Democratic President Joe Biden's request for $95 billion for
Ukraine, Israel and other allies passed the U.S. Senate with 70%
support but has been stalled for weeks in the House of
Representatives as Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has
refused to allow a vote.
As lawmakers returned to Washington from a two-week break on
Monday, Johnson gave no word of any plans for a vote on Biden's
supplemental request.
Pompeo, a former House member, issued a public letter on Monday
urging Johnson to bring up the bill in the House.
"We encourage you to lead with conviction and bring the aid
package to a vote," Pompeo said in a letter written with John
Walter, president of the Hudson Institute, where Pompeo is a
fellow.
Johnson's office did not comment on the letter, or recent
assertions by the Republican chairpersons of two House national
security committees that "Russian propaganda" is influencing
party members.
Representative Michael McCaul, who leads the House Foreign
Affairs Committee, told Puck News last week: "Russian propaganda
has made its way into the United States, unfortunately, and it’s
infected a good chunk of my party’s base."
And on Sunday, Representative Mike Turner, who heads the House
Intelligence Committee, told CNN's "State of the Union" McCaul's
contention was "absolutely true."
Turner said: "We see directly coming from Russia attempts to
mask communications that are anti-Ukraine and pro-Russia
messages, some of which we even hear being uttered on the House
floor."
For example, Turner said some members of Congress "incorrectly"
say that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine is over NATO.
"To the extent that this propaganda takes hold, it makes it more
difficult for us to really see this as an authoritarian versus
democracy battle," Turner said.
(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Don Durfee and David
Gregorio)
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