Ukraine Maybe Another Time; Republicans in the U.S. House Prepare Military Aid Package for Israel

Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives are set to present a $17.6 billion proposal for military aid to Israel, but it does not include the necessary aid package for Ukraine against Russia. According to the Associated Press, this move gives the Republican leadership and members of the House the opportunity to support Israel while allocating billions to immigration enforcement; however, Democrats are unlikely to join them. House Speaker Mike Johnson stated in a letter to members, "As I have consistently said over the past three months, the House must work with determination on these issues, and our priorities must be addressed." The new proposal from Republican lawmakers includes approximately $4 billion for missile defense systems, $1.2 billion to counter short-range rocket and mortar threats, and funding for ammunition production. The plan also allocates about $4.4 billion to replenish U.S. weapon stockpiles for Israel and over $3.3 billion for ongoing U.S. military operations in the region. The House of Representatives had previously approved a $14.5 billion military aid package for Israel last November, which, however, did not pass in the Senate and remained dormant. Last fall, the Biden administration requested about $106 billion from Congress for aid to Ukraine and Israel and to secure the U.S. border, but Republicans, who hold the majority in the House, opposed it. Biden welcomed the bipartisan agreement in the Senate on border security; the House is opposed. Republican lawmakers traveled to the Mexican border to demonstrate seriousness on border security and immigration issues. The Biden administration's budget request for aid to Ukraine is at a standstill in Congress; Republicans say U.S. border security is a priority. Blinken: The U.S. will allocate up to $250 million in military aid to Ukraine. The U.S. Congress approved an $886 billion defense budget. Senate Republican leader: Approval of the Ukraine aid package before Christmas is unlikely.