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Jeffries names potential GOP allies in Ukraine aid fight

"And so it Begins ... Ukraine Aid Discharge Petition Underway"

Feb 21, 2024
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House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday pointed to a pair of prominent House Republicans as possible partners in the effort to secure a vote on aid to Ukraine.

Why it matters: House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has so far refused to hold a vote on a bipartisan Senate bill with aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.

What he's saying: Jeffries, in an appearance on "The View," cited comments made by Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) and Mike Turner (R-Ohio) at the Munich Security Conference.

* "They both expressed to [Ukrainian] President Zelenskyy and to us in our conversations that they want to find a way forward, to work together and to get this bill on the floor for an up or down vote," he said.

* The comment comes as Democrats have taken steps to force a vote on the Senate bill – but the maneuver would require Republican signatures.

Zoom in: Turner, the chair of the House Intelligence Committee, was one of the few Republicans who questioned Johnson's decision .. https://www.axios.com/2024/02/04/mike-johnson-gop-israel-bill-dissent .. to hold a vote on an Israel aid bill without funds for Ukraine or Taiwan.

* Fitzpatrick, the chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, has proposed a scaled-down alternative to the Senate bill that includes border restrictions.

* Spokespeople for the two lawmakers did not immediately respond to Axios' requests for comment.

What's next: Interest groups are beginning to put pressure on staunchly pro-Ukraine Republicans to support a discharge petition.

* One group called Republicans for Ukraine launched a six-figure ad campaign .. https://gopforukraine.com/2024/02/20/new-ad-campaign-urges-house-republicans-to-support-ukraine-aid/ .. on Wednesday targeting 10 House Republicans, including Turner and Fitzpatrick.

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https://www.axios.com/2024/02/22/ukraine-aid-jeffries-republicans-discharge-petition