Republican Working to Force House Vote on Aid to Ukraine Tells CNN’s Jake Tapper He Has More GOP Members Willing to Join Him
Moderate Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Jared Golden (D-ME) joined CNN’s Jake Tapper on Tuesday to discuss their push to force a vote on a bipartisan border and foreign aid bill.
“So, Congressman Fitzpatrick. Are there other Republicans that will join you? This is, as Congressman Golden was alluding, this is bold of you to do. Brave of you to do. Are there other Republicans that will join you in going around Speaker Johnson to force a vote on funding for Ukraine?” Tapper asked, noting that the bill would send billions in U.S. military aid to Ukraine.
“There is. In fact, I spoke to several just last night,” Fitzpatrick replied, adding:
And I wouldn’t, necessarily phrase it Jake as going around anybody. This is just to add a pressure point. You know, the politics are very, very tough, as you are well aware, in the House, two-vote margin in the House, for Republicans, a two-vote Democrat margin in the Senate, on very, very tough, existential, time-sensitive issues.
Many in the Republican conference are opposed to any additional aid going overseas and addressing border security until former President Donald Trump is returned to the White House.
“So you said that you have talked to Republicans who are willing to sign the discharge petition. Can you name any of them?” Tapper followed up.
“No, I’d rather not. I’m going to keep our conversations private out of respect to them,” Fitzpatrick replied.
“So, Congressman Golden, one of the reasons that this is $49 billion instead of $60 billion is because money for humanitarian aid for Gaza is not included in this. Why is it not included?” Tapper asked.
“Well, for starters, Brian and I really wanted to boil the bill out of the Senate down to its base, and start from a place where we could agree, and where we think many Dems and Republicans can agree,” Golden replied, noting their bill is derived from a failed bipartisan effort in the U.S. Senate.
“What is the greatest kind of emergency? What is most pressing? And we think the answer to that is getting control at our border, giving tools to the Border Patrol to do that. And secondly, it is military assistance to the battlefield in Ukraine. We’re not opposed to humanitarian aid. And in fact, Brian has set up a process where if we get this bill to the floor, there will be amendments and opportunities to, let the House decide whether or not to include humanitarian aid. Some people think that should be given. Some people think it should be in the form of a loan. So we’re open to the debate,” Golden concluded.
Watch the clip above via CNN.
