Top Democrat in fiery speech says House ‘diddling around’ while people ‘dying in Ukraine’

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (Conn.), the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, delivered a fiery speech during a debate on foreign aid Thursday, accusing the lower chamber of “diddling around” as Ukraine struggles against the Russian invasion.

“We have the opportunity to do what we do here and that is to govern. And what are we doing in governing? To be a world leader,” she said during a House Rules Committee debate on foreign aid bills.

“For months and months, we have been diddling around where people are dying in Ukraine. Don’t talk about what weapons we want to give them. We’re not giving them what they need now, and it has been months in the coming,” she continued.

DeLauro said the House should have passed additional aid to Ukraine and Israel when the Senate approved it earlier this year.

“We should have picked up that Senate bill, brought it to the floor and voted on it immediately,” she added.

A foreign aid package has been at a standstill in Congress as lawmakers struggle to coalesce behind additional aid for Ukraine and Israel. Many Republicans had voiced opposition to sending additional aid to Ukraine, with many saying that more aid will not help the country’s efforts in fighting off Russia.

But Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) this week proposed to bring a vote on four separate bills addressing aid for Ukraine, Israel, the Indo-Pacific and other national security priorities. This comes days after Iran attacked Israel in drone and missile attacks over the weekend, prompting lawmakers to call on congressional leadership to bring a vote on foreign aid to the floor.

President Biden has backed Johnson’s plan and urged Congress to pass bills on foreign aid this week.

“The House must pass the package this week and the Senate should quickly follow. I will sign this into law immediately to send a message to the world: We stand with our friends, and we won’t let Iran or Russia succeed,” Biden said in a statement earlier this week.

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