GOP leaders mull using REPO to sell Ukraine aid package to con.
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Senator Jim Risch believes that the Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity for Ukrainians Act (REPO) will help bring them more votes in the House.
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Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, speaks to media about "Israel", Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington (AP)
Republican leaders are considering utilizing the Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity for Ukrainians Act (REPO) to convince conservatives in the House to stand behind a new aid package for Ukraine, Punchbowl News reported today.
"We believe that it [REPO] would probably get us some more votes [in the House]," Senator Jim Risch, co-author of the bill, informed Punchbowl News.
What is REPO?
The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee advanced REPO in January, a bill that would allow the transfer of seized Russian assets to Kiev.
In the committee, Senator Rand Paul was the only one who opposed the bill, labeling it as an "act of economic war" against Russia.
However, the creators of the REPO bill believe that amid a record-high national debt and high inflation, their legislation will be utilized to lessen the financial burden on US taxpayers and will also increase the chances of passing the multi-billion supplemental aid package for Ukraine, "Israel", and Taiwan, according to the report.
Moscow has continuously stressed that any attempt to seize its assets would violate international law as its Foreign Ministry also condemned the freezing of Russian assets labeling it as outright theft.
US Senate advanced $95bn Ukraine, "Israel" military aid Bill
The US Senate approved a $95 billion supplemental military aid package for "Israel," Ukraine, and Taiwan on February 8, after members rejected a version of the bill that included border and immigration policy changes.
Senators voted 67-32 in favor of invoking cloture on a motion to move the measure to the legislative vehicle, with 60 votes necessary to advance it.
US lawmakers voted on February 6 to reject a standalone "Israel" aid bill denounced by critics as a "cynical" bid to thwart a cross-party border security and foreign assistance package that would include cash for Ukraine.
