Witnesses testifying before Congress disprove Harris's statement about no troops in combat zones

Witnesses testifying before the House Armed Services Military Personnel Subcommittee on Wednesday said U.S. troops are in combat zones, refuting a statement Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris made in a debate last week. 

Former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Eric Edelman and former Congresswoman Jane Harman, D-Calif., testified before the committee and were questioned by subcommittee Chairman Jim Banks, R-Ind.

“I served in Afghanistan," Banks told the witnesses. "I understand that we no longer have troops in Afghanistan, but do we still have troops in combat zones around the world?”

“As you know, Mr. Banks, we still have some troops in Syria, some troops in Iraq," Edelman answered. "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.”

During the presidential debate last week, Harris said that there were no members of the U.S. military in a combat or war zone. 

“I just want to confirm that, because last week, Kamala Harris said before the American people that, ‘Today there is not one member of the U .S. who is in active duty in a combat zone,'" Banks pressed the witnesses. "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?”

Harman, a former CEO of the Woodrow Wilson Center, responded: "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."