House Speaker Mike Johnson is pushing for another meeting with President Biden on border security, saying he wants to deal with the crisis at the border before tackling the $95 billion foreign aid bill approved by the Senate.
Mr. Johnson, Louisiana Republican, said Wednesday that he has been requesting for a meeting with Mr. Biden for nearly a month.
“If the Speaker of the House can’t meet with the president of the United States, that’s a problem,” Mr. Johnson said. “I don’t why they’re uncomfortable having the president sit across the table from me, but I will go in good faith, because we have to solve this issue and do every single thing we can.”
Mr. Johnson and other congressional leaders in both parties met with the president nearly a month ago to find middle ground on the Senate’s foreign aid package, which married border security policies with Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan aid.
Mr. Johnson and Republicans in the House and Senate killed that bill, arguing that it did not go far enough to quell the flow of migrants illegally crossing the U.S./Mexico border. The Senate then passed on Tuesday a stripped-down, $95 billion version of the aid package that includes funding for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.
But Mr. Johnson has refused to consider the latest bill because it lacks any mention of border security.
“We are not going to be forced into action by the Senate, who in the latest product they sent us over, does not have one word in the bill about America’s border,” he said.
The speaker did not rule out consideration of funding for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, but said before Congress deals with issues around the world, lawmakers will “take care of our own, first.”
Foreign aid spending is a tricky path to navigate in the House GOP, particularly on the issue of Ukraine aid. Defense hawks remain steadfast in their support of Ukraine, while a growing number of Republicans want to shut down more money flowing to the nation at war with Russia until the Biden administration produces an end game in the region.
Mr. Johnson also faces a motion-to-vacate threat from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Georgia Republican, if he even considers sending more money to the region.
Meanwhile, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, Pennsylvania Republican, told reporters that he is working on an alternative to the Senate’s second attempt at a foreign aid package, which is likely dead in the House. The new House option would include the border, Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, but likely not include humanitarian aid for Gaza.
Mr. Fitzpatrick said that he is working with a “handful” of lawmakers in the House and Senate, and expects a package to be ready within the next day or two.
• Alex Miller can be reached at amiller@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.