Hoyer Discusses Need for Republicans to Act on Aid for Ukraine and Israel with Jim Acosta on CNN Max
WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) joined Jim Acosta on CNN Max this morning to discuss the need for immediate Congressional action to send unconditional aid to Ukraine and Israel. Below is a transcript of his interview and a link to the video:
Click here for a link to the video.
On the Immediate Need for Congress to Pass Aid for Ukraine and Israel
“Well, I think..yesterday's vote and the actions in the House of Representatives on Israel funding have led us to not have much confidence in [Republicans'] willingness.”
“We know they have the ability, if they make that decision, to follow their convictions rather than create contention and confrontation on issues that are not directly related to the issue at hand – and that is making sure that Ukraine has the resources to confront and defeat the Russian criminal invasion led by the dictator in Russia, Vladimir Putin.”
“And we are either going to be a reliable ally or the world is not going to trust us and they're not going to have confidence in us. And our role as the leader of the free world in confronting those who would undermine freedom and democracy is weakened. And that's not good for the global community. It's not good for the United States of America.”
“Now, you ask me how confident I am – I frankly think if we put in the House of Representatives, on suspension, needing a two thirds vote, we could pass both a [$]14.4 billion for Israel, which it needs, and the $64 billion for Ukraine, which it must have. Shalanda Young, the head of the [White House] Office of Management and Budget says they have run out of money, and we need to make sure that they have the supplies to confront Putin and the Russian forces.”
“Not to do so is, frankly, in the worst interest of the national security of America and risks Putin not only taking Ukraine, but taking further steps which would implicate NATO, which would implicate our troops on the ground.”
On Democrats and Republicans Working Together on Border Security
“I think we can meet in the middle and I think we ought to meet in the middle. We want to make our border secure. We want to make sure that we don't have either drugs or terrorists coming into the United States of America. I think that's what the President meant by meeting them halfway. But that is not an issue that is directly related to what we do in Ukraine or in Israel. If we make all these issues contingent upon one another, we'll do nothing. Why? Because we've been trying for 14 years since the Senate passed a bipartisan bill to get an agreement on the border.”
“We ought to get agreement on the border. And the answer to your question is yes, I think Democrats will certainly meet in the middle. As a matter of fact, the President has proposed substantial funds to enhance security at the border.”
“So that's not something that we're unwilling to discuss and that's what they have been discussing. Unfortunately, the Republicans want what they passed, without any Democratic votes. And the Senate has not passed their bill called H.R. 2, which is a bill on which there is disagreement. What the Republicans continue to do is to allow the perfect to be the enemy of the good, the enemy of the necessary, the enemy of protecting our national security.”
“Tuberville did that. Senator Tuberville did it in the Senate and held up appointments to very important positions in our military for [10 months], weakening our national security. Now they’re either for our national security, they’re either for America being a leader or they're not. And they need to step up [to] the plate. And in the next four days, we only have four days left, they ought to pass these two bills – Ukraine and then also there's not much discussion about stating forcefully and through resources our intention that we not have Taiwan overrun as well.”
“So it's a shame that the Republicans, which are a deeply divided party, a divisive party, and frankly, showing themselves to be a dysfunctional party hoist on the petard of if you can't get everything, you're not going to get anything. That's not democracy.”
On Former President Donald Trump Stating He Would be a Dictator “On Day One”
“I'm not surprised. [...] I've never thought a president would say that. But this President [Trump] led an insurrection. This President recruited people to come to Washington. He inflamed them with a speech that clearly implied that the election was stolen. That was a lie.”
“And then he said to them, ‘Go down to Washington, go down to the Capitol of the United States,’ where we were doing our constitutional duty. And he said, ‘Go down there, stop the steal.’ There was no steal. ‘Stop the steal and fight like hell.’ My view, that's a treasonous act, not only an insurrectionist act, but a treasonous act. You can quibble about the definition of treason, but what it was, was [an] action urging people by force and by force of arms to stop the constitutional operations of the government of the United States of America and electing a president. That is rhetoric that we should not be surprised is followed up by him, saying, ‘And I would want to be a dictator.’”
“He says one day. He doesn't mean one day. He does want to be a dictator. He wants to be an authoritarian leader. The authoritarian leaders of the world are his friends –Putin, Kim Jong Un, others who have by accruing to themselves all power become dictators. And Trump likes that. He doesn't like people to disagree with them. He doesn't like people to not do his bidding.”
“And so I'm not surprised. I'm very deeply disappointed, dismayed, and I believe that every American ought to look at this and say that is not somebody who ought to be President of the United States. We are a democracy. We're proud of that democracy.”
“We're proud of the fact that we are the shining light on the hill that [former President] Reagan talked about. But he didn't talk about a dictatorship. He didn't talk about disrespecting the Constitution of the United States, which President [Trump] has done [...]. So, sadly, I'm not surprised that he would say the kinds of things he's said because he said them from the very first time he started running for President of the United States.”