House Majority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York has set an ambitious deadline for the House to pass Ukraine aid, sending the Senate-passed foreign aid package to President Biden’s desk by the end of next week. He urges Republican leaders to do so.
“The clock is ticking and we need to get this bipartisan national security bill across the finish line before we leave town next Friday, March 22,” Jeffries said Wednesday at a news conference at the Capitol. There must be,” he said. “It would be reckless to do anything else.”
As minority leader, Jeffries has virtually no control over the bills that come before the chamber. And while House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) has voiced support for more aid to Ukraine, he opposes the $95 billion foreign aid package passed by the Senate last month, joining 22 Republican senators. Seventy senators supported the bill, including
Still, the longer the impasse drags on, the more pressure will increase on Johnson to move some form of aid to Ukraine before November’s election.
Several prominent Republican Party chairmen have emphasized the importance of providing further military aid to Kiev in light of recent Russian advances. A handful of Republicans, led by Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pennsylvania), have launched a discharge petition intended as a “pressure point” to force Republican leaders to bring support to Ukraine to the floor.
And on Tuesday, Polish President Andrzej Duda met with parliamentary leaders, including Mr Johnson, and warned that Russia’s victory in Ukraine would put Poland in its crosshairs next.
Jeffries was quick to double down on Duda’s message Wednesday, warning that a Russian invasion of a NATO ally would likely accelerate U.S. involvement and endanger U.S. forces.
“We cannot allow Ukraine to be taken over by Russia, because what could happen is that American lives could be at risk. If I didn’t believe he would stop there, he wouldn’t have stopped in Georgia, and he wouldn’t have stopped in Crimea,” Jeffries said.
“Breaking News: If allowed to succeed, he will not stop at Ukraine. And its neighbors include many NATO allies, including Poland, which is one of the reasons President Duda strongly supported continued support for Ukraine efforts.” is.”
After speaking with Duda, Prime Minister Johnson called Poland “one of America’s key NATO allies” and a “strategic partner who promotes a free and prosperous future and advocates for increased defense spending by our European partners.” It was praised as such.
“In a world of growing threats and an increasingly dangerous world, America must continue to stand together with our friends against those who threaten our security,” Johnson said in a statement.
He wants any new foreign aid to be accompanied by House-passed measures to limit immigration at the southern border, a non-starter for Democrats in Congress and the White House. .
The impasse raises real questions about how, or if, Prime Minister Johnson intends to pass further aid to Ukraine through the Commons, but many conservatives are skeptical that more aid for Ukraine will be passed. A more isolationist position is also supported, with the U.S. government wanting to focus on domestic issues. by former President Trump vying for another term in the White House.
In an attempt to break the impasse, Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) this week filed a second expulsion petition aimed at forcing a vote on the Senate Ukraine bill over the objections of Mr. Johnson and his leadership team. started.
Mr. Jeffries pointed out that: Mr. McGovern’s petition has already gathered around 180 signatures. Fitzpatrick’s petition.
“It’s not contesting the discharge petition,” he said. “We are reaffirming that the only clear path forward is for the House to vote on a comprehensive bill that was passed bipartisanally in the Senate, and passed with a supermajority of Democrats and Republicans.
“That’s the only way forward.”
Mr. Jeffries’ target date of March 22 directly coincides with the deadlines for the remaining six bills that will fund the government through the remainder of fiscal year 2024. As both debates unfold, some lawmakers have floated the idea of including some form of aid to Ukraine in the “omnibus.” ” spending package. But Johnson said preventing a government shutdown should be Congress’ top priority.
“The House is actively considering options regarding its future direction.” [on Ukraine]”But our first responsibility is to fund the government,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson said late last month.
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