Round up the usual suspects...................
Posted on 04/24/2024 9:50:34 AM PDT by Red Badger
Two months ago, a majority of Republicans opposed the $95 billion foreign aid bill when it came to the Senate floor for a vote. Ten of those senators flipped Tuesday.
The measure passed by an overwhelming 79-18 margin, sending the bill to President Joe Biden for his signature.
It wasn’t long ago that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., found himself among the minority of Republican senators who supported the foreign aid bill. In February, there were 22 GOP senators in favor and 26 opposed, while one Republican senator didn’t vote.
It was a different story Tuesday. This time, 31 Republicans supported the bill, 15 Republicans opposed it, and three didn’t vote.
>>> How Much Are You Paying for Ukraine Aid? Economist Crunches the Numbers
The 10 Republicans who flip-flopped were Sens. Katie Britt, Tom Cotton, Steve Daines, Deb Fischer, Lindsey Graham, Cindy Hyde-Smith, James Lankford, Markwayne Mullin, Pete Ricketts, and Tim Scott. (Scott did not cast a vote for final passage, but supported a cloture motion earlier Tuesday and indicated his support in a statement.)
The GOP senators most frequently mentioned as McConnell’s successor as party leader—Sens. John Cornyn and John Thune—voted for the measure. Sen. John Barrasso, who is running for GOP whip, voted against it.
Below is the roll call of how each Republican senator voted. The complete list of senators, including Democrats, is available here.
YEAs (31)
John Boozman, R-Ark.
Katie Britt, R-Ala.
Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va.
Bill Cassidy, R-La.
Susan Collins, R-Maine
John Cornyn, R-Texas
Tom Cotton, R-Ark.
Kevin Cramer, R-N.D.
Mike Crapo, R-Idaho
Steve Daines, R-Mont.
Joni Ernst, R-Iowa
Deb Fischer, R-Neb.
Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.
Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa
John Hoeven, R-N.D.
Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss.
John Kennedy, R-La.
James Lankford, R-Okla.
Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
Jerry Moran, R-Kan.
Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla.
Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska
Pete Ricketts, R-Neb.
James Risch, R-Idaho
Mitt Romney, R-Utah
Mike Rounds, R-S.D.
Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska
John Thune, R-S.D.
Thom Tillis, R-N.C.
Roger Wicker, R-Miss.
Todd Young, R-Ind.
NAYs (15)
John Barrasso, R-Wyo.
Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.
Mike Braun, R-Ind.
Ted Budd, R-N.C.
Ted Cruz, R-Texas
Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn.
Josh Hawley, R-Mo.
Ron Johnson, R-Wis.
Mike Lee, R-Utah
Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo.
Roger Marshall, R-Kan.
Marco Rubio, R-Fla.
Eric Schmitt, R-Mo.
Rick Scott, R-Fla.
JD Vance, R-Ohio
Not Voting (3)
Rand Paul, R-Ky.
Tim Scott, R-S.C.
Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala.
Prior to the vote, Heritage Action for America announced it would score against the bill, noting that it “recklessly spends Americans tax dollars without a strategy, plan, or end goal.” (Heritage Action is the grassroots arm of The Heritage Foundation, which founded The Daily Signal in 2014.)
“The House-passed bill violates commonsense foreign aid principles that conservatives have supported for months,” Heritage Action Executive Vice President Ryan Walker said. “The legislation exploits the attacks on Israel to send $60 billion more to Ukraine without accountability or strategy—forcing Americans to take on even more debt to finance another country’s war. Conservatives will not relent in our opposition to this irresponsible legislation that puts Americans last.”
Several of the senators who voted against the February bill cited the lack of border security as a reason for their opposition, although its lack of inclusion in the latest iteration didn’t appear to be as much of a factor. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., opted not to include a separate bill addressing the border crisis as part of the foreign aid legislation.
Graham was among those who opposed the February bill. He explained his change of thinking during a floor speech Tuesday.
“I voted no [on the Senate bill earlier this year because] the border security provisions [were] sort of inadequate to the task on parole and a few other things,” Graham said. “My hope was … we could negotiate a stronger border security package [with the House]. That did not happen.”
Scott, the South Carolina Republican who ran for president, focused on the bill’s aid for Israel and his own FEND Off Fentanyl Act, which is included in the wide-ranging legislation. His statement made only a passing reference to Ukraine.
“While far from perfect, I support this national security package because it will help keep Americans and our allies safe,” Scott said. “The effort of Congress to support our allies should be applauded, but President Biden’s foreign policies have been an utter failure.”
Mullin, who flipped from a “no” in February to a “yes” on Tuesday, defended his vote by promoting the billions that will flow to the U.S. defense industry.
Britt echoed a similar point in a statement about Tuesday’s vote.
“This legislation, while imperfect, will make critical strides to reestablish credible American deterrence and move us closer to restoring the peace through strength that President Biden inherited,” Britt said. “Alabama plays a huge role in our national defense, and this legislation will further enhance Alabamians’ contributions to ensuring our warfighters are the best equipped, trained, and resourced in the world.”
Shortly after the cloture motion passed earlier Tuesday, McConnell directed his ire at conservative commentator Tucker Carlson for delaying congressional approval. President Joe Biden had made his original request back in October.
“The demonization of Ukraine began by Tucker Carlson,” McConnell said. “He had enormous audience, which convinced a lot of rank-and-file Republicans that maybe this was a mistake.”
In the House of Representatives, opposition to Ukraine funding has doubled in the course of the past two years. There are now more Republicans in the House opposed to additional Ukraine funding than those who support it.
Even so, the latest Ukraine funding bill was approved Saturday on a 311-112 vote with the unanimous support of Democrats. All 112 lawmakers voting against the bill were Republicans. By comparison, 101 Republicans voted in favor of the bill.
In addition to the Ukraine funding ($60.84 billion), lawmakers also approved funding for Israel ($26.38 billion) and the Indo-Pacific ($8.12 billion) as well as the 21st Century Peace Through Strength Act, a bill that would impose more sanctions on China, Iran, and Russia. They also adopted a measure requiring TikTok’s parent company to sever ties with the Communist Chinese government or cease operations within the United States.
Following the Senate’s approval, the bill awaits Biden’s signature.
This story was updated after publication to include the roll call vote and Heritage Action’s statement.
I’ll never have to worry about GOP Senators from New York State siding with the RATS, because there will never be another GOP Senator elected in this State. Not in the time I have left on this earth anyway.
Included in the bill was roughly $4 billion for “migration and refugee assistance,” which is doled out to NGOs operating along the border and tasked with giving funds and travel assistance to illegal immigrants who have been released from federal custody. In other words, Johnson isn’t just neglecting the border crisis, he’s actively funding it.
Then Trump comes out and endorses Johnson.
With candidates like this, we should leave Biden in office so the end comes quicker.
And Lindsey Graham publicly said, no foreign aid until we first pass legislation to fix the border.
So much for America First.
We’re really between a rock and a hard place on this one. Sad to say it but we wouldn’t be if there was strong leader. It’s best we hold off until Trump return-if he does.
The intelligence community called them for a meeting and showed them the dossier of what they have on them, miraculously their minds were changed in a 1 hour meeting.
They flip-flopped the moment they got word their kick back checks had cleared.
Linseed never does anything he says.................
don’t forget the illegals.. They are on page 11 3.5 billion to them as well.
Cotton is another snake that is not to be trusted.
bttt
Crapo and Risch make me sick. Idaho needs to wake up!
Cornyn and Cruz. Of course Texas has its own corrupt deep state problem going on - cf. the Paxton debacle.
The senate and the house are the same.
Moderates and RINOs outnumber conservatives 4 to 1.
How many more Senators would have voted “Yes”, but didn’t because their votes weren’t needed.
Once again, Congress selling America out one vote at a time.
The cream of the crop has developed mold.
Round up the usual suspects...................
Then Schumer reminded Linda about the pictures of him in a dress with a little boy.
Most washington Republicans lie when they say they want a secure border. They could have easily told Biden two years ago to close it down if he wanted funds for his pet projects. Dead silence when it counted from the GOP.
I know the truth when I see it!
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