Schumer demands Johnson, House GOP pass foreign aid bill following Ukrainian withdrawal from key city and Navalny’s death
By Rashard Rose and Jack Forrest, CNN
(CNN) — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Sunday demanded Speaker Mike Johnson and House Republicans pass a foreign aid bill following the death of Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny, saying Russian President Vladimir Putin “is watching.”
“Last week, the Senate overwhelmingly passed the national security supplemental, and I urged the House and Speaker Johnson to act — but now — with the death of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s political foe, Alexei Navalny, an urgent alarm bell now rings,” Schumer, a New York Democrat, said in a statement.
Schumer’s pressure on Johnson comes after President Joe Biden, in a call Saturday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, directly tied Ukraine’s withdrawal from the key town of Avdiivka to Congress’ inability to pass further aid for the country’s effort to fend off Russia’s invasion.
“Navalny’s tragic death now makes it even more urgent for House Speaker Johnson to pass the National Security Supplemental. This bipartisan bill currently sits at the feet of Speaker Johnson, and Putin is watching,” Schumer said.
Last week, the Senate passed a bipartisan $95 billion foreign aid bill supported by Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and 21 other Republicans despite facing heavy criticism from former President Donald Trump, who earlier this month helped tank a broader bill that would have combined foreign aid with a bipartisan border deal.
The new bill includes $60 billion to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia, $14.1 billion in security assistance for Israel, $9.2 billion in humanitarian assistance, and $4.8 billion to support regional partners in the Indo-Pacific, according to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, has signaled he won’t bring the bill to the floor, criticizing the measure over its lack of border provisions even as he opposed the previous bipartisan measure that did include restrictive border measures.
Biden on Friday criticized House lawmakers for taking a two-week break, calling it “outrageous” and telling reporters it’s “about time they step up” following the death of Navalny.
While Zelensky said he does not consider the lack of additional funding a betrayal, he hinted at the House being on recess until the end of the month.
“Please, everyone, remember that dictators do not go on vacation,” he said during a speech at the Munich Security Conference in Germany on Saturday. “Hatred knows no pause. Enemy artillery does not fall silent due to procedural issues.”
US officials have recently expressed concern about Russian gains in the war, suggesting it’s a reflection of a slowdown in aid.
“The entire world is going to remember what the U.S. did here,” Schumer said in his statement. “Nothing — nothing — would make Putin happier right now than to see Congress waver in its support for Ukraine. Nothing would help him more on the battlefield.”
CNN’s Sam Fossum, Priscilla Alvarez, Radina Gigova, Kaanita Iyer, Clare Foran, Kristin Wilson, Morgan Rimmer and Ted Barrett contributed to this report.
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