WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – The U.S. is once again on the brink of a government shutdown as Congress fights over funding.
Congress is stuck – unable to pass government funding, international aid, or border reform.
President Joe Biden is jumping in to try to help Congress solve their legislative logjam.
“It was both a productive and intense meeting,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
In an oval office meeting the big four leaders talked with the president about how to fund the government and get help to U.S. allies.
“We got a lot of work to do,” Biden said.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson says he thinks Congress will be able to pass a government funding bill before the deadline on Friday.
“We believe that we can get to agreement on these issues and prevent a government shutdown,” Johnson said.
President Biden and both Senate leaders are also urging the House to pass a bill to send $95 billion to Ukraine and Israel.
“The consequence of inaction every day in Ukraine are dire.” Biden said.
Senators Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell say Ukraine is running out of supplies and will lose if U.S. aid doesn’t come soon.
“We don’t want the Russians to win in Ukraine and so we have a time problem here,” McConnell said.
So far Speaker Johnson has resisted bringing it up for a vote.
“It’s in his hands. we told him how important it was,” Schumer added.
Speaker Johnson says House Republicans want fixes to the immigration system first.
“The first priority of the country is our border and making sure the border is secure,” Johnson said.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries says his party is willing to find a compromise on border reform.
We just need our House Republican colleagues not to play politics,” Jeffries said.
Speaker Johnson argues President Biden should take executive action to fix the border rather than waiting on Congress to pass legislation.
Source: Fox 8 News Channel
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