House Republicans have no plans to include Ukraine aid to their proposed stopgap spending bill making its way through the lower chamber even as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to visit the country this week, Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) said on Monday.
The 31-day continuing resolution that was negotiated between House Republicans includes a number of demands that were pushed by hard-line conservatives such as border security funding and spending cuts. The bill does not include any military funding or financial assistance to Ukraine, which also emerged as a redline for several GOP lawmakers.
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Zelensky is set to arrive on Tuesday for his second visit to the United States since Russia invaded Ukraine early last year. The Ukrainian president is expected to meet with congressional leaders such as McCarthy, the speaker said, although it’s unclear whether Zelensky will address Congress at large.
During his visit, Zelensky will also meet with the White House to thank U.S. leaders for their assistance so far while also making his case for increased aid as the war-torn country staves off an invasion from the Russian military.
Since the invasion began in February 2021, Congress has approved roughly $43 billion in military assistance. Now, the White House is requesting an additional $24 billion in aid that is not connected to the country’s annual spending bill — a request that has put both chambers at odds as they attempt to avert a government shutdown later this month.
While visiting with congressional leaders, Zelensky will have an opportunity to lobby for increased aid by both the House and the Senate. However, McCarthy appeared to shut down that prospect on Monday morning.
“No,” he said simply when asked if Zelensky’s visit could alter Republicans’ continuing resolution proposal.
The proposed continuing resolution includes all of H.R. 2, the House’s border security bill, minus E-Verify, other border security provisions, and spending cuts. The bill would keep defense and veterans affairs spending at fiscal 2023 levels and slash other domestic agency funding by 8%. The bill does not include any funding for Ukraine.
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This would bring spending to $1.59 trillion — the spending level set in the bipartisan debt ceiling deal signed into law back in June.
Hard-line conservatives have called for spending to be set at $1.471 trillion. Many have also said they needed to see H.R. 2 or other strict border security measures in any continuing resolution in order for it to receive their support. But, even with the border security provisions in this measure, they are still against it.