Senate Republicans chart diverging paths forward on Israel aid

Senate Republicans are split over how Congress should approach passing an Israel aid package.

A bipartisan group backed by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is organizing a larger national security package that includes aid for Israel, Ukraine, Taiwan, and a border security measure.

FORMER KAMALA HARRIS CAMPAIGN AIDES PUSH VICE PRESIDENT TO BACK ‘SQUAD’ CALLS FOR GAZA CEASEFIRE

McConnell said Tuesday that he’s “conceptually” on the same page as Schumer and President Joe Biden, who sent Congress a $106 billion supplemental funding request that includes all four tranches. He cautioned, however, that such a package will require a substantial border security measure, with policy changes as opposed to more funding, to get enough Senate Republicans on board.

“Conceptually, I think Schumer and I are in the same place. In terms of details, what is really needed to protect the border, not a bunch of money going to Chicago and New York, but something seriously drafted,” McConnell said. “We’re working on that and I think the Democrats will have to accept a really serious U.S.-Mexico border protection bill in order to get our people on board.”

Biden’s supplemental request has received broad support from House and Senate Democrats. But House Republicans, who control the lower chamber and can block any partisan bills backed by the president or the Democratic-led Senate, have started to rally around newly-minted House Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-LA) proposal to pass Israel aid separately using money from Biden’s hallmark Inflation Reduction Act.

Specifically, the money would be diverted from funds intended to pay for 87,000 new IRS agents. While the IRS gambit will likely appeal to some in the Senate GOP conference, it is unclear if that will become a sticking point given that Democrats will be wholly opposed.

Currently, Senate Republicans are disputing whether Israel aid should be separated from a larger package to allow members who support that effort but oppose Ukraine funding to vote for it.

The vast majority, if not all, of the Senate GOP conference is in favor of Israel aid. The same cannot be said for Ukraine’s assistance. While more than half of the 49 Republicans support some type of continued United States aid to Ukraine, there is a vocal part of the conference that strongly opposes such measures.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) told reporters on Tuesday that he thought his home state colleague’s approach was part of an attempt to undermine the new speaker’s position.

“I think he’s attempting to [undermine Johnson] and I think it’s a mistake because it’s also in defiance of most conservatives in the Republican Party,” Paul, who opposes U.S. assistance for Ukraine, said. “I think McConnell’s position is very, very unpopular in Kentucky but also very, very unpopular in the United States, and I think ultimately will fail or bring down the speaker, which I don’t think is a good idea.”

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT), who backs continued Ukraine support and combining the aid packages, pushed back on that criticism later Tuesday morning, noting to reporters that Democratic votes are needed to pass the bill through both chambers.

“If we’re going to have a piece of legislation that actually becomes law, it’s going to include support for Ukraine as well as Israel,” Romney said. “There may be other elements that are attached to it, but it’s not acceptable to abandon Ukraine.”

There’s also Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), who has backed Ukraine aid in the past but wants the Israel bill passed separately out of concern that disputes over Kyiv support could hold up the Israel assistance.

“They should be separated,” Cruz said of his concerns last week. “What Biden is trying to do is hold Israel military assistance hostage in order to try to force through his other priorities.”

Sen. Todd Young (R-IN), a staunch advocate for Ukraine, told the Washington Examiner he was “pragmatic on this and other issues,” explaining that he simply wanted to ensure that the Ukraine bill was passed.

“I support whatever tactical legislative approach leads to positive outcomes, and if this is the approach that leads to a positive outcome, I’m for it,” Young said. “And for me, a positive outcome means continuing to support the freedom fighters in Ukraine and providing our friends Israel the defense support that they require.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

GOP senators will discuss the matter, as well as the current appropriations process to avoid a government shutdown, at a luncheon in the Capitol with Johnson on Wednesday. It will be Johnson’s first meeting with the Senate Republican Conference since securing the speaker’s gavel.

Johnson separately met with Schumer and McConnell last week.