Ft Wayne Times

Today, at a House Armed Services Committee hearing on the National Defense Strategy, Rep. Jim Banks, Chairman of the House Armed Services Military Personnel Subcommittee, elicited testimony from both witnesses refuting Vice President Kamala Harris’s claim that “there is not one member of the United States military who is on active duty in a combat zone in any war zone around the world.”

Rep. Banks questioned the presence of U.S. troops in combat zones: “I served in Afghanistan. I understand that we no longer have troops in Afghanistan, but do we still have troops in combat zones around the world?”

Ambassador Edelman responded: “As you know, Mr. Banks, we still have some troops in Syria, some troops in Iraq. We have other people obviously serving in the Middle East, both at air bases and at sea, who are in areas where active combat is underway.”

Rep. Banks further pressed for clarification: “I just want to confirm that because last week Kamala Harris said before the American people that, quote, ‘Today there is not one member of the U.S. who is on active duty in a combat zone.’ And I wonder, to either one of you, why would she say that? Obviously, there are troops in -- you just said Syria, Iraq; they receive combat pay. They are serving in a combat zone. Either one of you, why would she say that?”

Former Democrat Congresswoman Jane Harman offered an explanation: “Well, she might be thinking about the fact that we ended the wars for better or worse in Afghanistan and Iraq and that so there are no active wars engaging the United States. Are there members of the military at risk? I would say there are.”

Ambassador Edelman concurred: “I agree with my colleague.”

Yesterday, Rep. Banks released footage obtained by his office from U.S. servicemembers under fire in active combat zones in recent months.

Earlier this month, Vice President Kamala Harris claimed: "as of today, there is not one member of the United States military who is on active duty in a combat zone in any war zone around the world; the first time this century."

Ten days before Harris made this claim, seven U.S. servicemembers were injured in Western Iraq during a U.S. military-led raid that killed 15 Islamic State terrorists who fought back by detonating grenades and suicide belts.

In January, three U.S. servicemembers were killed and more than 40 others were injured following a drone attack in Jordan.