McCarthy Pumps the Brakes on Ukraine Funding

“Speaker Kevin McCarthy told us Monday that a supplemental spending package for Ukraine is ‘not going anywhere’ in the House, essentially putting the brakes on any immediate plan to send more money to Kyiv — or get around new spending caps,” Punchbowl News reports.

“McCarthy signaled any additional aid for Ukraine would have to come as part of the annual appropriations process within the Pentagon’s $886 billion in discretionary spending, as agreed to under the Fiscal Responsibility Act, the bipartisan legislation that ended the debt-limit showdown.”

“McCarthy’s comments set the stage for a consequential Senate-vs.-House fight centered on Ukraine funding, an issue that has already bitterly divided the GOP.”

“For now, McCarthy’s pronouncement is a blow to defense hawks in both parties, but especially in the Senate. A group of GOP senators held up the debt-limit bill last week until they got assurances from Senate leaders that the chamber would take up a separate funding bill for Ukraine and other defense needs.”