Biden is summoning congressional leaders to the White House to talk Ukraine and government funding https://t.co/AMztUECTLq
— The Associated Press (@AP) February 26, 2024
In case you’re wondering about the shrieking noises from the FreeDumb Carcass and the Wingnut Wurlitzer… Per the Associated Press, “Biden is summoning congressional leaders to the White House to talk Ukraine and government funding”:
… The top four leaders include 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.
During the meeting, the president will discuss the “urgency” of passing the aid package, which has bipartisan support, as well as legislation to keep the federal government operating through the end of September, said the White House official, who was granted anonymity to discuss a meeting not yet publicly confirmed.
The Republican-led House is under pressure to pass the $95 billion national security package that bolsters aid for Ukraine, Israel as well as the Indo-Pacific. That legislation cleared the Senate on a 70-29 vote earlier this month, but Johnson has been resistant to putting up the aid bill for a vote in the House …
Separate from the national security package, the first tranche of government funding is due to expire Friday. The rest of the federal government, including agencies such as the Pentagon, Department of Homeland Security and the State Department, expires on March 8.
In a letter to his colleagues sent Sunday, Schumer said there was not yet an agreement to avoid a partial shutdown of the agencies whose funding expires this week. That includes the departments of Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Agriculture and Veterans Affairs.
“While we had hoped to have legislation ready this weekend that would give ample time for members to review the text, it is clear now that House Republicans need more time to sort themselves out,” Schumer wrote in the letter. The Senate majority leader called on Johnson to “step up to once again buck the extremists in his caucus and do the right thing” by greenlighting funding to keep the government open…
NEW: Majority Leader Schumer calls on Speaker Johnson to visit Ukraine and put national security package on House floor.
“If Speaker Johnson put the national security supplemental on the floor today, it would pass with a large number of both Democrats and Republicans.” pic.twitter.com/iYfNGtjf8o
— Stephen Neukam (@stephen_neukam) February 25, 2024
Former GOP Acting Speaker Patrick McHenry is not happy with Mike Johnson killing the border bill, aid for Ukraine, and failing to pass a budget: “We need the Speaker to be better.”https://t.co/qAsOv6a3GX
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) February 26, 2024
… Speaker Johnson is just coming back from meeting with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, followed by a “leadership conference” in Miami, which some of his Members grumbled to reporters that he turned into an evangelical revival rather than political strategy session. With a Senate border bill killed at Trump’s insistence, a foreign aid package ignored, and appropriations bills languishing, Johnson has left himself just three days before the government will shutdown when they return unless there is another Continuing Resolution.
Johnson is already playing games trying to blame Chuck Schumer and Democrats for his inaction, intransigence and inability to get anything done as a leader…
But McHenry, one of the most respected Republicans in the House, told CNN’s Manu Raju that he isn’t buying the nonsense that Mike Johnson is selling:
“We need to get in the mode of getting things done, not punting things and putting off into the future. It’s time to get on with the deal rather than dither.” Raju then asked McHenry if Johnson has been too indecisive. McHenry said, “We need the Speaker to be better.” He then criticized Johnson for killing the border deal…
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