WASHINGTON – After Speaker Mike Johnson He rejected the national security package passed by the SenateCentrist House Republican lawmakers said Thursday they will soon introduce bipartisan proposals calling for new border policies and critical military aid. Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.
“This is really good legislation. He was brought down. Airtight. “There really isn’t much anyone can criticize about it,” he said. Although the band has yet to reveal the lyrics. “And it’s bipartisan. This is the only bipartisan solution in the House.”
The bipartisan package will initially have eight co-sponsors, split evenly between Democrats and Republicans. In addition to Fitzpatrick, Republican backers include Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, Mike Lawler of New York and Lori Michelle Chavez-DeRemer of Oregon.
The Democrats are Reps. Jared Golden of Maine, Ed Case of Hawaii, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington and Jim Costa of California, the lawmaker said.
Punchbowl first reported list of co-sponsors.
Fitzpatrick The centrist co-chairs the Problem Solvers Caucus, a bipartisan group of lawmakers, but he said the legislation was not the product of the Problem Solvers.
Bacon, a swing state lawmaker, said he was working with Fitzpatrick to draft the bill and hoped it would be released soon. In addition to reduced aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, the package borrows language from the House GOP’s tough border bill, known as HR 2, members said.
It includes language regarding the “remain in Mexico” policy, which requires some asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their claims are processed. President Joe Biden has ended the policy, which human rights groups have blamed on migrants kidnapping and violencewhen he took office and the Supreme Court supported the move.
“It will be only military aid – Ukraine, Taiwan, Israel. And the stay-in-Mexico policy uses a lot of wording from HR 2. And we have Democrats,” Bacon said. “And I think if you’re a Republican, it’s a good place to be. You cut the Senate bill by about 30%. Thus, it is more financially responsible. We know we have to help Ukraine militarily or they will fall, and if that happens, it will cost us more. And we can deal with the border. That’s why I feel good about what we did.”
But restoring border policy will require cooperation from Mexico, which it has rejected. Neither Fitzpatrick nor Bacon could explain how to resolve this dilemma.
“It’s something we’re going to have to work on,” Bacon said. “I’m not overseas – I’m not an ambassador, so I don’t know how they’re going to respond. Our children want something that makes a difference on the border.”
Fitzpatrick said they are “still ironing out the language” on the immigration side of the bill, adding that it will be up to the Biden administration to find a way for Mexico to comply.
“Well, that’s going to be part of the administration’s role in this,” he said. “We are a legislative body. The executive power must implement the law.”
Fitzpatrick said there was no commitment from Johnson to debate the bill. He said he would do “whatever it takes” to advance the bill, but suggested the “queen of the hill” rule that many bills are involved in, the idea of using a discharge petition — a tool to bypass leadership and force a vote. can vote and the one with the most votes is accepted.
“We need to talk to the administration or both parties and hopefully they will support it,” he said, adding that he had no definite timeline.
But Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who has threatened to force a vote to oust Johnson, said the moderates’ bill is dead if he brings up the Ukraine funding bill.
He said in an interview on Thursday: “I will assure you: Ukrainian aid is not reaching the ground.”
Unlike the Senate package, which passed by a vote of 70-29, the House bill does not include any humanitarian aid to those affected by the war in Gaza, Ukraine and other hot spots; aid will be for military needs only.
But Fitzpatrick said lawmakers are free to try to change the legislation through the amendment process.
“We can open to amendments and everyone can take their vote and let the House do its will,” he said.