House Intelligence Committee chairman Mike Turner (R-Ohio) said on Sunday that approving a package of assistance to Israel and Ukraine before the year ends is very improbable.
On NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Turner said that the assistance package for Israel and Ukraine would not be passed before the year ends because of the president’s policy toward the southern border. A $14.3 billion assistance plan approved by the House Republicans earlier this month was intended just for Israel. However, the White House opposes the measure and is expected to encounter opposition in the Senate. Additionally, the proposal does not contain money for Ukraine.
Last year, the White House provided additional financing for the IRS, which the Israel-only measure also eliminated. This spending was rejected by the GOP.
According to Turner, the present obstacle is the White House’s strategy about the southern border, and it is very unlikely that it will be completed by the conclusion of the year. Continuing, he said that lawmakers in Congress would need to pass new legislation to restore the border to its original condition, maybe including measures to safeguard the southern border, such as the “Remain in Mexico” policy.
Reports show that in November, the White House proposed around $106 billion in supplemental national security spending, including provisions for humanitarian assistance, border protection, and funding for Israel, Taiwan, and Ukraine. It was already declared earlier this month by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) that the upper chamber would not consider the House GOP’s plan. Additionally, the White House has insisted that President Biden would not sign a law that only benefits Israel.
The White House said that if Congress does not authorize further funding, it would hurt Ukraine and impede attempts to provide lethal aid from U.S. reserves and that U.S. dollars for Ukraine would run out by the end of December.
House Republicans, headed by incoming speaker Mike Johnson, have shown little interest in maintaining funding for Ukraine, so even if the Senate reaches a deal, its passage is far from certain.
