House Speaker Mike Johnson desires President Biden to separate the Ukraine and Israel funding within the White House’s $100 billion supplemental funding request.
The newly elected chief from Louisiana made the request as a result of components of his GOP caucus wouldn’t assist the Ukraine section.
“I told the staff at the White House today that our consensus among House Republicans is that we need to bifurcate those issues,” Mr. Johnson mentioned Thursday in an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity.
Ukraine funding is the dominant a part of Mr. Biden’s funding request, amounting to roughly $60 billion in contrast with $14 billion for Israel and billions extra for America’s border safety and different nationwide safety wants.
Mr. Biden is urgent the House GOP majority to not abandon Ukraine in its struggle towards Russian invaders.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell additionally says the funding is important to strengthen America’s industrial base whereas weakening a rival military in Russia.
Yet Mr. Johnson faces distinctive political pressures. Many House Republicans insist they assist Ukraine however don’t wish to write a clean examine to Kyiv with out clear aims for profitable the warfare.
“Now we can’t allow Vladimir Putin to prevail in Ukraine, because I don’t believe it would stop there, and it would probably encourage and empower China to perhaps make a move on Taiwan. We have these concerns,” Mr. Johnson mentioned.
“We’re not going to abandon [Ukraine],” he mentioned. “But we have a responsibility, a stewardship responsibility, over the precious treasure of the American people, and we have to make sure that the White House is providing the people with some accountability for the dollars.”
Mr. Johnson mentioned Republicans in his chamber will suggest a standalone Israel funding invoice that matches a companion measure within the Senate. The funding would help Israel in its response to Hamas’ terror assault that killed over 1,000 folks, together with 30 Americans.
“One thing that House Republicans are resolved on is that we must stand with our most important ally in the Middle East, and that’s Israel. We will. We certainly hope that it doesn’t come to boots on the ground,” he mentioned. “We deeply care and are concerned about all nations of free people around the world, but we have to take care of our own house first, and so that’s also part of this delicate calculation and the decision.”
