House Republicans Advance Bills Targeting Taliban Funding and Energy Restrictions

In a bold move to reshape U.S. foreign aid and domestic energy policy, the Republican-led House of Representatives has passed two major pieces of legislation: one to halt indirect funding to the Taliban and another to protect domestic oil and gas drilling from future executive moratoriums.

Cutting Off the Taliban

The “No Tax Dollars for Terrorists Act” (H.R. 260) aims to prevent foreign aid—whether directly or indirectly—from ending up in the hands of the Taliban. Introduced by Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN), the bill formally declares that U.S. policy will oppose financial assistance to the Taliban from both foreign nations and international NGOs, especially those that receive U.S. aid themselves.

Speaking from the House floor, Burchett emphasized the urgency behind the bill.

“According to Afghans on the ground who oppose Taliban rule, almost all the aid flowing into Afghanistan ends up in Taliban hands,” he said. “They will hate us for free—we don’t need to fund it.”

The bill directs the Secretary of State to craft a strategy within six months to discourage foreign entities from funding the Taliban. It also seeks to find alternative pathways for supporting Afghan women, civil society, and U.S. allies left behind after the troop withdrawal, without empowering the ruling regime.

The measure passed without objection in a voice vote, receiving bipartisan support, though not without criticism.

Rep. Jonathan Jackson (D-IL) supported the core idea but accused the Trump administration of lacking transparency on Afghanistan and Iran policy.

“There’s no clear consensus on what the administration is doing because they won’t tell us,” he said. “We urgently need clarity and assurances about their priorities.”

With House approval secured, the legislation now moves to the Senate, where it awaits further debate and potential amendments.

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Energy Independence Legislation Gains Momentum

In a separate legislative win for Republicans and the Trump administration, the House also passed the “Protecting American Energy Production Act.” The bill, which passed 226–188, aims to block any future president from unilaterally banning hydraulic fracturing (fracking) or placing wide-ranging restrictions on oil and gas drilling without congressional approval.

Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX), who introduced the measure, said the bill is a direct response to energy policies from the Biden administration that he says have weakened U.S. energy independence.

“When President Biden took office, his administration immediately began restricting energy development, favoring radical climate agendas over American jobs,” Pfluger said. “My bill prevents the federal government from banning fracking and restores certainty to the industry.”

The bill passed the House with full Republican support, while 118 Democrats voted against it. If it passes the Senate and is signed into law, it would severely limit the executive branch’s ability to impose fracking bans in the future.

This legislative push comes after former President Joe Biden, in the final weeks of his term, issued executive orders restricting drilling across nearly 625 million acres of federal land and offshore waters. Those orders prompted widespread concern among energy producers, especially in oil-rich states like Texas and North Dakota.

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Interior Department Takes Action

Meanwhile, newly appointed Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum announced a series of internal investigations into past policies that he says “burdened” energy development. These reviews aim to roll back restrictions placed during the Biden years, including oil lease bans and climate-related regulations perceived as hostile to the fossil fuel sector.

“We’re stripping out the coercive climate policies that stalled our energy engine,” Burgum stated.

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Growing Voter Discontent with Congressional Democrats

In the background of these legislative developments, a recent Quinnipiac University poll reveals growing discontent among Democratic voters.

According to the survey, 53% of Democrats disapprove of their party’s performance in Congress, compared to 41% who approve. Among all voters, only 21% said they were satisfied with how congressional Democrats are handling their duties—matching a historic low first recorded in 2009.

By contrast, Republicans appear more unified: 79% of GOP voters said they approved of the job Republican lawmakers are doing, while 32% of all voters expressed general approval for the Republican caucus in Congress.

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What Comes Next?

Both pieces of legislation now move to the Senate, where partisan divisions could stall their progress. However, they signal a clear shift in focus from the House GOP: toward a stricter approach on foreign aid accountability and a more aggressive stance in favor of American energy production.

Whether these bills survive the Senate remains to be seen—but the message from House Republicans is clear: the era of unchecked spending abroad and restrictive energy policy at home is one they aim to end.