Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Sunday demanded Speaker Mike Johnson and House Republicans pass a foreign aid bill following the death of Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny, saying Russian President Vladimir Putin “is watching.”
“Last week, the Senate overwhelmingly passed the national security supplemental, and I urged the House and Speaker Johnson to act — but now — with the death of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s political foe, Alexei Navalny, an urgent alarm bell now rings,” Schumer, a New York Democrat, said in a statement.
Schumer’s pressure on Johnson comes after President Joe Biden, in a call Saturday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, directly tied Ukraine’s withdrawal from the key town of Avdiivka to Congress’ inability to pass further aid for the country’s effort to fend off Russia’s invasion.
“Navalny’s tragic death now makes it even more urgent for House Speaker Johnson to pass the National Security Supplemental. This bipartisan bill currently sits at the feet of Speaker Johnson, and Putin is watching,” Schumer said.
Last week, the Senate passed a bipartisan $95 billion foreign aid bill supported by Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and 21 other Republicans despite facing heavy criticism from former President Donald Trump, who earlier this month helped tank a broader bill that would have combined foreign aid with a bipartisan border deal.
The new bill includes $60 billion to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia, $14.1 billion in security assistance for Israel, $9.2 billion in humanitarian assistance, and $4.8 billion to support regional partners in the Indo-Pacific, according to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, has signaled he won’t bring the bill to the floor,…
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