U.S. Representative Mike Rogers (R-AL), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, sent a letter to National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging the Biden administration to immediately cease the failed Joint Logistics Over the Shore (JLOTS) operation off the coast of Gaza.
In the letter, Chairman Rogers wrote, “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, and can only be classified as a gross waste of taxpayer dollars.”
Chairman Rogers further wrote, “I urge the Administration to immediately cease this failed operation before further catastrophe occurs and consider alternative means of land and air-based humanitarian aid delivery.”
The full text of the letter is below:
Dear Mr. Sullivan, Secretary Austin, and Secretary Blinken:
The House Armed Services Committee has closely monitored the U.S-assisted delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza, particularly the Joint Logistics Over the Shore (JLOTS) concept. 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, and can only be classified as a gross waste of taxpayer dollars.
To underscore my level of concern, the House of Representatives unanimously passed two amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act to prohibit funding for the operation of JLOTS off the coast of Gaza or deployment of servicemembers for such operation.
JLOTS is diverting military personnel and assets from primary missions in the highly contested Central Command area of responsibility where over one-hundred and fifty attacks on U.S. servicemembers have occurred since October 7th. Worse, on May 23rd, three U.S. servicemembers sustained non-combat injuries supporting the JLOTS operation. One of the injured servicemembers is reported to be in critical condition. This noncombat incident underscores the risk and complexity of the JLOTS operation.
Over the first three weeks after the operation began, JLOTS moved about 10 trucks per day from the pier into Gaza, a small fraction of the estimated 150 truck per day capacity for the operation. As of June 19, JLOTS had only been operational about 10 days and had only moved 3,415 metric tons onto the beach in Gaza. According to the Global Health Policy Center at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, “The volume is negligible.”.
I urge the Administration to immediately cease this failed operation before further catastrophe occurs and consider alternative means of land and air-based humanitarian aid delivery.
The Armed Services Committee, under Rule X, clause 1 of the Rules of the House of Representatives (House Rules), maintains oversight jurisdiction over the Department of Defense generally. Moreover, under the House Rules, the Armed Services Committee derives its authority to conduct oversight from, among other things, clause 2(b)(1) of Rule X (relating to general oversight responsibilities), clause 3(b) of Rule X (relating to special oversight functions), and clause 1(b) of rule XI (relating to investigations and studies).
I look forward to your prompt reply.
Sincerely,
