U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III told lawmakers this week that while he’s grateful that Congress passed the fiscal year 2024 defense appropriations budget, there’s also a $60 billion supplemental funding request awaiting lawmakers’ passage that would support Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.
During a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the Defense Department’s FY 2025 budget request, Austin noted: “About $50 billion of that supplemental would flow through the U.S. industrial base, sustaining American jobs in more than 30 states.”
U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) is among the MAGA GOP lawmakers who oppose sending more aid to Ukraine. During an interview on Newsmax, Tuberville said: “We’re thinking about giving Ukraine more money to waste? These people can’t buy any more houses than what they’ve bought, they’ve got beach houses all over the world.”
Tommy Tuberville on Ukrainian leaders: “These people can’t buy any more houses than what they’ve bought. They’ve got beach houses all over the world.” Huh? pic.twitter.com/xVTU9h9xuJ
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 9, 2024
Note: Tuberville infamously blocked military promotions for months over what he said was a protest against a Pentagon policy that pays for service members’ travel to seek abortion care. His protest, which at one pointed effectively blocked the promotions of more than 450 military personnel, was criticized by Republicans and Democrats — and Secretary Austin — for damaging military readiness.
Earlier this week, the House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) warned that Russian propaganda — which seeks to block Ukraine aid and help Russia — had “infested the base of my party,” and Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH), in agreement said, such propaganda is “being uttered on the House Floor.”