害之前发出的，据信这两名自杀炸弹手是ISIS战士。
尽管共和党人几周来一直嘲笑拜登从阿富汗撤军的决定，但两院的民主党人对喀布尔机场正在进行的大规模疏散发表评论的速度较慢。
然而，在喀布尔发生致命爆炸的消息传出后，民主党人谴责了这一事件，称其为针对美军的恐怖袭击。
美国参议院多数党领袖查克·舒默(Chuck Schumer)周四听取了奥斯汀的简报，他在一份声明中表示:“我强烈谴责这一恐怖主义行为，世界必须清楚，实施这一行为的恐怖分子将被追捕并绳之以法。
外交关系主席鲍勃·梅嫩德斯在一份声明中说:“有一点是明确的:我们不能把美国的安全托付给塔利班。”这是一场全面的人道主义危机，已经在极端情况下工作的美国政府人员必须确保机场的安全，并完成对美国公民和试图离开该国的弱势阿富汗人的大规模疏散。"
民主党人仍然没有直接批评拜登，许多人——提供想法和祈祷——表示，他们在监测喀布尔当地局势时，正在与国务院联系。
但一些民主党人开始与政府决裂，暗示他们将支持延长撤军期限。
D-Nev州参议员凯瑟琳·科尔特斯·马斯托(Catherine Cortez Masto)在推特上写道:“将成千上万的美国人和在阿富汗的盟友带到安全的地方必须仍然是我们的首要任务，而推迟撤离期限是必要和重要的一步。
为我们在喀布尔的军队、美国公民和阿富汗盟友的安全祈祷。我会继续密切跟踪情况。
——参议员科尔特斯·马斯托(@森科尔特斯·马斯托)2021年8月26日
随着形势变得更加严峻，共和党人几周来一直指责拜登。周四爆炸发生后不久，共和党人加剧了他们的批评。
“乔·拜登手上有血，”众议院第三号共和党人、众议员埃利斯·斯特凡尼克(Elise Stefanik)在推特上写道。“这场可怕的国家安全和人道主义灾难完全是乔·拜登领导软弱无能的结果。他不适合当总司令。”
乔·拜登手上有血。责任由美国总统承担。这场可怕的国家安全和人道主义灾难完全是乔·拜登软弱无能的领导造成的。他不适合当总司令。
—Elise Stefanik(@ ElisetFanik)2021年8月26日
密歇根州众议员丽莎·麦克莱恩在推特上写道:“美国人正死于拜登总统灾难性地从#阿富汗撤军。”
佐治亚州众议员乔迪·希克是前总统的忠实拥护者唐纳德·特朗普，在推特上写道，拜登需要“立即辞职!!."
拜登政府认为阿富汗被遗弃的人是一个政治麻烦。也许把他们看做真实的人而不是“推动文件”会产生救援而不是死亡。拜登现在该辞职了!!!
—乔迪·希奇众议员(@国会议员)2021年8月26日
对拜登的愤怒不仅限于众议院的共和党人。参议院少数党领袖米奇·麦康奈尔几周来一直直言不讳地反对在该地区撤军。麦康奈尔星期四在喀布尔爆炸发生前发表讲话，称阿富汗当地的局势是“一场彻头彻尾的灾难”
“这些家伙不能组织一个两车的葬礼，”麦康奈尔在谈到政府的撤军努力时说。“看到那些年轻人紧紧抓住飞机的侧面摔死，以及他们多么渴望不被抛在后面，这是非常悲惨的。”
“我们看到的是一个糟糕的计划执行不力的结果，”共和党参议员罗伊·布朗特说。，在一份声明中说道。“拜登政府必须利用一切可以利用的资源，让美国人和我们的盟友安全。”
伊拉克和黎凡特伊斯兰国的袭击令人震惊，他们正在策划更多的行动，使得在8月31日之前营救所有滞留在阿富汗的美国人变得更加不可能
—马尔科·卢比奥(@marcorubio)2021年8月26日
情报委员会高级成员马尔科·卢比奥称周四的袭击“令人震惊”，并警告说，这可能使营救仍滞留在阿富汗的美国人“更加不可能”
GOP's McCarthy wants Pelosi to call House back to Washington to address Afghanistan
House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy called on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to bring the lower chamber back to Washington early from its scheduled recess toaddress the escalating situationinAfghanistan, which culminated in a deadly bombing at the Kabul airport Thursday as American citizens and alliesattempt to flee the country.
The House convened for two days earlier this week to address unrelated matters, but is not expected to return to Washington until Sept. 20, long after the Aug. 31 deadline for the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
McCarthy said Pelosi must bring the chamber back swiftly, in part to hold a vote on legislation proposed by Wisconsin Republican Rep. Mike Gallagher.
"It is time for Congress to act quickly to save lives. Speaker Pelosi must bring Congress back into session before August 31 so that we can be briefed thoroughly and comprehensively by the Biden Administration and pass Representative Gallagher's legislation prohibiting the withdrawal of our troops until every American is out of Afghanistan," McCarthy said in a statement.
It's unlikely, however, Pelosi will call the House back and President Joe Biden has said he intends to stick to the Aug. 31 withdrawal deadline.
In a statement offering thoughts and prayers, Pelosi said Congress will continue to be briefed, but did not address McCarthy's demand.
Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill tweeted in response to McCarthy and blasted him for "empty stunts and distractions."
"Right now, American heroes are risking & giving their lives to execute an extraordinarily dangerous evacuation, & the Minority Leader wants to defund the mission & tie the Commander in Chief's hands in the middle of the most dangerous days of the operation," Hammill tweeted.
"What's not going to help evacuate American citizens is more empty stunts & distraction from the Minority Leader who sat idly by as Pres. Trump proudly negotiated with the Taliban. The Biden Administration has repeatedly briefed the Congress & providing frequent updates each day," he added.
What’s not going to help evacuate American citizens is more empty stunts & distraction from the Minority Leader who sat idly by as Pres. Trump proudly negotiated with the Taliban. The Biden Administration has repeatedly briefed the Congress & providing frequent updates each day.
— Drew Hammill (@Drew_Hammill)August 26, 2021
Pelosi was briefed by phone on the situation in Afghanistan by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, her office told ABC News on Thursday.
McCarthy's call came ahead of Pentagon officials confirming that 12 U.S. service members were killed by two suicide bombers believed to have been ISIS fighters in Kabul on Thursday.
Though Republicans have for weeks ridiculed Biden's decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan, Democrats in both chambers have been slower to comment on the unfolding mass evacuation at the Kabul airpot.
Following news of the deadly blast in Kabul, however, Democrats condemned the incident, branding it a terrorist attack against U.S. troops.
"I strongly condemn this act of terrorism and it must be clear to the world that the terrorists who perpetrated this will be sought and brought to justice," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who was briefed by Austin Thursday, said in a statement.
"One thing is clear: We can't trust the Taliban with Americans' security," Foreign Relations Chair Bob Menendez said in a statement. "This is is a full-fledged humanitarian crisis, and the U.S. government personnel, already working under extreme circumstances, must secure the airport and complete the massive evacuation of Americans citizens and vulnerable Afghans desperately trying to leave the country."
Democrats are still not directly criticizing Biden, and many -- offering thoughts and prayers -- said they're in touch with the state department as they monitor the situation on the ground in Kabul.
But some Democrats are beginning to break with the administration, suggesting that they would support an extension of the withdrawal deadline.
"Bringing the thousands of Americans and allies in Afghanistan to safety must remain our top priority, and pushing the evacuation deadline is a necessary and important step," Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., tweeted.
Praying for the safety of our troops, U.S. citizens and Afghan allies in Kabul. I’ll continue to closely track the situation.
— Senator Cortez Masto (@SenCortezMasto)August 26, 2021
Republicans have pointed the finger at Biden for weeks as the situation has grown more dire. Moments after the blast Thursday, Republicans sharpened their criticism.
"Joe Biden has blood on his hands," tweeted Rep. Elise Stefanik, the No. 3 House Republican. "This horrific national security and humanitarian disaster is solely the result of Joe Biden's weak and incompetent leadership. He is unfit to be Commander-in-Chief."
Joe Biden has blood on his hands. The buck stops with the President of the United States.This horrific national security and humanitarian disaster is solely the result of Joe Biden's weak and incompetent leadership. He is unfit to be Commander-in-Chief.
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik)August 26, 2021
Michigan Rep. Lisa McClain tweeted: "Americans are dying at the hands of President Biden's catastrophic withdrawal from #Afghanistan."
And Georgia Rep. Jody Hice, a loyalist of former PresidentDonald Trump, tweeted that Biden needs to "RESIGN NOW!!."
Biden Admin views abandoned people in Afghanistan as a political nuisance. Maybe looking at them as real people instead of 'papers to push' would produce rescues rather than deaths. It's time for Biden to RESIGN NOW!!!
— Rep. Jody Hice (@CongressmanHice)August 26, 2021
Outrage toward Biden is not limited to Republicans in the House. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has for weeks been outspoken in opposition to removal of troops in the region. In remarks Thursday that took place before the blast in Kabul, McConnell called the situation on the ground in Afghanistan an "unmitigated disaster."
"These guys couldn't organize a two-car funeral," McConnell said of the administration's withdrawal efforts. "And it's tragic to see those young people clinging to the sides of the planes and falling to their death and how anxious they were not to be left behind."
"What we are seeing is the result of a poor plan poorly executed," Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said in a statement. "The Biden administration must use every resource it has available to get Americans and our allies to safety."
ISIS-K attack horrifyingAnd they are planning moreMaking the already impossible rescue by 31 August of all Americans stranded in Afghanistan even more impossible
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio)August 26, 2021
Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Marco Rubio, R-Fla., called Thursday's attack "horrifying" and warned that it could make rescue of Americans still stranded in Afghanistan "even more impossible."
