Aiexpress – President Joe Biden plans to gather the top four congressional leaders at the White House on Tuesday. The purpose of the meeting is to urge lawmakers to pass an emergency aid package for Ukraine and Israel and to prevent a potential government shutdown next month. This information was shared by a White House official.
The top four leaders consist of House Speaker Mike Johnson, representing Louisiana, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer from New York, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, also from New York, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, hailing from Kentucky.
The president will address the importance of passing the aid package, which enjoys bipartisan support, during the meeting. Additionally, there will be a discussion on legislation that aims to keep the federal government operational until the end of September. A White House official, speaking on the condition of anonymity as the meeting has not been officially confirmed, provided this information.
The House, led by Republicans, is facing mounting pressure to approve a $95 billion national security package that provides increased assistance to Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific region. This legislation was successfully passed by the Senate with a vote of 70-29 earlier this month. However, Johnson has been hesitant to bring the aid bill to a vote in the House.
Jake Sullivan, the White House national security adviser, stated on ABC’s “This Week” that Speaker Johnson has the power to shape the course of history with his decision to put the bill on the floor. Sullivan believes that the bill would garner a strong, bipartisan majority vote in favor of aid to Ukraine.
Sullivan emphasized the urgent need for Ukrainians to have access to weapons and ammunition as a means to defend themselves against Russian forces. During his personal discussions with the speaker, he expressed a desire to secure the necessary funding for Ukraine.
The initial round of government funding is set to expire on Friday, while the remaining federal agencies, including the Pentagon, Department of Homeland Security, and the State Department, will expire on March 8.
In a letter sent on Sunday, Schumer informed his colleagues that an agreement to prevent a partial shutdown of various government agencies whose funding expires this week has not yet been reached. This includes the departments of Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Agriculture, and Veterans Affairs.
In a letter, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer expressed his disappointment that the legislation, which they had hoped to have ready for review over the weekend, was not yet complete. He acknowledged that more time was necessary for House Republicans to come to a consensus. Schumer urged Representative Johnson to take a stand against the extremists in his caucus and support the funding needed to keep the government operational.
According to Johnson, Schumer’s letter was not helpful and he criticized Democrats for pushing their own unrealistic policy demands.
In a statement, Johnson emphasized the need to avoid engaging in petty politics during this crucial time. He expressed his commitment to working in good faith as House Republicans, with the hope of achieving a prompt resolution. Johnson further emphasized the importance of addressing border security concerns without delay.
