I previously noted that last week Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, was going to try to arrange a House vote to address military aid to Ukraine and Israel separately from the issue of border security, thus eliminating the main bargaining chip conservatives had to get the Democrats to do something about the border. Well, that plan must have crashed and burned because Democrats and RINOs are now considering a loan package to Ukraine. Politico reports:
Congressional Republicans are getting serious about one potential solution to the monthslong fight over Ukraine aid: packaging at least some of it as a loan.
The notion has been floating around for weeks, inspired by former president Donald Trump’s recent statements that all U.S. foreign aid — not just to Ukraine — ought to be loaned, not given outright.
But the possibility is now being taken a lot more seriously. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) hinted at the new strategy Monday, posting online that he floated the prospect of a “no-interest, waivable loan” during a meeting in Kyiv with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The loan option is being taken seriously in the House, as well, where Ukraine aid has been stalled for months. Some of Ukraine’s Republican defenders have taken the idea and shopped it to Speaker Mike Johnson. The speaker, according to people familiar with the talks, told them to put a proposal together, test the waters with their GOP colleagues and then — if the conference approves — perhaps they’ll pursue it.
It still gives away leverage to get some deal on the southern border. And I'm sure that Congress will, at some point, forgive the loan.
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