Recently, Speaker Mike Johnson refused to compromise on his demand for border security initiatives in exchange for increased aid to Ukraine following a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky this week.
Johnson noted that serious reforms are required to mitigate the ongoing crisis at the southern border. The Speaker further demanded clarity and enhanced supervision of the money sent to Ukraine in its battle against Russia. Republican politicians have increasingly demanded that America’s own national security be prioritized before sending international aid.
“I made this very clear. Again from the very beginning when I was handed the gavel, we needed clarity on what we’re doing in Ukraine, and how we’ll have proper oversight of the spending of precious taxpayer dollars and American citizens,” Johnson stated.
Johnson emphasized the dire situation at the southern border, where illegal immigration has skyrocketed under the Biden administration. The House Speaker stated that the U.S. requires a “transformative change” at the border shared with Mexico.
According to Johnson, the inaction regarding the border crisis is not the fault of the House, which passed the Secure the Border Act nearly half a year ago. The first division of the bill mandates a variety of actions directly related to improving border security. For example, the legislation calls for the continuation of border wall construction along the southern border, stating, “(Sec. 102) This section requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to resume all activities related to constructing a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border that were underway or planned prior to January 20, 2021.”
Jonhson also took aim at the Senate and the White House, who he claims are stalling the progress of the border act. While the bill is “collecting dust on Chuck Schumer’s desk,” the Speaker noted that he has petitioned Schumer and various other members of the Biden administration on the urgency of this action. However, these efforts have come to no avail.
“And we needed a transformative change at the border. Thus far, we’ve gotten neither. The Senate has been MIA on this. The House passed H.R. 2, six months ago, more than six months ago. It’s been sitting and collecting dust on Chuck Schumer’s desk. I have told him personally, I’ve told the National Security Adviser, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense, that these are our conditions because these are the conditions of the American people. And we are resolute on that. It is not the House’s issue right now. The issue is with the White House and the Senate, and I implore them to do their job because the time is urgent. And we do want to do the right thing here with that,” he added.
The American Tribune recently reported on statements from Speaker Johnson into the next steps of the Biden impeachment inquiry process. Deciding to formalize the process, Johnson said, “We have no choice” in pushing forward the matter. Johnson said, “We have no choice to fulfill our constitutional responsibility. We have to take the next step. We’re not making a political decision. It’s not. It’s a legal decision.”
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