Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is openly defending President Joe Biden’s push to bundle aid to Ukraine and Israel while also wanting a “functional” House.
Biden delivered his second prime-time speech in the Oval Office last Thursday seeking to drum up support for the roughly $106 billion package proposed by the White House, which involves $61.4 billion for Ukraine, $14.3 billion for Israel and $30.1 billion for other projects such as border security.
“That’s right. They are not killing any Americans in Ukraine. We are rebuilding our industrial base. The Ukrainians are destroying the military of one of our biggest rivals. I have a hard time finding anything wrong with that,” McConnell (R-Ky.) said. to CBS’ “Face the Nation” in an interview that aired Sunday.
Dozens of Republican lawmakers in both the House and Senate have publicly implored the Biden administration to untie aid to Israel and Ukraine.
In particular, critics have been upset about aid to war-torn Ukraine, although they largely support aid to Israel. Congress has authorized more than $113 billion to Ukraine since the Russian invasion in February 2022, although not all of that money has been sent.
“I just think it’s a mistake,” McConnell said of those GOP calls. “I know there are some Republicans in the Senate, and maybe more in the House, who say Ukraine is somehow different. “I see it as if it were all interconnected.”
Mitch McConnell greeted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during his trip to Capitol Hill last month. Shutterstock
“We have competition from great powers like China and Russia, and we still have terrorism problems,” McConnell surmised. “So I think that requires a global approach rather than trying to eliminate parts.”
The 81-year-old Kentucky lawmaker downplayed concerns that Europe would not do its part to bolster Ukraine in its fight to stave off Russian invaders.
“They have contributed almost $90 billion and are sheltering a group of escaped refugees. I think our NATO allies in Europe have done a lot,” he stated.
The president gave a prime-time speech from the Oval Office last week seeking to drum up support for the supplemental request.POOL/AFP via Getty Images
McConnell last week hinted at his support for the White House’s expected package, but left open the possibility that the GOP could “make suggestions to improve it if necessary.”
“Well, not domestically, but on this issue we’re discussing today, we’re generally in the same place,” McConnell joked when asked if he had much in common with Biden.
One area of foreign policy where McConnell drew a stark contrast to Biden was Iran.
“You can’t, on the one hand, be negotiating with Iran on some kind of nuclear deal that you know they won’t keep, and then turn around and declare that you’re going to be tougher on Iran,” he said.
The top Republican in the Senate has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine, even as his party grows increasingly cautious about continuing aid.Getty Images
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has also come out strongly in favor of the supplement, making the House the biggest hurdle.
The House has been without a speaker since Oct. 3, when eight Republicans joined an overwhelming majority of Democrats to unseat former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).
“I hope we have a speaker soon,” McConnell said clearly. “We need one because the House cannot do anything without a speaker. And it is a problem.”
“I am not an expert on the House. “I have my hands full here in the Senate, we are going to do our job and we hope that the House can function here soon,” he added.
Since McCarthy’s ouster, Republicans have rushed to unify the caucus and propose a speaker, but have been unsuccessful. Without a speaker, the House cannot consider serious legislation.
In addition to wars ravaging Ukraine and Israel, Congress faces a looming Nov. 17 deadline to avoid a government shutdown.
Congress has been paralyzed because the House lacks a president.REUTERS
McConnell has refrained from endorsing a particular challenger, limiting himself to publicly telling House Republicans to get their act together.
In recent months, the Kentucky lawmaker has faced questions about his own leadership ability following a series of health issues, including several public freezing events.
McConnell became impassive and stopped mid-sentence during a public press event in July, and then again in August.
This came after he suffered a concussion and broken ribs on March 8 after a fall during a fundraiser at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Washington.
There have been reports of additional stumbles.
“I’m fine. I’m fully recovered and I’m doing well,” McConnell told CBS. “I’m in good shape, fully recovered and back at work.”
Mitch McConnell has led Senate Republicans since 2007. Getty Images
His office was tight-lipped about what exactly happened and McConnell seemed unwilling to provide more details.
“I think we should talk about what we were talking about before, instead of my health,” he said.
Categories: Trending
Source: vtt.edu.vn