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| AP |
In an Oval Office meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris, Biden met with House Speaker, Republican Mike Johnson; Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer; House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
Biden underscored the urgency of aid to Kyiv, stating, "The need is urgent," and that "The consequences every day of inaction in Ukraine are severe." He also highlighted that Israel needs U.S. assistance to replace interceptors for its Iron Dome missile defense system.
So far, Republicans have refused to vote on the proposal to provide $95 billion to Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific region. Despite the proposal being bipartisanly approved in the Senate by a vote of 70 to 29 a few days ago, Johnson has resisted bringing it to a vote in the House.
CIA Director Bill Burns was also present at Tuesday's meeting. Burns has played a crucial role in coordinating the U.S. response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and efforts to secure the release of hostages held by the Palestinian group Hamas following their attack on Israel on October 7.
In addition to the national security package, public funding for agriculture, transportation, military construction, and some services for veterans will run out on Friday. Funding for the rest of the government, including the Pentagon, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of State, expires a week later on March 8, a day after Biden's State of the Union address to Congress.
Biden added that "It's Congress's responsibility to fund the government" and that "A government shutdown would significantly damage the economy. We need a bipartisan solution."
The Senate's top two leaders also urged keeping the government open. Some public agencies could start closing on Friday unless lawmakers reach an agreement and send it to Biden for his signature.
Leaving the White House, Schumer described the Tuesday meeting as one of the most intense he has ever had in the Oval Office. The leaders discussed the need to provide aid to Ukraine and avoid a government shutdown, and also talked about border security.
Schumer stated, "We are making good progress," and "The House Speaker unequivocally said he wants to avoid a government shutdown." He described the efforts of the president, vice president, McConnell, Jeffries, and himself to urge the House Speaker to urgently approve aid to Ukraine.
Schumer said, "We made clear how vital this is for the United States. It's very, very important. We cannot wait a month or two months or three months because most likely, in that case, we will lose the war, NATO would be fractured, allies will drift away from the United States, and autocrats around the world will feel inspired."
However, Johnson, in brief remarks also outside the White House after the Democrats spoke, did not mention Ukraine. He said he talked about the border and passing government funding in the meeting, as well as in another one-on-one meeting with Biden afterward.
Johnson stated, "The country's first priority is our border, and making it secure." Republicans thwarted a proposal to implement border security measures after Donald Trump encouraged them to do so; the proposal would have denied migrants the ability to seek asylum at the border if the daily crossing numbers became unmanageable for authorities, among other changes.
Johnson added, "It's a disaster, and it must stop, and we will get government funding, and we'll continue to work on it."
Jeffries recounted telling the House Speaker that he is willing to work on a proposal regarding border security. Jeffries indicated, "We all agree that we have a broken immigration system and there is a need to confront the challenges at the border."
Before the White House meeting, Schumer said in a speech on the Senate floor that he hoped it would be "an important, timely, and productive discussion" and called on Johnson not to heed the demands of conservatives.
Schumer expressed, "We recognize the House Speaker is in a tough position, but he must reject the far right that wants a shutdown, wants to harm the country, and does not represent the majority of Republicans in the House, nor the majority of Republicans in the Senate, let alone the majority of Republicans throughout the United States."