U.S. House Intelligence Committee urges House to approve Ukraine aid bill immediately

U.S. House Intelligence Committee called on Congress to advance a long-stalled national security spending package to aid Ukraine, Israel, and other American allies by week's end following a classified briefing, 

Highlighting Ukraine’s critical need for U.S. military assistance, Committee chair, Republican Mike Turner, and Ranking Member, Democrat Jim Himes, said in a joint statement on X on April 17.

"We must pass Ukraine aid now,” they wrote.

“Today, in a classified briefing, our Committee was informed of the critical need to provide Ukraine with military aid this week.”

“The United States must stand against Putin’s (Russian dictator Vladimir Putin - ed.) war of aggression now, as Ukraine’s situation on the ground is critical," the two added.

Blocking the Ukraine funding bill in the U.S. 

Republicans have been blocking the Ukraine aid bill since October 2023, initially citing the need to bolster U.S. immigration policy.

Read also: Bipartisan consensus reached on Israel and Ukraine aid package

Republicans have been blocking the Ukraine aid bill since October 2023, initially citing the need to bolster U.S. immigration policy.

The U.S. Senate passed a bill on Feb. 13 providing $95 billion in aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, with $60 billion allocated to Ukraine.

House Speaker Mike Johnson criticized the Senate proposal and refused to submit it for consideration.

He said he would bring the aid extension to a vote “in a timely manner,” noting the urgent need for aid to Ukraine after a meeting with President Joe Biden on Feb. 28.

Biden emphasized the "urgent need" to assist Ukraine during the meeting with congressional leaders from both parties.

Read also: Republicans in U.S. need to stop believing Putin’s lies – UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron

Speakers of 23 parliaments and European Parliament President Roberta Metsola appealed to Johnson on Feb. 28 to consider the bill.

The next day, he announced that the House of Representatives would not take up the issue of providing aid to Ukraine until the U.S. government receives funding.

Johnson advised Republicans to prepare a proposal to at least partially convert military aid for Ukraine into a loan, Politico reported on March 19,

The U.S. House of Representatives approved a $1.2 trillion funding package for government agencies on March 22, while the Senate passed the same package on March 23, leading President Biden to sign it and call on the House to pass a bill supporting Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.

The Ukraine aid bill would be brought to a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives immediately after the Easter recess, which lasts in the States until April 9, Republican Congressman Don Bacon said on March 31.

Mike Johnson announced on April 1 that the Ukraine Aid bill would include significant new provisions, such as providing aid as loans, instead of grants.

Johnson introduced four separate bills regarding funding for U.S. aid to Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, and other national security priorities on April 15.

Johnson hinted on April 16 that the Ukraine aid bill might be brought to a vote as early as April 19.

Read also: Zelenskyy calls for unity on Ukraine aid in US Congress

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine