Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) has indicated that the House will act on further funding for Ukraine in the coming weeks.
“When we come back out of this period, we’re going to transition our product, but it’s going to include some key innovations,” Johnson said on Fox News’ “Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy.” I think so,” he said.
The House and Senate are currently in the second week of a two-week recess, with lawmakers working in their home districts. House returns on Tuesday, April 9th.
Johnson said he was “trying to build a consensus” on an additional national security and foreign aid package, but suggested it would be different from previous efforts. He said the House would “move it immediately after the district work period.”
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Speaker Mike Johnson has indicated that the House may soon take action on aid to Ukraine. (Ozan Guzelce/dia Image, Getty Images | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
This comes after Republicans earlier this year cut off a $118 billion aid package for Ukraine, Taiwan, Israel and the U.S. border, claiming it wasn’t enough to address the ongoing border crisis. . Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and President Biden are pressuring Johnson to implement a leaner $95 billion package without any border measures.
“We’ve tried to use that as the only means to force change on the border issue. We’re still trying to force the president to use executive power, and most Americans believe that the president has that power. ‘He’s not using it,’ Johnson insisted.
Regarding Ukraine in particular, he said, “There are a lot of things that should be done that make more sense and I think we can get an agreement.”
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Prime Minister Johnson highlighted three specific details. The first is the REPO Act, introduced in the House last year by Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) and Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), which would liquidate seized Russian assets. and send it as aid. To Ukraine.
The speaker also noted that former President Trump had recently floated the idea of supporting Ukraine in the form of a Japanese dollar loan, but other than repaying Washington if Kiev wins a war with Russia. He did not mention the specific conditions.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has called on Johnson to take on the chamber’s $95 billion supplemental funding plan. (Reuters/Amanda Andrade Rose/File Photo)
“Even President Trump has talked about the financing initiatives that we’ve established. We’re not just giving foreign aid, we’re building relationships so that we can get that aid back to us at the right time,” Johnson said. “It’s true.”
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R.S., a Trump ally, said last month on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” that the former president supports such loans being forgiven and interest-free. Told.
Regarding the third proposal, Johnson said: “And, you know, we want to unlock American energy. We want to unlock natural gas exports that will help defund President Vladimir Putin’s war chest. I’m thinking of doing that,” he explained.
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Biden faces bipartisan backlash over his administration’s suspension of liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports, with some critics saying he is giving market power to Russia and As a result, they accuse the country of giving even more money to fund the invasion.
House Minority Leader Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana) told Fox News Digital last month that Biden was “sending very mixed messages to Ukraine” on energy policy.
“On the one hand, he says he supports Ukraine, but on the other hand, he is putting billions of dollars into the pockets of President Vladimir Putin and allowing him to sell energy on world markets. , helping fund President Putin’s wars. American energy,” Scalise said.
Former President Donald Trump hinted at aid in the form of loans to Ukraine. (Associated Press/Michael Weick)
Fox News Digital reached out to Johnson’s office for more information about the timing and was referred back to what he said in the interview.
Sunday’s interview includes Johnson’s most specific comments yet on aid to Ukraine, as bipartisan pressure mounts and the situation in Kiev becomes even more dire in the face of Russia’s vast resources. was.
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But Johnson is also receiving heat from a small but vocal faction on his right, which says he has no support for aiding Ukraine.
Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who introduced a motion to remove Johnson in late March over the passage of a bipartisan $1.2 trillion government funding deal, slammed Johnson’s stance Monday morning.
“If Chairman Johnson, after fully funding Biden’s dangerous open borders, gave another $60 billion to Ukraine’s border defense, cruel jokes would be hurled at the American people. And it’s not April Fool’s Day. Deaf,” she wrote to X.
Mr. Johnson said Sunday that he had exchanged text messages with Mr. Green and planned to speak next week.
