McCarthy: House won’t blindly approve Biden’s $24B Ukraine request.

President Joe Biden’s $40 million supplemental ⁣funding⁤ request faces two hurdles in Congress—the whopping price tag for additional federal spending items and‌ the inclusion‌ of an extra $24‌ billion in aid to Ukraine.

Some Republicans in both houses have​ said the request will be challenged on Capitol Hill.

The request ‌was ​made ⁤via a letter from ‍Shalanda Young, director ⁢of the Office of Management and Budget, to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and ⁢other ‌congressional leaders on Aug. 10.

A spokesman for Mr. McCarthy told The Epoch Times the bill would not gain ‍automatic approval‌ in the House.

“A Republican-led House will not⁢ rubber-stamp any blank-check funding requests; rather, the Administration’s emergency funding requests must be reviewed and scrutinized on their merits‍ consistent with the practice⁤ and principles of our majority,” the ​spokesman said.

That ​Republican majority fought to reduce federal spending ⁣in 2024 and impose a 1 percent cap on ​spending⁢ growth for 10 years in a compromise negotiated in June by Mr.‌ McCarthy and President Biden. Even that apparent victory did not ⁢satisfy the most conservative House Republicans, who fought the McCarthy-Biden agreement believing that it did not⁢ do enough to reduce deficit spending.

The request includes ⁢$13.1 billion ⁢in military aid for Ukraine and $8.5 ⁢billion ​in economic and humanitarian‌ relief. Aid for Ukraine has increasingly been questioned by some in ⁢Congress​ as that country’s war to repel the Russian invasion⁢ nears the end of a second summer with no U.S. exit strategy in place.

The president ‍also requested $12 billion to replenish the ‍federal Disaster⁢ Relief Fund, $3.3 billion to counter ⁣China’s‍ influence in developing countries, $4 million for border security, services for illegal immigrants, and to combat the flow of fentanyl into​ the country.

Lawmakers React

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) led the charge of criticism, accusing President Biden of political manipulation by combining the ⁢request for additional aid to ‍Ukraine with approval of domestic disaster relief funds. Florida lawmakers on both sides of the aisle had already ⁣requested adding $11.5 billion to the DRF.

“President Biden owes Americans an ​explanation of his strategy, something he’s⁢ refused to do ⁤since Putin⁢ invaded Ukraine. We’ve ‍seen incredible bravery by the Ukrainians over⁣ the last 18 months, but ⁣we’ve also seen U.S. stockpiles ⁤dwindle, European countries slow-walk critical‍ supplies, ‌and China grow more aggressive towards ​the U.S. ⁢and⁢ our national interests. We cannot give a blank check to continue the status quo,” Mr. Rubio said in a statement‍ released on Aug.‌ 10.

Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.)​ has been a critic of the administration’s focus on Ukraine and the seeming lack of attention ⁢to inflation⁢ and other matters directly affecting Americans. ​In‌ response⁣ to President Biden’s funding request, a Braun staffer pointed to the senator’s July 14 op-ed published in The Hill.

Mr. Braun wrote that the real question to ask is, “What is the endgame here? Our $100 billion contribution has already eclipsed Russia’s entire military budget. When that number hits $200 ​billion, $300 billion, or ⁤a trillion ⁤dollars, will we just ⁣keep paying?”

A number of House Republicans were also skeptical of sending more aid to ‌Ukraine without an end in sight.

“Americans are struggling to pay for basic necessities, and our national credit rating ‌just got downgraded⁢ for⁣ the second time in⁤ U.S. history. Yet⁤ this president⁣ wants to send $24 billion of our taxpayers’ ⁤money to ⁢Ukraine, a country we’ve already‌ granted over $113 billion in unchecked assistance?​ I don’t think so,”‌ Rep. Tim⁢ Burchett‌ (R-Tenn.) ⁤told The Epoch Times.

Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), who led opposition to⁣ the spending compromise negotiated with President Biden, was even more direct. “No.​ This‌ should ⁣be a non-starter for the @HouseGOP. It’s time to stand⁤ up for Americans and against the uniparty. #NoSecurityNoFunding,” ‌he wrote in an Aug. 10 post on ⁤X, formerly known‌ as Twitter.

Eleven⁢ other House Republicans, led by Rep. ⁤Warren Davidson (R-Ohio), wrote ⁢to President Biden on Aug. 11, stating their opposition to ⁤the additional spending and demanding that he clarify his intention ‍for the Ukraine conflict.

“Americans are tired of funding endless wars and want policies that not‍ only help restore fiscal sanity in ⁣Washington but ⁤also put America and American citizens first,” the group ​wrote.

“Before Congress can responsibly finance the ongoing proxy war i