Johnson says House GOP will consider Ukraine funding, border security together

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Wednesday that House Republicans would “marry” appropriations bills for Ukraine funding with border security.

“Well, with our appropriations bills for Ukraine funding, for example, we’re gonna marry that with border security,” Johnson told Fox News host Sean Hannity. “The two things are gonna be handled together, because we believe it’s a top priority.”

“We can’t be expected to take care of other countries and other conflicts if we can’t seal our own border,” Johnson continued.

Johnson had previously been skeptical of aid to Ukraine before attaining the Speakership, voting against bills that provided or aimed to provide aid to the war-torn country. After becoming Speaker, when Johnson was again asked if he would support Ukraine aid, he said he would “have conditions” on any measures aiming to provide it.

“We want accountability, and we want objectives that are clear from the White House,“ Johnson later said in response to a question about what those conditions would be. 

Johnson said last week that his party aims to “bifurcate” aid to Ukraine and Israel, amid Israel’s conflict with Palestinian militant group Hamas, in opposition to a $100 billion request the White House sent Congress for aid to both nations.

Johnson reportedly told GOP senators in a meeting Wednesday that a larger package also funding Ukraine, Taiwan and the U.S. southern border could not pass the House.  

“He repeated what I think he said on television shows, which is that he thinks there needs to be another Ukraine aid package, and he wants to do that. He emphasized that from his perspective of his majority, he said he has to separate them. He cannot get his majority to pass them together,” Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) said of what Johnson told senators.