Mike Rogers - Chairman of the Armed Services Committee | Official U.S. House headshot
Mike Rogers - Chairman of the Armed Services Committee | Official U.S. House headshot
U.S. Representative Mike Rogers (R-AL), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, has called on the Biden administration to immediately halt the Joint Logistics Over the Shore (JLOTS) operation off the coast of Gaza. In a letter addressed to National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Rogers criticized the operation as a "gross waste of taxpayer dollars."
"Three and a half months since the President’s announcement of a maritime corridor for Gaza and at least $230 million wasted, the operation has been riddled with setbacks, sidelined more often than operational," wrote Rogers.
Rogers urged an immediate cessation of JLOTS and recommended considering alternative means for delivering humanitarian aid via land and air.
The full text of his letter highlights significant concerns over JLOTS' effectiveness. It notes that in three weeks after commencement, JLOTS managed to move only about 10 trucks per day into Gaza, far below its estimated capacity. As of June 19th, it had been operational for just 10 days and transported 3,415 metric tons onto Gaza's beach. The Global Health Policy Center at the Center for Strategic and International Studies commented that "the volume is negligible."
Rogers also mentioned that two amendments to prohibit funding for JLOTS were unanimously passed by the House of Representatives as part of the National Defense Authorization Act.
The letter underscores that military personnel involved in JLOTS are being diverted from their primary missions within Central Command's area where over 150 attacks on U.S. servicemembers have occurred since October 7th. On May 23rd, three U.S. servicemembers sustained non-combat injuries supporting JLOTS; one remains in critical condition.
"I urge the Administration to immediately cease this failed operation before further catastrophe occurs," reiterated Rogers.
The House Armed Services Committee maintains oversight jurisdiction over the Department of Defense under various clauses in Rule X and Rule XI of House Rules.
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