House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said on Friday that a foreign aid package passed by the Senate is the sole path ahead as Congress rushes to resolve the long-standing deadlock over new military funding for Ukraine.
“The sole way to meet the national security needs of the American people is for House Republicans to bring the bipartisan, comprehensive bill approved by the Senate to the floor for a direct vote,” Jeffries informed reporters in the Capitol.
Despite the Senate's passage of the $95 billion foreign aid package last month with support from 22 Republicans, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), House conservatives have completely dismissed the bill, and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has declined to present it for a vote.
The opposition has been fueled by the strong resistance of former President Trump, who has relentlessly criticized President Biden over the border crisis and does not wish to give the president a significant triumph prior to the November elections.
During the prolonged deadlock, some House Republicans have suggested changes to the Senate bill, including a proposal — supported by Trump — to offer the Ukraine aid as a loan rather than a grant.
Another group of bipartisan lawmakers is proposing a broader package combining the foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan with stricter security measures at the U.S. border. This group, led by Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), is considering an unlikely procedural move to compel the bill to the floor with a discharge petition.
Fitzpatrick mentioned this week that he is collaborating with Johnson’s office, rather than working against it, as he seeks that vote, describing the petition as a “pressure point” to ensure that Ukraine receives more assistance this year.
“If the House cannot reach a consensus on a bill to be brought to the floor, the alternative cannot be that Ukraine fails and our border remains open,” he informed reporters in the Capitol.
However, a few Democrats have endorsed that package, but Democratic leaders have indicated that it is unlikely to pass through the Senate. They also argue that Ukraine, which is grappling with ammunition shortages, simply does not have the time for that inter-house political maneuvering to play out.
In his State of the Union address on Thursday night, Biden urged House Republicans to resist Trump’s influence and move the Senate bill to his desk.
“History is watching,” Biden stated. “If the United States walks away, it will put Ukraine at risk. Europe is at risk. The free world will be at risk, emboldening others to do what they wish to do us harm.”
This is a message that Jeffries emphasized on Friday, predicting that the Senate bill would receive over 300 votes — if it could reach the floor.
“We need a direct vote,” he stated. “It’s time for the House Republicans to support the national security interests of the American people and distance themselves from the pro-Putin MAGA extremists in their party.”
