Republicans plot holdup of Biden’s anticipated $100BILLION funding ask bundling Israel, Ukraine and sanctuary city ‘bailout’ funds, saying they must be separate
Top Republicans are figuring out how to block President Biden’s expected $100 billion additional funding demand — saying there’s no way forward if Israel, Ukraine and southern border aid are linked.
Biden is expected to officially announce the massive aid package – including $60 billion to Ukraine and the remaining $40 billion split between Israel and Taiwan as it faces a growing threat from China and its southern border – during a prime-time address to the country Thursday evening.
The president mentioned the request Wednesday during a stop in Tel Aviv to meet with Israeli leaders and reaffirm U.S. support for the nation, saying he would send an “unprecedented support package for Israel’s defense” to Congress.
Israel has faced a barrage of rockets launched by Hamas terrorists from Gaza after a deadly attack on October 7 that killed more than 1,400 Israelis and more than 30 Americans – many of whom remain held captive by the Iranian-backed militants.
But Republicans are not warmly accepting the president’s expected request.
Biden is expected to officially announce the enormous aid package on Thursday evening
President Joe Biden is greeted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after arriving at Ben Gurion International Airport, Wednesday, October 18, 2023
“Republicans must be involved in crafting every aspect of this supplement,” Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., told DailyMail.com. “I hope our conference will stand firm in denying cloture until we have a full seat at the table,” he continued.
Senator Marsha Blackburn told DailyMail.com that Biden’s request is “irresponsible” because the money will be “held hostage” by linking it to other issues, including a “bailout” for sanctuary cities.
Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., led a letter from eight of his GOP colleagues to Senate leadership on Thursday, demanding that aid to Israel and Ukraine be discussed separately.
The senators expressed disdain for bundling aid to Ukraine and Israel, saying Biden “risks a government shutdown” by tying them into one package.
“My colleagues and I are convinced that all aid to Israel should not be used as leverage to send tens of billions of dollars more to Ukraine. These are two separate conflicts at different stages and cannot be considered a ‘package deal,'” Marshall wrote.
Republican opposition to sending more aid to Ukraine has increased in recent months.
The United States has approved more than $113 billion in aid to Ukraine in the nearly two years since Russia launched a war of aggression against the state. The Republicans demand additional supervision of the funds and want Europe and the rest of the international community to do their part.
“These are two separate and unrelated conflicts and it would be wrong to use aid to Israel in an attempt to get additional aid to Ukraine across the finish line,” continued Marshall, who was joined by Johnson, Josh Hawley, Mike Lee and Rick Scott. , Cynthia Lummis, Mike Braun, JD Vance and Marsha Blackburn.
Thune, the Senate minority whip, said the basis for the proposal was a package to send about $4 billion to so-called “sanctuary cities” hit hard by the migrant crisis, partly after Republican Party governors bused migrants to northern cities began to transport. village.
Thune described the idea as “$4 billion that would go to these New Yorks and Chicagos” and called it “basically a haven for migrant relocation,” referring to cities that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities. .
“And you know, it’s clear that our people want something that deals with the border itself and makes it more secure,” he told DailyMail.com on Wednesday.
Across the Capitol, in the chaos-ridden House of Representatives, top Republican lawmakers are also dissatisfied.
Chairman Mark Green, R-Tenn. of the House Homeland Security Committee, told DailyMail.com on Thursday that Biden’s question is a non-starter because Hamas’ attack showed the world the “importance of borders.”
“Border security and aid for our indispensable ally Israel – after the Jewish people suffered their deadliest day since the Holocaust – cannot be held up for more aid to Ukraine,” Green told DailyMail.com.
Chairman Mark Green, R-Tenn. of the House Homeland Security Committee, told DailyMail.com that Biden’s question is a non-starter
“We must secure our border and send aid to Israel to defeat evil today. Each of these issues must be discussed separately. The American people demand it – and deserve it.”
But the House of Representatives still cannot do any basic legislative work until the position of the Speaker of the House of Representatives is filled.
The infighting between Republicans led to an unprecedented impeachment of former chairman Kevin McCarthy more than two weeks ago.
Now House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan is trying to take the top leadership spot.
But after losing the first two rounds of voting on Tuesday and Wednesday, he supports giving Chairman Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry temporary power until January while he shores up support.