Recently the House approved a whopping foreign aid bill to help Ukraine, Israel, and other U.S. Allies even though the Hastert Rule wasn't applied passing the bill during a weekend voting session. One has to wonder where this money is coming from. Due to the amount being allocated to foreign aid, that means once the election is over in November, Congress and Senate are going to demand taxes be raised to cover the costs. Did they ask the American taxpayers if they agreed to this aid package, not that I can discover.
The House
wasted no time in approving a hefty $95 billion in foreign aid for Ukraine,
Israel, and other U.S. allies during a rare Saturday session. Democrats and
Republicans set aside their differences, coming together after months of
political chaos surrounding American support against Russia’s invasion.
The $61
billion allocated for Ukraine received overwhelming support, sending a powerful
message of solidarity. Lawmakers even waved Ukrainian flags in celebration on
the House floor. The unique process of voting on each bill separately allowed
for interesting alliances to form and push the aid forward.
With the
Senate likely to pass the package soon, President Biden is ready to sign it
into law promptly. Speaker Mike Johnson, despite facing challenges, is
confident in the decision made.
The
bipartisan effort was praised by President Zelenskyy of Ukraine, who expressed
gratitude for keeping history on the right track. The House's unity in this
crucial moment was a refreshing change from the usual gridlock.
"The world
is watching us closely, and our actions today will be judged by history,"
stated Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, head of the House Foreign Affairs
Committee. The House's approval of Biden's funding request was a major step
forward, overcoming significant obstacles. The GOP-led House initially
struggled with the decision but eventually came to a resolution. Speaker
Johnson faced challenges and criticism from within his own party, but
ultimately pushed through the vote. Congressional leaders see this as a
critical moment in history, with U.S. allies facing threats worldwide. Rep.
Gregory Meeks called it a historic moment, emphasizing the significance of the
decision. On the other hand, some Republicans argued for a focus on domestic
issues and cautioned against excessive spending on defense.
It's been
quite a show in Congress lately, with world leaders lining up to beg for aid
approval. The delay has raised doubts about America's loyalty to its allies,
putting Biden's foreign policy goals on the line.
After some behind-the-scenes chats with Johnson, Biden jumped on board with his plan, giving Democrats the push they needed to move things along. What did Biden offer that Johnson agreed to to push this messy aid package forward without using the Hastert Rule when passing a bill?
The
message during the debate was clear - defending democracy is a job for all
Americans, regardless of party lines.
While support for Ukraine is expected to be strong, some progressive Democrats are gearing up to vote against aid for Israel, demanding an end to the violence in Gaza.
It used to be that Ukraine's defense had solid backing from both sides of the aisle in Congress. However, as the conflict drags on, many representatives on both sides of the aisle are now against providing further aid.
The House Freedom Caucus is
slamming the aid package, calling it "America Last," and pushing for
border security measures.
Johnson's
grip on power is slipping, with some Republicans backing a move to oust him.
Greene, along with others like Thomas Massie and Paul Gosar, are leading the
charge. The drama continues to unfold in Washington.
The
package comes with a bunch of Republican priorities that Democrats are on board
with, or at least willing to go along with. This includes stuff like seizing
Russian assets to help Ukraine, slapping sanctions on Iran, Russia, China, and
fentanyl traffickers, and making TikTok's Chinese owner sell up or get banned
in the U.S.
But the
rush to get these bills passed isn't just about politics - it's about what's
happening in Ukraine. Lawmakers in the know have been getting seriously worried
about the situation there. Russia is using fancy bombs to hit Ukrainian troops
hard, and they're struggling with a lack of soldiers and weapons. It's a tough
situation, and something needs to be done fast.
Elizabeth
Kilbride is a Writer and Editor with forty years of experience in writing with
12 of those years in the online content sphere. Author of 5 books and a
Graduate with an Associate of Arts from Phoenix University in Business
Management, then a degree. Mass Communication and Cyber Analysis from Phoenix
University, then on to Walden University for her master’s in criminology with
emphasis on Cybercrime and Identity Theft and is currently studying for her
Ph.D. degree in Criminology. Her work portfolio includes coverage of politics,
current affairs, elections, history, and true crime. In her spare time,
Elizabeth is also a gourmet cook, life coach, and avid artist, proficient in
watercolor, acrylic, pen and ink, Gouche, and pastels. As a political operative
having worked on over 300 campaigns during her career, Elizabeth has turned
many life events into books and movie scripts while using history to weave
interesting storylines. She also runs 6 blogs that range from art to life
coaching, to food, to writing, and opinion or history pieces each week.
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