Speaker Mike Johnson demands meeting with Joe Biden after rebuffing attempts to sit down and talk about adding border security to $95 billion aid package for Israel and Ukraine

Speaker Mike Johnson is demanding a meeting with President Biden before taking up any national security funding in the House of Representatives.

“I’ve been requesting a meeting with the president for weeks, a month. “I have asked to speak to the president about the border and national security,” Johnson told reporters on Tuesday. “That meeting is not allowed.”

It comes after Johnson’s Republican Party-led House successfully impeached the Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas — but opposed any prospect of passing a national security and immigration package that originates in the Senate.

The Senate first tried to pass a bipartisan deal on foreign aid and immigration provisions, but the package was further tightened amid Republican opposition to the immigration components.

The Senate then successfully passed a $95 billion aid package, with money for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan and Gaza, without immigration provisions, 70-29.

Johnson has insisted this will not be raised in the House of Representatives. He claimed that both deals lack the real border security measures that Republicans are demanding.

“The Republican-led House will not be hindered or coerced into passing a foreign aid bill that is opposed by most Republican senators and that does nothing to secure or restrict the borders.”

“I continue to push for (a meeting) because there are very serious issues that need to be addressed and if the Speaker of the House of Representatives cannot sit down with the President of the United States, that is a problem.”

“I don’t know why they feel uncomfortable with the president sitting across the table from me, but I will respond in good faith because we have to resolve this issue and do everything we can,” the speaker continued.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre blamed the speaker when asked about a Biden meeting.

‘I don’t think the speaker understands what his job is. Put that bill on the floor. Put that bill on the floor – it will have bipartisan support.”

“He’s the one killing this.”

Johnson said that instead of passing a standalone package without any immigration provisions, the Senate should have amended his original bill to include “real border security provisions that would actually help end the ongoing catastrophe.”

“Instead, the Senate bill is silent on the most pressing issue facing our country.”

House Republicans have insisted that any border security and foreign assistance package must be nothing less than their exclusively conservative border bill, HR 2. They have also insisted that discussions on any kind of bipartisan deal must be led by the House and the White House, and not by the House of Representatives. Senate.

Democrats have eviscerated Republicans for refusing to take up the original Senate bill, which was passed by the Border Patrol union. Now they are looking for ways to suspend national security assistance without Johnson’s approval.

Democratic leaders have discussed the possibility of setting aside the bill through a discharge petition. This would require 218 members to sign up. Dozens of Democrats could drop out over opposition to Israel’s funding, so they would need a significant number of Republicans to join.

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., chairman of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, revealed Wednesday that he is working with members of the House and Senate on a brand new deal for aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan tied to border security.

He said he hopes the deal will be bipartisan and released in the coming days.