Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) informed Republican senators on Wednesday that the House of Representatives will send them a bill to further assist Ukraine in the near future. However, Johnson warned his GOP colleagues, the final version of the bill would likely differ significantly from the Senate's $95 billion aid package passed last month.
As The Hill reports:
Johnson tried to reassure frustrated GOP senators who asked him about funding for Ukraine during a question-and-answer session at the annual Senate Republican retreat, which was held at the Library of Congress.
Johnson told senators that the House will send a Ukraine aid package to the Senate but floated the idea of making it a loan or lend-lease program so U.S. taxpayers would not be shelling out tens of billions of dollars without any expectation of getting a return, according to senators who participated in the discussion.
The Speaker also talked about including something similar to the REPO for Ukrainians Act, sponsored by Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), which would authorize the confiscation of Russian sovereign assets and deposit the proceeds of liquidated property into a Ukraine support fund, senators said.
Notably, Johnson did not say whether such a Ukraine aid package would include tough border security reforms, such as “Remain in Mexico” language, which would face opposition from Senate Democrats.
Johnson's behind closed doors' commitment to passing some form of Ukraine aid follows pressure from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to pass the Senate bill providing funding for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. (RELATED: McConnell's Sister-In-Law Made A Final Panicked Call Shortly Before Dying)
Reflecting on the developing situation in the lower chamber, Sen. John Cornyn (R) remarked: “I did get the sense that after the appropriations bills were taken care of that they would turn to that, and there have been a number of suggestions. One has to do with the forfeiture, basically, of $300 billion in Russian assets, which I think is a great idea.”
“It would be justice to make the Russians to pay for Ukraine, pay the United States and allies for arming Ukraine,” he added.
In an interview with CNN, Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) stated that Johnson understood the urgency and significance of assisting Ukraine and was searching for a way forward.
Cornyn, who announced his bid to replace the retiring McConnell as the Senate's No. 1 Republican two weeks ago, also praised the idea of a new lend-lease program, noting the World War II-era Lend Lease Act played a decisive role in giving the Allies material superiority over the Nazis. (RELATED: Famous Landmark Reappears After Vanishing Before WWII)
“That's what FDR did in World War II,” Cornyn commented, adding that he felt “pretty optimistic” about the House's progress.
“I've heard the speaker now say ‘We're not going to leave Ukraine empty-handed,' or words to that effect,” he concluded.
Last night, at the House Republican Conference retreat, Johnson emphasized to reporters that no one in Washington wishes for Vladimir Putin to take over Ukraine.
The speaker added that he has zero expectations of Putin ending his aggression in Ukraine if he's victorious there.
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