(ConservativeSense.com) – A bipartisan group of lawmakers has urged Congressional colleagues to pass legislation linking foreign aid with US border control. Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania has teamed up with Democrat Jared Golden of Maine and written to Congress members asking them to urgently resolve the current stand-off between the House and the Senate and enact their “Defending Borders, Defending Democracies Act.”
The legislation provides just north of $47 billion to Ukraine, $10 billion to Israel, and $5 billion to Taiwan and US allies in the Indo-Pacific region. If passed, it would restore the Trump-era Remain in Mexico policy, which analysts say Democrats will likely reject and Republicans will consider insufficient to protect America’s border.
The Fitzpatrick-Golden bill follows House rejections of two previous attempts to approve Ukraine aid; both passed through the Senate with bipartisan backing. The first bill would have given $60 billion to Ukraine and came with provisions for the southern border, which the House GOP rejected, partly due to criticisms from Donald Trump, who said it allowed Democrats to claim victory on border control just in time for the Presidential election.
The second bill also provided $60 billion to Ukraine and billions to other allies but did not address the border. GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson has rejected that bill so far, saying Republicans will not be rushed on the matter.
President Biden strongly supports the latter legislation and said, “Supporting this bill is standing up to Putin, opposing it is playing into Putin’s hands.” At a security conference in Germany on February 17, Vice President Kamala Harris swiped at Republicans and Donald Trump, saying there are voices in America who refuse to stand up for freedom and global security, opting instead for isolationism.
The Vice President stated that Congressional failure to pass legislation aimed at arming Ukraine is a “gift to Vladimir Putin.” She also praised NATO as essential to the continued security of the United States.
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