Hageman Votes to Block Disingenuous Rule that Funds Foreign Conflicts

Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Harriet Hageman voted against a ‘rule’ to allow four supplemental funding bills to be brought to the floor of the House of Representatives for a vote. This rule vote is consequential because although it allows for separate votes on Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan funding, and a Russia/Iran Sanctions bill, the rule would then force all bills to be combined into one package with no opportunity for Congress to vote on that final package – essentially making the bill the Senate supplemental that House Republicans have widely condemned.

Representative Hageman stated, “Time and time again, conservatives in the House of Representatives have expressed their strong objections to combining aid to Israel with additional funding of the war in Ukraine, yet that is exactly what happened today when the House passed a rule to combine four separate bills into one. This smoke and mirrors tactic that provided the illusion of separation is disingenuous and not how business should be conducted in Congress. In the past, I have always supported rule votes so that debate could be had and a final vote on a bill could occur. In this situation, the rule would actually limit debate and discussion.

“The legislation that this rule ties together is reckless in the amount of money being spent and the lack of accountability it requires. The package provides nearly $61 billion to Ukraine, including $300 million to secure the UKRAINIAN border. This additional funding brings the total amount that the United States has committed to the Ukraine/Russia conflict to over $172 billion. What is the end game? How is this money being spent? Where is the oversight? Why aren’t we spending $300 million to secure OUR borders?

“In addition to Ukraine funding, the package contains $9 billion for ‘Humanitarian Aid’ – it is a certainty that a significant portion of these dollars will find their way to Hamas terrorists. In total, over $95 billion in funding is being distributed via four bills. This massive spending package is not offset by any spending cuts and will push FY2024 spending by this Republican Congress tens of billions of dollars over what Nancy Pelosi authorized when she was the Speaker and Covid funds were being appropriated.

“Throughout our history, the Republican party has always stood for fiscal responsibility – it is past time that we return to that precept.”

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Contact: Chris Berardi, Sr. Advisor/Communications Director