Former Rep. Amash: Biden, Congress 'Inserting Us Into a War,' Lack 'Conviction' to 'Declare War'
(CNS News) — As the House of Representatives prepares to vote tonight on a $40 billion bill to provide Ukraine with military and humanitarian aid, former House Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.), said the deal is an “absurdity,” and that Biden and Congress are “inserting us into a war” because they lack the conviction to formally vote on a declaration of war.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, the Biden Administration has “committed a total of more than $3.7 billion in security assistance to ‘provide Ukraine the equipment it needs to defend itself,'” according to the Congressional Research Service. The $40 billion is a new appropriation.
“Approving $40 billion for Ukraine is the kind of absurdity we’ve come to expect from Congress,” tweeted Amash on May 10.
Approving $40 billion for Ukraine is the kind of absurdity we’ve come to expect from Congress. They and Pres. Biden are inserting us into a war, but they don’t have the conviction to vote to declare war, because that would be extremely unpopular and put them squarely on the hook.
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) May 10, 2022
“They and Pres. Biden are inserting us into a war,” he wrote, “but they don’t have the conviction to vote to declare war, because that would be extremely unpopular and put them squarely on the hook.”
Amash retired from Congress in January 2021.
The budget for the U.S. Defense Department in FY2022 is $782 billion. For comparison, an appropriation of $40 billion for Ukraine is 5.1% of the entire U.S. defense budget. Russia’s defense budget reportedly is $65.9 billion. Ukraine’s defense budget is approximately $6 billion.
As for the Ukraine proposal, House Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) tweeted, “The text of the Ukraine supplemental JUST dropped. It’s 3:09PM. I am told it’s just under $40BB, but looking at it. Many undefined terms. No briefing. No strategy. We allegedly are voting on it tonight. This is a hard & loud ‘no.’ I support Ukraine – but I represent Americans.”
The text of the Ukraine supplemental JUST dropped. It’s 3:09PM. I am told it’s just under $40BB, but looking at it. Many undefined terms. No briefing. No strategy. We allegedly are voting on it tonight. This is a hard & loud “no.” I support Ukraine – but I represent Americans.
— Chip Roy (@chiproytx) May 10, 2022
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) reportedly will try to amend the legislation to provide an inspector general to oversee how the $40 billion for Ukraine is spent.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said the Senate would take up the proposal quickly, following the House vote.
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