Washington, DC — Today, Representatives Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, led all 7 Subcommittee Ranking Members—including Representatives Bill Keating, Ranking Member of the Europe Subcommittee; Sara Jacobs, Ranking Member of the Africa Subcommittee; Susan Wild, Ranking Member of the Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations Subcommittee; Ami Bera, Ranking Member of the Indo-Pacific Subcommittee; Dean Phillips, Ranking Member of the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia Subcommittee; Jason Crow, Ranking Member of the Oversight & Accountability; and Joaquin Castro, Ranking Member of the Western Hemisphere—in issuing a joint statement denouncing Speaker Mike Johnson’s efforts to block supplemental funding for Ukraine before the holiday recess:
“By failing to bring the Ukraine supplemental for a vote, Speaker Johnson and the MAGA extremists in Congress have gifted Vladimir Putin a strategic win, weakened U.S. national security, and tarnished our reputation as a reliable partner. Already we are seeing Putin gloat publicly about Republican efforts to block Ukraine aid, as state propagandists celebrate with telling quotes like: ‘Well done, Republicans! They’re standing firm! That’s good for us.’
“Furthermore, U.S. partners and allies, who have been upholding and increasing their commitments to Ukraine, are also noticing. They are concerned America will retreat from the coalition of support for Ukraine that the U.S. itself has built and led. They rightfully understand that Vladimir Putin’s ambitions don’t end with Ukraine, and that even the NATO alliance risks being tested. If Putin decides to attack a NATO ally, the United States won’t just be sending arms, it will be American boots on the ground. The threat of that escalation is made considerably more possible when U.S. leadership is perceived as weakened by the cynical politics of extreme Republicans.
“Given the broad and bipartisan support for Ukraine in Congress, a Ukraine supplemental would easily pass if it were brought for a vote on the House floor.
“While Democrats have continually tried to work across the aisle to address forced migration, Speaker Johnson and Congressional Republicans have not operated in good faith, demanding extreme border policies that are non-starters for Democrats in exchange for Ukraine aid. We call on Speaker Johnson to no longer hold that aid hostage, and commit to bringing President Biden’s requested supplemental to support the security needs of Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, as well as humanitarian aid and border funding, for a vote. Congress must make clear that America stands by its commitments to our allies.”