Bowing to pressure from far-right House Republicans who are in favor of sending more foreign aid to Israel but not Ukraine, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) proposed that members vote on three separate foreign assistance bills.
The Ukraine bill would provide $60.84 billion, the Israel bill would appropriate $26.38 billion and the Indo-Pacific bill would approve $8.12 billion in assistance.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who has filed a motion to vacate Johnson, said she’s “firmly against the plan as it stands right now.” (Note: Greene has been accused of regurgitating Russian propaganda, including claims that the Ukrainian government and military is run by Nazis.)
U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN), who also opposes sending additional foreign aid to Ukraine as it fights against a Russian invasion, wrote on X: “I’m tired of securing other nations’ borders while we ignore our own. Ukraine can go panhandle for money somewhere else.”
[Note: Johnson said he will also move a border security bill and more sanctions for Russia, China, and Iran.]
By assisting Ukraine, we are helping secure our border from Russia which also borders our nation. Learn to read a map, congressman.
— Andrew C Laufer, Esq (@lauferlaw) April 17, 2024
Ogles’s border security comment is receiving blowback especially in light of the GOP and Johnson refusing to have House members vote on a very similar bipartisan $95 billion emergency spending bill (which included border funding and reform and passed in the Senate) in February.
Civil rights attorney Andrew C Laufer, Esq. replied directly to Ogles: “By assisting Ukraine, we are helping secure our border from Russia which also borders our nation. Learn to read a map, congressman.”
Former White House Correspondent for CNN John Harwood also replied: “democracy is worth defending even though it results in the election of repulsive dopes like this.”