Washington, D.C. – Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick revealed that his colleague, Representative Mike Johnson, claimed President Joe Biden refused to meet with him to discuss border security measures. The alleged refusal from the President comes amidst ongoing discussions in Congress regarding a $95 billion international assistance bill, which includes aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. The original draft of the bill included funding for border security and bipartisan border policy provisions, but those measures were dropped after Senate Republicans blocked the bill.
According to Johnson, the Senate version of the aid package will not be considered in the House, and he criticized the Senate for not approving tough border restrictions. However, with Senate Republicans blocking the border deal and little chance for the harsh measures endorsed by House GOP leaders to become law, the House plans to pursue an alternative proposal.
House Democrats have discussed using a discharge petition to bypass Johnson and force consideration of the aid package on the House floor, although this approach is rarely successful. Additionally, tensions within the Republican Party have risen, with some members arguing for a prioritization of border security and offset for foreign aid, while others advocate for supporting only Israel with aid.
As the House is scheduled to go into recess at the end of the week and will be preoccupied with overdue annual spending bills upon return, the urgency to reach a decision on the aid package remains a pressing concern. With ongoing conversations between Democrats and Republicans, the outcome of the debate and potential aid distribution to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan remains uncertain.