Topline
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said in a letter to the White House on Tuesday that any supplemental funding to Ukraine is “dependent” on “transformative change” to security laws on the U.S.-Mexico border—a demand shared by hard-right Republicans who want additional aid to be tied to anti-immigration policies at the border.
Republicans are holding up additional aid to Ukraine, demanding it be tied to funding for border … [+]
Key Facts
The letter is a response to the White House’s warning that the U.S. will run out of resources to support Ukraine by the end of the year without congressional action, Johnson said.
Johnson said he “clearly articulated” the position of congressional Republicans on additional aid on Oct. 26 when he met with President Joe Biden, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and others to discuss border security and the funding.
Johnson said he asked about the Biden administration’s “strategy to prevail in Ukraine,” the administration’s objectives in the war, “transparency and accountability” of how U.S. taxpayer money is being used in the war and what specific resources are needed to win the war and maintain peace—but has not received an answer.
Johnson outlined what he called a “catastrophe” at the border, including “record illegal immigration,” an influx of drugs and the exploitation of migrants.
Johnson pointed to a letter from the White House in August that mentioned the U.S. is “operating within a fundamentally broken immigration system.”
House Republicans passed a border security bill in May aiming to codify strict immigration policies at the U.S.-Mexico border, including continuing the construction of a border wall and more Border Patrol agents, which Johnson acknowledged in his letter, saying Democrats in the Senate “have refused to act on that bill.”
Key Background
Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young said in a letter Monday the U.S. is “out of money” and “nearly out of time” to continue supporting Ukraine in its war against Russia, risking Ukraine’s gains. Young said cutting off support “will kneecap Ukraine on the battlefield.” Providing support for Ukraine’s defense and security against Russia “prevents larger conflict in the region that could involve NATO and put U.S. forces in harm’s way and deters future aggression, making us all safer,” Young said. Last week, Johnson said he was “confident and optimistic” Congress would pass additional aid for Israel and Ukraine before the end of the year. The House passed a $14.3 billion aid package for Israel earlier last month that faced opposition from both Democrats and Republicans for not including aid to Ukraine and for proposing the bill be funded by cuts to Internal Revenue Service funding.
Further Reading
U.S. Running Out Of Funding For Ukraine, White House Says (Forbes)
Speaker Johnson ‘Confident’ Israel And Ukraine Aid Passes Before 2024—But Hard-Right Has Demands (Forbes)
