Congress left Washington this week with out approving emergency nationwide safety spending, defying President Biden‘s prediction that Ukraine won’t survive into the brand new yr absent one other infusion of U.S. funding.
Senate leaders are vowing to take “swift action” on the $110 billion package deal for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan early within the new yr, however say talks between Republicans and Democrats on the southern border safety portion want extra time.
“The Senate will not let these national security challenges go unanswered,” Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, New York Democrat, and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, vowed in a uncommon joint assertion. “In the time remaining this year, Senate and administration negotiators will continue to work in good faith toward finalizing their agreement.”
The Senate will return from vacation recess Jan. 8, and the House on Jan. 9.
During Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s go to to Washington final week, Mr. Biden stated a failure by Congress to move a further $60 billion earmarked for Ukraine earlier than the vacations would give Russian President Vladimir Putin “the greatest gift they could possibly give him.”
The U.S. has supplied Ukraine with $111 billion to fight Russia’s unprovoked invasion, which can formally run dry by month’s finish, based on the White House price range workplace.
Sen. Michael Bennet, Colorado Democrat, sought to single-handedly pressure passage of extra Ukraine help earlier than yr’s finish by blocking swift approval of a must-pass Federal Aviation Administration stopgap funding authority. The assurance from Mr. Schumer and Mr. McConnell persuaded Mr. Bennet to carry his maintain, however not earlier than assessing Mr. Biden‘s forecast that Ukraine‘s survival could be jeopardized.
“Our folks are not giving their lives in this fight, in this battle for democracy. But we are giving our treasure,” Mr. Bennet said in a floor speech. “We are giving our intelligence in this fight because this fight is as important for us as it is for Ukraine. I don’t imply that rhetorically; I imply that actually.”
Republicans pinned the delay squarely on Mr. Biden and Democrats, whom they accused of losing weeks of valuable negotiating time earlier than dropping their resistance to southern border coverage adjustments amid a report 12,000 every day unlawful crossings.
“A lot of us Republicans are eager to get Ukraine the aid that it needs,” Senate Minority Whip John Thune, South Dakota Republican, stated in a ground speech. “But we cannot — and I say we cannot — tend to our national security interests abroad while ignoring the national security crisis right here on our doorstep.”
Officials from the Biden administration, together with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, turned concerned within the secret negotiations in current weeks. They are being led by Sens. Chris Murphy, Connecticut Democrat; Kyrsten Sinema, Arizona Independent, and James Lankford, Oklahoma Republican.
Mr. Biden‘s extra hands-on strategy got here after prodding from Republican and Democratic senators that the president might assist talks advance. Still, Republicans are calling on the president to be extra vocal.
Sen. John Kennedy, Louisiana Republican, stated Mr. Biden would offer political “cover” for Democrats if he had been to say what immigration coverage adjustments he would assist.
