New aid for Ukraine and Israel will be difficult to pass before the end of the year while Congress remains at odds over proposed changes to securing the southern border, House Intelligence Committee Chair Mike Turner said.
“Congress is going to require that there’ll be laws changed to make certain that the border returns to its prior state,” the Ohio Republican said yesterday on NBC’s “Meet the Press”, adding that could include restricting the entry of asylum seekers across the Mexican border and other provisions to secure it.
Photographer: Al Drago/Bloomberg
Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio)
Congressional Republicans are seeking to link their approval for the foreign military assistance to stricter border policies after President Joe Biden signed a stopgap bill that extended government funding into early next year.
Congress is returning to work this week with legislation for Israel and Ukraine on the agenda. Further complications would raise questions on whether Washington will continue to provide its allies with resources and weaponry.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said in a letter to colleagues that he plans to bring the national security package requested by the White House to the floor “as soon as December 4th,” Alicia Diaz reports.
But Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said lawmakers should consider conditioning future aid to Israel on its compliance with international humanitarian law, calling the civilian death toll in Gaza “unacceptable” and “unsustainable.”
“We regularly condition our aid to allies based upon compliance with U.S. law and international law,” he said on CNN’s “State of the Union” yesterday. “And that will be a conversation we will all be engaged in when we get back to Washington on Monday.”
Murphy’s comments reflect a growing willingness on the part of some Democrats — potentially including Biden — to discuss attaching strings to the $14.3 billion aid package, Gregory Korte reports.
BIDEN’S AGENDA
- The president will deliver remarks around 2 p.m. on new actions aimed to strengthen supply chains and ease post-pandemic inflation.
- Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby will hold a briefing around noon.
CONGRESS’ SCHEDULE
- The House is back tomorrow and votes this week on limiting Iran funds, migrant housing, and a CFPB rule.
- Senators return at 3 p.m. to vote on Biden administration nominations.
- For details on the full agenda read BGOV’s Congress Tracker.
Happening on the Hill
Photographer: Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg
CONGRESS has three major deadlines — Dec. 31, Jan. 19, and Feb. 2 — that will drive action over next couple of months as outlined in BGOV’s latest OnPoint.
REP. DEAN PHILLIPS (D-Minn.) will not run for reelection, the Star Tribune reported, citing an interview with Phillips.
People, Power, and Politics
Photographer: Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Joe Biden speaks on Nov. 04, 2020 in Wilmington, Del.
BIDEN plans to take part in a tribute service for former first lady Rosalynn Carter in Atlanta next week. Carter died at 96 last week. Read more.
DONALD TRUMP put $1.5 million toward new ad buys in early voting states, in what people familiar with the campaign say is part of a plan for significant media investments ahead of the Iowa caucuses. Read more.
Latest from Gaza, Israel
Photographer: Kobi Wolf/Bloomberg
A screen displaying photos of Israeli hostages held by Hamas militants.
ISRAEL is coming under increasing pressure to agree to an extension of a four-day pause in its war with Hamas, which is due to end tomorrow morning. Biden backed prolonging the war pause, saying it’s allowing for the delivery of “critically needed” aid to Gaza and the recovery of hostages, after another 17 were released by Hamas yesterday.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to Biden yesterday and said an extension was possible, reiterating that every extra day of the truce is conditional on 10 more hostages being released. And he said Israel will not change its goal of trying to destroy Hamas.
- Hamas said it wants a longer pause, but didn’t specify if it would free more hostages. Read more.
A TOP TREASURY OFFICIAL is set to visit Turkey this week for talks on the illicit activities of Hamas and American sanctions against Russian entities, according to people familiar with the discussions. Read more.
Across the Administration
Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg
U.S. Department of Homeland Security seal at the agency’s headquarters in Washington.
THE HOMELAND SECURITY DEPARTMENT faces steep challenges in carrying out the Biden administration’s AI playbook, which places the agency at the center of the action. Read more.
OLD GUARD AND UPSTART TECH COMPANIES, niche nonprofits, government consulting firms, and university researchers are among the hundreds of organizations and individuals looking to help revamp and modernize the nation’s organ donation and transplant system. Read more.
A FEDERAL APPEALS COURT was wrong when it ruled the FDA’s regulations over abortion drug mifepristone should be rolled back, the agency said in a reply supporting its request the Supreme Court hear the case. Read more.
US AND CHINESE OFFICIALS are working to bring back more passenger flights between the world’s two largest economies, another sign of progress following deals struck last week between Biden and Xi Jinping in California. Read more.
MIDDLE EASTERN WEALTH FUNDS are facing greater scrutiny on US deals from the Biden administration, part of a broader pushback on entities perceived to have close ties with Beijing, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter. Read more.
What Else to Know
‘No Sign’ of Terrorism Seen in Car Blast at US-Canada Border
New York Governor Kathy Hochul said there is no sign of terrorism so far in the vehicle explosion that killed two people at the Rainbow Bridge, a busy crossing between the US and Canada at Niagara Falls.
Three Men of Palestinian Descent Are Injured in Vermont Shooting
Three college students of Palestinian descent were shot near the University of Vermont’s campus in Burlington.
Musk, Netanyahu Tour Massacre Site Amid Antisemitism Furor (1)
Elon Musk and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday toured a southern town that was the site of some of the worst violence during the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, as the world’s richest man faces growing furor over antisemitic content on his social media platform X.
To contact the reporter on this story: Kayla Sharpe at ksharpe@bloombergindustry.com
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Jeannie Baumann at jbaumann@bloombergindustry.com; Giuseppe Macri at gmacri@bgov.com
