GOP Puts Biden Under Pressure Over Ukraine Aid Costs
(TheRedWire.com) – Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Since then, the United States has given the country more than $20 billion in military assistance. While there’s bipartisan support for aiding Ukraine’s defense, many lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are promoting a requirement for oversight of the monetary aid and weapons provided to the war-torn country, and Republicans are pressuring Biden over the costs.
In January, Republicans will take control of the House after flipping it in the 2022 midterm elections. Several party leaders say they want a full accounting of what the US has given Ukraine. Still, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg have repeated their view that they will support the non-NATO country against Russia for however long it takes. That’s in stark contrast to House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), who has said the US couldn’t give them a “blank check” indefinitely.
BIDEN UNDER PRESSURE: There is bipartisan support in Congress for legislation to require oversight of the lethal aid and defense weapons supplied to Ukraine, which is now roughly $20 billion and counting. https://t.co/zbU6oGJM3D pic.twitter.com/0B8DbcnQLL
— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) November 28, 2022
Recently, McCarthy said there “has to be accountability” for the spending. When the House passed the defense authorization bill, it required the Pentagon and inspectors general to create a task force to monitor the aid and provide reports.
Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO) said taxpayers should know whether their investment in Ukraine is ending up where it’s supposed to have gone. Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL) said the government is responsible for ensuring third-party oversight.
Nonetheless, some experts want the lawmakers to back off their demands.
That may not be a realistic expectation.
Copyright 2022, TheRedWire.com
