Congress aid to Ukraine, 'Israel' in doubt amid US border spat
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The United States is once again deeply divided on yet another thing as the Speaker of the House underlines that he will not vote in favor of granting aid to Ukraine and "Israel".
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House Speaker Mike Johnson walks on Capitol Hill, January 18, 2024, in Washington. (AP)
The prospects for military aid to Ukraine and the Israeli occupation have dimmed, as the Republican-controlled House faces internal divisions over immigration reform with a Speaker who is not budging on negotiations regarding the issues.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson dealt a blow to ongoing negotiations, expressing reluctance to support a Senate deal seen as vital for unlocking funds for both international aid and national security priorities.
For weeks, a bipartisan group of senators has been diligently working on an agreement aimed at implementing stricter immigration policies and addressing the surge in migrant arrivals at the southern border with Mexico.
Republicans have attached the passage of this immigration legislation as a condition for approving aid to Ukraine, which has been witnessing dwindling support among some right-wing lawmakers despite the war effort still ongoing.
The Biden administration has been asking for more than $60 billion in new military funding for Ukraine, which the White House described as "adequate".
For several weeks, US Senators and officials from the Biden administration have been engaged in negotiations to finalize an agreement, aiming to allocate over $100 billion in supplemental funds. These funds are intended for various priorities, including Ukraine, "Israel", and US border security.
While the specifics of the immigration deal remain undisclosed, Johnson's skepticism has cast a shadow over the negotiations. In a letter to fellow Republicans, he hinted at potential deal-breakers, stating, "If rumors about the contents of the draft proposal are true, it would have been dead on arrival in the House anyway."
Aid linked to domestic policies
Johnson's insistence on a Senate vote for the Secure the Border Act, a proposal with echoes of former President Trump's immigration policies, adds another layer of complexity to the already fragile talks.
The speaker's demands have further complicated Congress's ability to find common ground on immigration reform, an issue that has long been one of the most intractable in Washington.
The stakes are high, due to the Biden administration seeing the Israeli occupation and Ukraine as national security priorities, with Biden having underscored that these issues are interconnected, linking aid for both parties to a broader strategy that includes funds for Taiwan and increased border security.
After attending a meeting with Biden last week, Johnson told reporters that the current status quo on Ukraine is unacceptable and that Congress needs a clearer explanation from the Biden administration about its strategy in Ukraine.
This entails not just clarifying the endgame and ensuring accountability for US funds but also prioritizing US border security at the top of the list.
The House Speaker's response to these calls for international aid has taken a controversial turn. House Republicans, under his leadership, approved a bill allocating funds solely for aid to the Israeli occupation, coupled with a cut to the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) budget, thereby increasing the federal deficit.
However, Democrats in the Senate swiftly rejected this measure, leaving the bipartisan immigration reform negotiations as the last viable avenue to secure approval for aid to Ukraine.
McConnell doubts deal to take place
The challenges in reaching an agreement on immigration reform are deeply rooted in decades of unsuccessful attempts. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's initial skepticism has only added to the uncertainty.
McConnell expressed doubt that the Republican Party would support any agreement emerging from the negotiations due to former President Trump's intentions to campaign on immigration reform.
These sentiments have sparked outrage from senators on both sides of the aisle. Chris Murphy, a key Democratic negotiator in the talks, expressed concern, stating, "I hope we don't live in a world today in which one person inside the Republican party holds so much power that they could stop a bipartisan bill to try to give the president additional power at the border to make more sense of our immigration policy."
Read next: Republicans brandish immigration sword in the face of Biden
Amid this political turbulence, the GOP's control of the House raises the possibility of impeachment proceedings against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and, eventually, President Biden.
The impeachment threats have further heightened the partisan divide, with Democrats in the Senate likely to reject any charges against Mayorkas.
The top Democrat on the Homeland Security Committee, Bennie Thompson, voiced objections to the charges against Mayorkas, calling the impeachment a "sham" and highlighting procedural irregularities while accusing Republicans of pursuing a predetermined outcome.
