Joe Biden ‘Pleads’ Congress: US President Joe Biden on Tuesday pleaded with the top four leaders of Congress to avoid a looming government shutdown early next month, to act quickly, and pass emergency aid for Ukraine and Israel. President Biden made this move as a legislative logjam in the GOP-led House showed no signs of abating.
Among those hosted by Joe Biden were House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., in the Oval Office. Also present was Vice President Kamala Harris.
“The need is urgent. The consequences of inaction every day in Ukraine are dire,” said Biden of the Ukraine aid as he noted that Israel also needs US funding to replenish its supply of Iron Dome interceptors that it uses to protect against the rockets fired by Hamas and Hezbollah.
As of now, Republicans in the House have refused to bring up the $95 billion national security package that bolsters aid for Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific. That measure cleared the Senate on a bipartisan 70-29 vote this month, but Johnson has resisted scheduling it for a vote in the House.
Bill Burns, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) also joined Tuesday’s meeting. Burns has played key roles in coordinating the US response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as well as efforts to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas after its October 7 attack on Israel.
Apart from the national security package, government funding for agriculture, transportation, military construction, and some veterans’ services expires Friday, and funding for the rest of the government, including the Pentagon, the Department of Homeland Security, and the State Department expires a week later on March 8, the day after Biden is set to deliver his State of the Union address.
“It’s Congress’ responsibility to fund the government. A government shutdown would damage the economy significantly. We need a bipartisan solution,” said the POTUS.
The Senate’s top two leaders also urged that the government be kept open. Parts of the government could start to scale back operations as early as Friday unless a deal is reached on spending and legislation is sent to Biden for his signature.
Schumer said in a speech ahead of the White House meeting that he hoped it would be an “important, timely and fruitful discussion” and urged Johnson to tune out demands from hardline conservatives.
“We recognize that the speaker of the House is in a difficult position, but he must reject the MAGA hard right which wants a shutdown, wants to hurt America, and does not represent a majority of Republicans in the House, a majority of Republicans in the Senate and a majority of Republicans in America, let alone all Americans,” Schumer said adding that he would make a strong case to Johnson for why the military aid for Ukraine is immediately needed.
“Ukraine is low on ammo, on anti-air defense systems, on munitions, on long-range artillery. This shortage is creating asymmetry on the battlefield. Russia can fire and take out Ukrainian targets, but Ukraine increasingly can’t fire back,” Schumer said.
(With AP inputs)
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