A pro-Ukrainian political election committee has been established with the aim of fielding members of parliament who support the country as it tries to fend off Russian aggression.
The new group, dubbed the American Ukraine PAC, is led by Dzhe Sunden, founder of the Kyiv Post, Ukraine’s oldest English-language newspaper. own From 1995 to 2009.
“We want to raise money to support members of Congress who support Ukraine,” Sunden told The Hill. The purpose of a PAC is to raise “campaign funds.”
Over the next few months, the group aims to hold 20 fundraisers for members of Congress from both sides of the aisle. For many of the fundraisers, the PAC will partner with the local Ukrainian community.
“The Ukrainian community has many allies in Congress who support us and support Ukraine. It is our duty to support their re-election efforts,” Sanden said.
One of the keys of this group will be supporting members of Ukraine’s parliamentary caucus. The Caucus is a bipartisan coalition of more than 90 members of Congress who meet on Capitol Hill to support countries facing conflict.
The website says the PAC will seek to “develop deep relationships with U.S. House and Senate candidates who advance the important U.S.-Ukraine alliance.”
The U.S.-Ukraine PAC announced its launch following a “successful” fundraising effort for Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pennsylvania), a member of the Ukraine Congressional Caucus.
“Congressman Boyle has been a passionate supporter of Ukraine since the day he was elected,” Sunden said. “We are proud to support Congressman Boyle in his re-election campaign.”
The group’s formation comes as Congress struggles to pass aid to Ukraine.
President Biden has pushed the House to pass the bill, including during a recent appearance by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) at the annual Friends of Ireland luncheon commemorating St. Patrick’s Day on Friday. I have been urging.
The National Security Supplemental Bill, which includes $60 billion in aid to Ukraine, passed the Senate last month. However, Prime Minister Johnson has not yet introduced the bill to the floor. The bill also includes funding for Israel and humanitarian aid for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson signaled this week that he intended to move forward with the aid, but gave no details on what it would look like. At a House Republican banquet in West Virginia this week, he said the House was “looking at all the different options right now,” adding that a supplemental bill “may not be exactly the same as the Senate supplement.” “There is,” he warned. At Prime Minister Johnson’s press conference, voices of opposition to aid to Ukraine are growing.
The Hill has reached out to Boyle’s office for comment.
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