President Biden spoke with the top four congressional leaders on Sunday, emphasizing the “urgent need” for the House to adopt the national security supplemental, as Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is under increasing pressure to bring the Senate-passed foreign aid package to the floor for a vote.
According to a White House statement, Biden, Johnson, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) met on Sunday afternoon “to discuss Iran’s unprecedented attack against Israel”.
“On the call, the President discussed the urgent need for the House of Representatives to pass the national security supplemental as soon as possible,” the statement said.
Schumer confirmed the meeting in a statement, underlining the United States’ support for Israel in the aftermath of the Iranian strike over the weekend, and urging Johnson to adopt the national security package, which includes help for both Ukraine and Israel.
“The US commitment to Israel’s security is ironclad,” Schumer stated. “We need to help Israel stay strong against Iran.”
“To @SpeakerJohnson—The best way is for the House to pass the bipartisan, Senate-passed national security bill,” Schumer said in response.
McConnell and Jeffries did not immediately respond to a request for comment following the meeting Sunday evening.
They both, however, issued remarks following Saturday’s Iranian assault on Israel, reaffirming their support for Israel and urging the House to enact the national security supplemental.
“Congress must also play its role. “The national security supplemental, which has been pending for months, will provide critical resources to Israel and our own military forces in the region,” McConnell said in a statement Saturday night. “The Commander-in-Chief and the Congress must carry out our core responsibilities immediately. The repercussions of failure are obvious, severe, and preventable.”
“The world is on fire.” We must stand with our Democratic allies and fight back against the enemies of freedom. The House must pass the bipartisan national security legislation. “Tomorrow,” Jeffries stated Sunday morning on the social media platform X.
Biden’s plea comes as Johnson is under increasing pressure from members of his own party, as well as many Democrats, to put the national security package up for a vote.
In recent weeks, despite growing fears about Ukraine’s decreasing weapons supply, Johnson has promised to hold a vote on some form of Ukraine aid package, but he has not indicated what such bill would look like. He was looking for a middle ground as he faced threats from inside his own conference to remove him as Speaker.
With Israel now facing real dangers in the region, Biden and several senators have stepped up their appeals for the House to enact the Senate’s foreign aid bill.